As a customer of Tanners, you may have seen the words En Primeur, but what is it? Is it expensive? And where do you even start? With Bordeaux 2024 upon us, let’s demystify En Primeur.
What is it?
It refers to wines that are waiting to be shipped to the UK, in most cases the wines are still in barrels in the growers’ cellar. When ordering En Primeur wines, you pay for the wines at the time of ordering and then pay the duty and VAT at the prevailing rates when they are shipped to the UK.
How does delivery work?
All En Primeur wines will have pre-advised shipping dates which can be months or even years ahead, so don’t expect them to turn up on your doorstep tomorrow! Upon delivery to the UK, you can either choose to have them delivered or, if you would prefer, you can store them with us (more on that below). Doesn’t that feel exciting? Buying wine before it’s even been bottled feels like you’re immersing yourself in part of the wine's journey.
Where’s a good place to start?
Perhaps this is your dilemma. The concept of En Primeur sounds appealing, but where do you begin? If you’re thinking about building your collection, but not quite sure how to approach it, adding bottles around styles and countries that you like is a good place to start.
Have a think about why En Primeur could work for you. Perhaps you want to create a collection for your future self to enjoy and just add various cases as and when you feel like it. Or perhaps you wish to purchase wines that may increase in value and then sell them on at a later date. What appeals to you?
Starting your En Primeur journey doesn’t have to be an intimidating experience. If you haven’t explored En Primeur yet, it’s simply a relaxed conversation with one of the Fine Wine Team. Even if you’d like to have an in-depth chat about En Primeur to help you gather your thoughts and understand the art of the possible, you will be thoroughly listened to, with no pressure to buy.
What costs are involved?
En Primeur sounds expensive. Of course, wine has its price, but En Primeur need not be dominated by the big bucks. In fact, purchasing wines En Primeur is usually the most valuable time to buy them before they hit the shelves. Even more of a reason to snap them up early!
Purchasing wine En Primeur can be very accessible for a budding wine enthusiast. Recent campaigns from across the most celebrated wine producing regions have offered dozens and half dozens for under £100.
With Bordeaux 2024 almost here, whilst I can’t predict the prices that are to be released, there will undoubtedly be accessible price points for those who enjoy Claret.
When is En Primeur available?
Tanners has a core calendar of En Primeur campaigns each year which usually feature wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Rhône, with additional ad-hoc campaigns (depending on availability and quality) which can include Rioja, Champagne, Vintage Port (if declared) and the USA, for example.
En Primeur campaigns are spread throughout the year which means that there is plenty of choice over a steady period rather than being bombarded with wines all at once. The En Primeur calendar also means you can ‘budget’ across the releases which is a far more friendly experience for those new to En Primeur.
With the impact of climate, weather and wine-making practices, each year can produce distinctly different characters and styles which can influence your buying decisions. That’s why En Primeur can be so captivating, it’s the thrill of waiting to see what appears.
What are other benefits?
Purchasing En Primeur is a fantastic way to gradually build up a collection of wine, effectively creating your very own cellar. En Primeur wines often benefit from an array of maturation periods, be that short or long and having that time to sit quietly and develop leaves you with plenty of drinking options going forward. One of the most rewarding aspects of En Primeur is that it’s a great way to future-proof your access to wine. In years to come you’ll be sure to thank yourself for your past purchases when it's time for celebrations, big birthdays, or simply enjoying a good bottle of wine.
If you want to hit the ground running, Tanners often creates ready-made cellar collections for you. With a range of price points, styles and bottle sizes, these collections can take away the stress of deciding what to buy.
What can I buy?
A standard bottle of wine is fine. Offered in cases of 6 or 12 bottles, these are superb building blocks for any wine collection. But why not add something different? One of the attractive features of En Primeur, especially Bordeaux, is the availability of different sized bottles.
The availability of half bottles is underrated; they’re great for sipping away at without the fear of wasting any. Or, add a magnum, jeroboam or imperial into your collection, with wonderful ageing potential and having the natural ability to visually captivate a table, larger bottles will satisfy a thirsty crowd or help celebrate special occasions.
Where can I store my En Primeur wines?
One of the brilliant features of Tanners is that any cases purchased directly can be stored safely in our bespoke reserve areas. There is a small fee attached, and you have to take the bottles out how they went in eg if you added a case in, then you have to take the whole case out, but knowing your bottles are being securely looked after in the correct conditions, far outweighs the minor charge per bottle.
For further information on En Primeur, contact the Fine Wine Team on 01743 234455 or email – they’ll be happy to answer any questions.
