Bordeaux en Primeur is the mother of all B2B wine events โ a week in April during which thousands of salesmen, journalists and importers from all around the world flock to the oldest cradle of fine wine to taste barrel samples of the new vintage.
A portion of this wine would be bottled upon arrival, while the rest was simply sold in bulk. When most chateaus shifted to the production of bottled wine, the system evolved into a rather unique way of retailing wine. The en primeur sale is a win-win system that allows Chateaus to avoid waiting until aging is complete to generate cash flow, negociants who act as intermediaries and final customers to tick off much cheaper prices than those the wines will fetch on the market once they are released.
This is also a great opportunity for wine investors: the renowned longevity of the best clarets allows for returns equal if not greater than those of the stock market. If you own a proper storage facility and have the financial means to buy in advance and wait for several years, then you can easily use the best wines of Bordeaux as a reliable financial asset.
The En Primeur campaign is taking place in a challenging moment of the history of this wine-growing area, and uncertainty about its outcome was palpable during our visits.
First and foremost, the vintage comes after the much-hyped , which caused a surge in prices, with both negociants and consumers having invested massive amounts of money in Bordeaux futures. Meanwhile, proved a difficult year for the wine industry, amid declining consumption โ especially among millennials โ and the precarious economic situation at a global level.
