What Is Burgundy En Primeur? (Why Invest In It, Best Wines)

The Burgundy En Primeur week usually takes place in January, with many producers offering wine tastings and special sales. The En Primeur campaign ends once all the producers release their prices.

This Burgundy En Primeur event gives you a golden chance to invest in the most recent vintage a couple of years before it’s bottled and released.

This article will cover what Burgundy En Primeur is, why you should invest in it, and the best bottles for 2022. Plus, we’ll reveal how you can buy a case or two of Burgundy En Primeur wine through Vinovest.

What Is the Origin of Burgundy En Primeur?

The concept of buying En Primeur wine (also called wine futures) dates back to as early as the 3rd century BC. 

However, the current En Primeur system began in 18th-century Bordeaux. It gave wine producers the chance to make a profit while their product was aging in barrels. 

It wasn’t until the 1980s that buying wine before the vintage was released caught on in Burgundy. The first time producers sold Burgundy En Primeur wines was for the 1989 vintage and it’s been an upward trend since then. 

Today, it’s a great way to market upcoming wines, create awareness for the wine region, and captivate the wine investment audience.

Not every Burgundy estate releases En Primeur wines, but the ones that do only share small quantities. This makes the wines even more sought after.

Other wine regions like Tuscany, Piedmont, and Napa Valley, also have separate En Primeur systems.

Why Should You Buy Burgundy En Primeur Wine?

Here are a few reasons why you should consider buying En Primeur wine:

1. Buying Wines At Low Prices
2. Obtaining Rare Wines
3. Having Access To Small Domaines
4. Building A Connection With A Wine And Producer

1. Buying Wines At Low Prices

When a producer releases its fine wine to the market, the wine often comes with a high price tag. Additionally, if you buy from a wine merchant without doing your due diligence, you risk getting fraudulent wine.

But when you buy wine En Primeur, the wine is generally sold at a lower price. Most producers release En Primeur wine only in small amounts (even if they retail larger quantities) for a few wine enthusiasts. 

What’s more, you will know that the wine you will receive is authentic with absolute confidence.

2. Obtaining Rare Wines

Investment-grade wine bottles are always in high demand and are produced in limited quantities. They can be tough to locate once they’re released in the market. 

So, if you’re looking for rare wines, buying them through the En Primeur system is a good option. 

3. Having Access To Small Domaines

Generally, the Burgundy wine region produces small quantities of wine annually. So it’s easy to completely miss the small Burgundian estates that make incredible fine wine when building your portfolio. 

According to wine critic Neal Martin, buying wine En Primeur will expand your knowledge and help you discover the less famous but equally exceptional appellations and growers.

4. Building A Connection With A Vintage And Producer

When you buy En Primeur, you’re investing in a specific wine producer and vintage. 

It’s a fantastic way to establish a strong connection with an estate. This, in turn, will help the producer invest in their craft and the domaine’s long-term future.

The Best Burgundy En Primeur Wine To Look Out For In 2022

Many wineries take about 36 months to release a specific vintage into the market for retail. So the 2020 vintage, for example, will become available in retail in 2023. 

The 2020 Burgundy vintage is considered exceptional. The weather during the growing season was primarily sunny with little rainfall, so the resulting wines have fantastic freshness and acidity. 

The red wines have amazing structure, concentration, and balance with vibrant red and black fruit flavors — all great attributes of the Pinot Noir grapes. Wine critics like Jasper Morris MW and Adam Bruntlett (Berry Bros & Rudd’s Burgundy buyer) are convinced the best of the 2020 reds will be legendary and will age for many decades.

The white wines are just as exquisite as their red counterparts. While the 2017 and 2019 white Burgundy vintages were delightful, critics expect the 2020 wines to be among the finest Chardonnays of the past few decades. The 2020 vintage white wines have incredible depth, wonderful balance, and low alcohol levels. 

Let’s take a look at some of the best 2020 Burgundy En Primeur wines:

• Best Wine From The Chablis Wine Region
• Best Wine From The Cote De Nuits Wine Region
• Best Wine From The Côte De Beaune Wine Region
• Best Wine From The Côte Chalonnaise Wine Region

Best Wine From The Chablis Wine Region

1. 2020 Samuel Billaud Montee de Tonnerre, Chablis Premier Cru

This white wine has honey, mineral, and green olive aromas along with citrus peel and white peach notes on the palate. Jasper Morris scored this wine 92-95 points.

2. 2020 William Fevre Les Clos, Chablis Grand Cru

Here is a white wine with fresh aromas of green apple, lemon, and acacia blossom notes. The palate has lime and thyme flavors along with good minerality.

