En Primeur
The idea of buying wine En Primeur can be baffling, but it’s worth getting past the terminology: it’s the key to accessing the best wines at the best price
What is En Primeur?
Buying En Primeur means you are buying a wine before it has been bottled. It’s a system that started in Bordeaux, and has become increasingly important in Burgundy, the Rhône and Italy.
How does buying En Primeur work?
First, our team taste and assess the wines from barrel. We’ll release these wines for sale, and you’ll have a chance to make your purchase before the wines hit the market. Wines are sold In Bond (before Duty and VAT have been paid) and by the case.
Once the wines are ready, they are bottled and shipped to our warehouses. You can then ask us to deliver your wines, or we can store them for you. If you store your wines with us, you have the option to sell them at a later date using BBX, our broking exchange. When wines are delivered, you’ll need to pay Duty and VAT.
Why should I buy En Primeur?
If you’re interested in building a collection of fine wine either for future enjoyment or investment, it makes sense to buy En Primeur.
Not only is the En Primeur release price usually the best price for a wine, but it’s also your chance to ensure you’ve got the wines you want in your collection. Many fine wines are only available in small quantities. You can also guarantee the provenance of En Primeur wines, which is helpful should you wish to sell them on.
There’s also the less practical and more emotional side of buying En Primeur: investing in a particular producer, and in a particular year, gives you a strong sense of connection with the wine, adding to its appeal.
What is included in En Primeur prices?
When you buy a wine from us En Primeur the prices quoted are In Bond. This price includes the cost of shipping to our UK warehouses and, subsequently, delivery to you. It also includes insurance: wines are insured at the original invoice value until ownership of the wines passes to you, at which point they are insured at current market prices at the time of loss or damage.
The price you pay for the wine does not include Duty and VAT. You don't need to pay Duty and VAT until the wines are withdrawn from Bond.
How much is the duty and VAT on wine?
Please click here for the most recent information on VAT, and Duty charges.
Shipping from producer to warehouse
En Primeur wines are usually connected to a specific vintage, with a set closing date for orders. The relevant closing dates will always be included in our specific vintage brochure, or on our website. We’ll indicate an anticipated date by when we expect the vintage to be bottled and shipped to the UK. Exactly when the wines are shipped is down to when the producer thinks they’re ready, so we can't guarantee exact dates.
After your wines are shipped to the UK, they’ll be entered directly into your cellar, In Bond. Once the wines are in the warehouse, we’ll let you know by email. You’ll need to pay a storage charge for every case you keep in our Bonded warehouses, but we won’t charge you initial rent until your account’s cyclical annual rent date.
Other instances of buying wine from abroad
Wines lying abroad (WLA) refers to wine that has been bottled, but is sold at In Bond prices. This means that no UK Duty or VAT is being paid on it, until it’s withdrawn later down the line. When wines are lying abroad, this usually indicates that they’re being stored with the producer, or that they’re being shipped to our warehouses.