Buying wine En Primeur feels like a secret club to some, a party you’re not invited to, a special place packed full of interesting, exciting wines that you can’t get your hands on. Well, the fact is that it’s open to anyone, and buying En Primeur is as easy as buying wine any other way – but there are a few key differences, which we’ll explain below.
In a nutshell, En Primeur lets you build a cellar of delicious wine over time, securing bottles at the first opportunity, giving you early access to wines that may be hard to find in a few years’ time.
In this article, we’ll explain what En Primeur offers you, we’ll answer all the important questions, and explain exactly how it works from start to finish.
Let’s start with the big question:
Why should I buy En Primeur wine?
There are so many reasons. Buying wine En Primeur from The Wine Society:
- offers a simple way to build a cellar
- gives you the chance to secure delicious wines at the earliest opportunity
- lets you taste the same wine over a period of several years to see how the wine develops
- gives you access to wines that may be hard to find or go up in price after being bottled
- allows you to buy mixed cases, giving you a great snapshot of a particular vintage.
Now, let’s deal with some common En Primeur questions:
What does ‘En Primeur’ mean?
En Primeur translates as ‘the first’. It’s aptly named, too, because En Primeur offers give wine drinkers the first chance to secure wines, usually while they’re still maturing in barrels. You’ll sometimes see En Primeur referred to as ‘futures’, too – also appropriate, given that you’re essentially securing wines that will be available for you to enjoy at some point in the future.
Does En Primeur only refer to Bordeaux?
Not at all. Bordeaux was the first region to offer wines this way and is undoubtedly the best known. However, there are many other regions that offer their wine En Primeur – notable examples include Burgundy, the Rhône and Italy.
When will my wines be ready to drink?
We give suggested drinking dates for all En Primeur wines, but it’s entirely up to you when you decide to pull the cork. If you buy a case of a particular wine, part of the joy is trying bottles over a period of time, giving you a great window into how a wine matures, and the different flavours and nuances to expect.
What is the difference between En Primeur and in bond?
When you buy wine En Primeur, you’re buying an ‘in-bond’ wine – a wine where duty and VAT are payable when you take delivery or have them transferred to Members’ Reserves. Our First Release series also features in-bond wines. The main difference is that when you buy En Primeur, the wine will still be maturing and won’t be ready for up to a year or two. With First Release wines, the waiting time is less, but the price won’t necessarily be as cheap as buying En Primeur.
Aren’t En Primeur wines very expensive?
No, that’s one of the common misconceptions of En Primeur. Yes, there are some producers whose wines command ultra-high prices, but they are the exception. As an example, in The Society’s Bordeaux En Primeur offer in 2022 (featuring the 2021 vintage), we included eight wines whose equivalent bottle price was below £10 (the in-bond price, minus duty and VAT), 14 wines under £15, and 18 wines below the £20 mark.
Why isn’t duty and VAT included in the offer price?
When you buy wine En Primeur, you’re buying an in-bond wine – that is, a wine that is still subject to duty and VAT. In-bond wines are stored in bonded warehouses, and it’s only when the owner requests delivery (or for the wine to be transferred to Members Reserves) that duty and VAT are then payable.
How much is duty and VAT on wine in bond?
As of 1 August 2023, duty rates on alcohol have changed. For example, the current duty on a 14% abv wine is £2.67 per 75cl bottle; VAT of 20% is payable on both wine and duty.
En Primeur sounds rather complicated…
It really isn’t! When you buy wine En Primeur, all you have to do is choose your wines, request them, and we take care of everything else. We’ll let you know how much to pay and when, and let you know when your wines have arrived, and when they’re ready to drink. Your only decision is when to drink them.
Isn’t En Primeur wine all about investment and making money?
We disagree. Yes, there are those who use En Primeur as an investment vehicle, but at The Society, we’re about sharing the joy of good wine, and we sell wines we want our members to drink and enjoy. We prefer to think of En Primeur as an investment in pleasure.
What if I don’t enjoy an En Primeur wine I’ve bought?
All wines bought by members are covered by The Society’s Promise. If you don’t enjoy one of our wines, let us know and we’ll refund you – it’s as simple as that.
So, how does it work from start to finish?
Buying En Primeur wine – the complete process
This is the fun part! When The Society launches an En Primeur offer, we compile a list of all the producers/châteaux, along with prices and drink dates for each one, showing the expected window when the wines will be ready for drinking and at their peak. We’ll also give you a fair, honest assessment of the vintage, and a good overview of the general style and quality of the wines in the offer.
If you’re unsure which producer to go for, a mixed case is the ideal way to start off your En Primeur collection. Doing so means you’ll receive a range of styles that showcase what a particular region has to offer, and it’s a great way of building up your knowledge. Alternatively, if there’s a producer you know or one that catches your eye, you can buy a case (or more) just from them. Top wine writer Neal Martin recommends choosing a handful of châteaux or producers and sticking with them, rather than chopping and changing each year. If you need any advice, our Member Services team will be happy to help.
Once all members’ requests are in, The Society allocates En Primeur wines to members. Unlike other wine merchants, we don’t use a first-come, first-served approach. Instead, we give members at least two weeks to request their wines, then we allocate the wines accordingly. If a wine is oversubscribed, then members who have shown the greatest level of support to The Society (as a whole, not just for En Primeur offers) have a better chance of securing the wines they want.
Once we’ve allocated the wines, members are contacted to let them know which wines they have secured. We’ll also explain when the wines are likely to arrive in Stevenage, and give members the option to store the wines in our in-bond Reserves area, to take delivery of the wines, or to store the wines in duty-paid Members’ Reserves.
The waiting is over – your En Primeur wines are here. When your wines have arrived at Stevenage, we’ll let you know and confirm whether you’d prefer to have them delivered or stored in our temperature-controlled warehouse.
That’s all there is to it. Buying En Primeur is a wonderfully rewarding way to enjoy wine, and there’s a real thrill in making a new discovery or enjoying a wine when it has reached its peak. If you have any questions about En Primeur, please get in touch – we’ll be happy to help.
Where to go next?
In-bond wines
Our En Primeur and First Release offers allow you to spread the cost of purchase by deferring payment of duty and VAT until you have the wine delivered.
Learn more
Remaining in-bond stocks
Here’s where you’ll find any remaining stocks from in-bond offers.
Learn more