Bordeaux: The winds of crisis
Updated: May 11
It's a good time to buy some Bordeaux (again)!
The misfortune of many Bordeaux wine merchants who are suffering from poor sales is a boon for enthusiasts who will find, thanks to our analyses, numerous opportunities to buy some of the best Bordeaux wines at prices lower than their primeur release price and much lower than the average public prices observed on the market.
Here are some examples of opportunities that are difficult to spot and that seriously call into question the value of buying En Primeur your great Bordeaux wines, when other vintages are available at more attractive prices!
You are familiar with our opportunity detection model; there's no need to reiterate in words what the numbers reveal at a glance:
We can buy Pichon Baron from the 2018 vintage at €107 ex. VAT, which is 7% below its original en primeur release price and 32% below the average market price.
Valandraud: a sought-after garage wine that can now find its way into our cellar!
The average retail price (€141 excluding VAT) remains stable, but the BoB price traded between professionals (wine merchants) is 14% below its original en primeur release price! A real bargain for lovers of this magnificent garage wine, which boasts high tasting notes. Available for purchase at €91 in bond (€109.20 including VAT)!
The pride of this Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A' of Saint Emilion takes a hit:
Finding this exceptional vintage 34% below its release price (from April 2019) illustrates the end of the promise of the Bordeaux model which ensured buying en primeur at prices lower than the prices of the wine once bottled.
This is no longer an option: enthusiasts attracted by this 1st Grand Cru Classé 'A' can buy it for €185 in bond (€222 including VAT), which is -40% compared to the average public price observed on the market!
Pontet Canet 2025 was released en primeur at €60 in bond (at the château) and is averaging €67 in bond. The estate's effort to offer a more attractive price this year does not overshadow the appeal of other vintages already available, such as the 2021, which are suffering greatly from the crisis affecting all Bordeaux wines.
While the average price (BtoC) observed on the market (blue curve) is stable, the exchange price between professional negociants is plummeting! (red curve) .
Buy 2021 at €56 in bond (€67 including VAT), which is 24% below the original release price!
Star of the Graves, brother and neighbor of the illustrious Haut-Brion, Mission Haut-Brion is not immune to price drops, even for an exceptional vintage like 2016. You will find it with us 26% cheaper than its original release price and 38% cheaper than the average retail price.
Star wines are not immune to the crisis! The iconic Ausone, released in 2017 at €100 less than its predecessor from the exceptional 2016 vintage, is now 30% cheaper than its original release price and 42% below the average retail price observed on the market.
Here are a few examples -among many others- that illustrate the interest in considering purchasing Bordeaux again ; a region on which the wind of the crisis is blowing strongly and pushing into our cellars some purchases of previous vintages, which are mature enough to be tasted.
Those examples seriously call into question the attractiveness of the En Primeur campaigns for the latest vintage released on the market.
Interested wine enthusiasts can find us here:
*Prices are shown excluding VAT because we serve clients in countries with different VAT rates.
Stop buying blind, read the market!
