Bordeaux - La Place De Bordeaux And En Primeur

Question 1

Hierarchy of La Place de Bordeaux?

Answer 1

Producer/chateau

Courtier

Merchant (La Negoce)

Wholesalers and retailers

Question 2

What does a Courtier do?

Answer 2

A broker that handles relationships between producers and merchants (Negoce)

Question 3

What specifically is La Place?

Answer 3

It’s the middle man roles of Courtiers and Negociants

Question 4

When are en Primeur wines sold?

Answer 4

In spring while still in barrel

Question 5

What is a Tranche?

Answer 5

It’s a proportion of the wineries total production that is released at a specific price

Question 6

Benefits of the En Primeur system? (4)

Answer 6

1. Ability to test the market demand
2. Early payment to fund the next vintage
3. Good for final customers to secure the wines at a reasonable price
4. Final customer has the option to trade or keep the wines

Question 7

Disadvantages of En Primeur? (5)

Answer 7

1. Selling wines at a lower price
2. Putting too much faith in negociants to sell your wine may backfire
3. Wines are purchased from the opinions of journalists tasting out of a barrel
4. Negociants and their wholesalers could go out of business before the wine arrives
5. Prices may fall due to economic conditions