Bordeaux En Primeur: How It Works, Pricing and Delivery
Table of Contents
- What does en primeur mean?
- How does Bordeaux en primeur work?
- When do you pay for en primeur wine?
- When is Bordeaux en primeur delivered?
- When is the balance due?
- How are en primeur prices calculated?
- How is the wine delivered?
- Why buy Bordeaux en primeur?
- Is buying en primeur always worth it?
- Buying claret en primeur with Wickhams
If you’ve come across Bordeaux en primeur, often called claret futures, the idea can seem slightly abstract. If you’re not fully clear on the term, it’s worth starting with our guide to claret.
You’re buying wine that is not in bottle yet. No case to take home. No cork to pull. But the principle itself is straightforward.
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What does en primeur mean?
En primeur means buying wine while it is still ageing in barrel, before it is bottled and released for general sale.
In Bordeaux, this usually happens in the spring following the harvest. The previous year’s wines are tasted from barrel, priced, and released to the market. You are, in effect, reserving your share of a wine early, then waiting for it to be finished.
How does Bordeaux en primeur work?
The process follows a steady rhythm each year.
1. The wines are shown and priced
Châteaux present barrel samples around six to twelve months after harvest. Critics taste, merchants assess, and prices are released over several weeks.
2. You place an order
You buy the wine “in bond” at this stage. That means the initial price covers the wine itself, but not UK duty or VAT.
3. The wine stays in barrel
After the sale, nothing physical happens on your side. The wine continues ageing at the château, usually for another year or two.
4. Bottling and shipment
Once ready, the wine is bottled and shipped to the UK, usually into bonded storage.
5. Delivery or storage
At that point, you can either have the wine delivered after paying duty and VAT, or keep it stored in bond for later.
When do you pay for en primeur wine?
- On order: you pay for the wine itself.
- Later, before delivery: you pay UK duty and VAT at the prevailing rate.
If you leave the wine stored in bond, you can defer duty and VAT until you actually want it delivered.
When is Bordeaux en primeur delivered?
Most Bordeaux en primeur wines are delivered around 18 months to three years after the vintage. It is a long lead time. That is part of the deal.
When is the balance due?
The balance is usually due when the wine is ready to leave bonded storage for delivery to you. At that point, duty and VAT are calculated and charged.
How are en primeur prices calculated?
- The quality and reputation of the vintage
- The reputation of the château
- Critical reception and early scores
- Market demand
- Scarcity and allocation size
- Prices for recent comparable vintages
Most wines offered en primeur will eventually come onto the wider market, though availability can be limited. You can see our current Bordeaux wines here.
How is the wine delivered?
Take delivery
You pay duty and VAT, then the wine is delivered to you.
Leave it in bond
You keep the wine stored professionally, with duty and VAT deferred until later.
Why buy Bordeaux en primeur?
Access
Buying early means you can secure an allocation rather than hoping to find the wine later.
Price
En primeur can offer fair opening prices, though value depends on the vintage and release level.
Provenance
A clear chain from château to bonded storage, which matters for long-term cellaring.
Cellaring
A way to build a cellar over time, with wines arriving as they begin to mature.
Is buying en primeur always worth it?
Not always. Prices do not always rise after release, and you are committing funds well in advance of delivery. But when it works, it works well.
En primeur is about planning ahead. If that is not what you need, buying well-chosen Bordeaux already in bottle is often the more practical route.
If you’d rather drink something now, our claret selection covers wines already in bottle and ready to open.
Buying claret en primeur with Wickhams
At Wickhams, we focus on wines that make sense to drink. En primeur only works if the wine is worth waiting for, and if the price is fair.
Artisan wines from independent family wineries. Wines from growers we know, chosen for character and a clear sense of where they come from.
That same thinking applies to Bordeaux en primeur.
Get Bordeaux En Primeur Updates
We send short updates as wines are released during the Bordeaux en primeur campaign. Only wines we think are worth buying.
Save our number to receive updates. Click the link, send the message, and we’ll add you. You can leave at any time.