Best Wine From The Cote De Nuits Wine Region

1. 2020 Domaine Drouhin Laroze, Bonnes Mares Grand Cru

This intense Pinot Noir red wine typically has ripe fig fruit and mulberry aromas with firm tannins, jam fruit, and earthy flavors.

2. 2020 Domaine Drouhin Laroze Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru

Here we have a red Burgundy wine with fruity and floral aromas accompanied by juicy black currant tasting notes and fine tannins. 

Wine critics Tim Atkin MW and Jasper Morris MW scored this wine 98 and 94-96 points, respectively. 

Best Wine From The Côte De Beaune Wine Region

1. 2020 Domaine Tollot Beaut Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru

This delicious white wine has lemongrass and stone aromas, ripe citrus flavors, and a long finish. 

2. 2020 Domaine Tollot Beaut Le Corton Grand Cru 

This 2020 red wine vintage has an exquisite nose of truffle and red fruit notes. The palate has dark fruit and cherry tasting notes, a sorbet-like freshness, and supple tannins. 

Wine critic Neal Martin gave this wine 93-95 points.

3. 2020 Domaine Bachelet Monnot Puligny Montrachet

Here is an aromatic white wine with tropical fruit and floral notes accompanied by remarkable freshness, citrus flavors, and great acidity. 

4. 2020 Domaine Bachelet Monnot La Fussiere Rouge, Maranges Premier Cru

This wine has red cherry and berry aromas along with delicious sweetness and a dry finish. 

5. 2020 Domaine Bruno Colin Colin Le Charmois, Saint-Aubin Premier Cru

Here we have an impressive Bruno Colin white wine with fresh croissant aromas and ripe fruit flavors. Jancis Robinson gave this wine 16 points (distinguished.)

Best Wine From The Côte Chalonnaise Wine Region

1. 2020 Chateau de Chamilly Les Puillets, Mercurey Premier Cru

This rich wine has a nose of soft red fruit and earthy tones. The palate has round and smooth tannins and fruit tasting notes.

2. 2020 Chateau de Chamirey Clos du Roi, Mercurey Premier Cru

Here is a delicious red Burgundy wine produced from four vine parcels. It has an exquisitely silky texture, firm tannins, dark berry fruit, and mineral tasting notes. 

Note: Some wineries, like Domaine Hubert Lamy and Joseph Drouhin, haven’t released their 2020 wines yet.

How Do You Buy Burgundy En Primeur Wine?

There are a few ways to buy Burgundy En Primeur wine:

1. Sign Up With A Wine Investment Company like Vinovest
2. Follow The Growers
3. Attend En Primeur Tastings To Assess and Select Burgundy Wines

1. Sign Up With A Wine Investment Company like Vinovest

A great way to collect En Primeur wine is through a wine investment company like Vinovest. Vinovest will help you buy, store, and sell fine wine with ease.

Here are a few reasons why Vinovest is such a hassle-free investment option:

• Easily buy and sell wine: Vinovest will help you buy and sell your En Primeur wine with just a few mouse clicks and it can even handle the delivery.

• Super prices: The wine investment firm offers excellent prices as the wines are sourced directly from trusted wine merchants.

• Locate and authenticate rare wines: The Vinovest team will find the rarest of wines to help you grow an awe-inspiring portfolio. Plus, Vinovest will ensure the wine’s authenticity, creating an added layer of security. 

• Optimal wine storage conditions and security: Vinovest stores your wines in bonded warehouses under optimal temperature, humidity, light, and vibration conditions. These warehouses are also equipped with 24/7 security and insurance to safeguard your fine wines. 

2. Follow The Growers

If you want to add Burgundy wine to your collection, identify select growers and keep a close eye on their En Primeur releases and other announcements (related to their vintages, vineyard lands, terroir, and individual winemaking styles.) 

3. Attend En Primeur Tastings To Assess and Select Burgundy Wines

Unlike the formal Bordeaux En Primeur process, Burgundy En Primeur releases are a more casual affair. 

Some wine estates will host private tastings of their collection for specific buyers, wine critics, and journalists. 

There are also different events in cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, and London. Events like these allow you to taste and assess the wines you wish to buy.

Invest in Exquisite Burgundy En Primeur Wine

The 2020 Burgundy wines hold extreme promise — the white Burgundy wines have the distinct freshness of citrus fruit while the reds have lush tannins and a seductive dark fruit palate. The wines are expected to evolve over the years, making them ideal for investment. 

Add a case or two of these incredible wines to your collection. Check out Vinovest for the easiest and safest way to grow your Burgundy wine portfolio.