Bordeaux primeurs week

Bordeaux’s annual en primeur week is underway through April 23, with about 5,000 wine professionals in town to taste the 2025 vintage before bottling. (ugcb.net) In Bordeaux, “en primeur” means buyers taste wines still aging in barrel, pay in advance, and usually receive bottles 18 to 24 months later. The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux says the 2026 tastings run from April 20 to April 23. (wineandco.com; ugcb.net) The early pitch is straightforward: 2025 looks stronger than 2024. Researchers at the University of Bordeaux’s Institute of Vine and Wine Science said the vintage met the five classic conditions they use to judge quality in Bordeaux reds, from early flowering and fruit set to complete ripening and good harvest weather. (vitisphere.com) Those researchers said both reds and whites performed well, and they called 2025 “a year that will remain in the memory” of the Bordeaux vineyard. Their report also said top reds combined high quality with moderate alcohol, provided winemakers avoided over-extracting naturally abundant tannins and color compounds. (vitisphere.com) The campaign matters because Bordeaux is not just selling wine quality; it is testing demand for a system that asks merchants and collectors to commit cash long before delivery. Wine & Co said the 2025 wines offered this spring should reach buyers roughly 18 to 24 months after purchase. (wineandco.com) Volume is part of the story too. The Drinks Business reported that 2025 is Bordeaux’s smallest total production since 1991, even as early tastings point to a potentially exceptional year. (thedrinksbusiness.com) That combination — lower supply and stronger reviews — has fed cautious optimism around this week’s tastings. Trade commentary from merchants and regional outlets has centered on whether châteaux can turn quality into orders in a market where pricing discipline still matters. (thedrinksbusiness.com; wineandco.com) The weather pattern helps explain the enthusiasm. Wine & Co said winter was generally mild and fairly dry, budbreak came in early April without major frost trouble, spring sunshine helped even vine growth, and mildew pressure stayed far below the damaging levels seen in 2024. (wineandco.com) For now, Bordeaux has what it wanted for primeurs week: a small 2025 crop, strong early critical language, and thousands of trade visitors tasting wines that will not be bottled for many months. The harder test starts when release prices begin to land. (ugcb.net; thedrinksbusiness.com; wineandco.com)