Understanding Fine Wine

We offer an unrivalled fine wine range and service and are one of the UK’s leading suppliers of high end Bordeaux and Burgundy to the on trade.

What is Fine Wine?

Fine Wine means different things to different people, but at Bibendum we use the term to describe highly sought-after wines from top producers around the world, many of which are traded between merchants, collectors and investors.

This includes all the big names from Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhone but also great Spanish and Italian producers and many iconic New World wineries.

Is it all expensive?

Many fine wines are expensive but by no means all. Our list includes many gems from as little as £10 a bottle. Often these wines are the less celebrated wines from top class producers, allowing you the chance to put a big name on your list at an affordable price.

Prices of fine wines are very visible on the internet with the going rate usually set by the market.  Bibendum’s fine wines are priced extremely competitively.

Do I have to buy in cases?

Not usually, no. Some fine wines are only available in full cases as their value would decrease if the case was split, but we offer the vast majority of fine wines by the bottle.

What’s the best way to sell fine wines?

Many restaurants who sell a lot of fine wine use a cash margin to set their prices. This means that although their overall GP percentage figure will fall, they can offer top wines at very sharp prices and thus offer their customers great value for money. Diners are much more likely to trade up to a fine wine if they perceive it to be a good deal compared to the rest of the list – and the restaurant takes more cash than if it had sold a cheaper wine.

What is en primeur?

En primeur is a type of wine futures, where wines are offered for sale before they have been bottled. This allows the producer to sell their wine as early as possible, and customers to get their hands on in-demand wines as soon as they are released. It is the method that top producers in Bordeaux, Burgundy and some other wine regions use to offer their wine to the market.

Buying wine en primeur is one of the best ways to secure a highly sought-after wine at a reasonable price. Demand for the best wines has grown hugely in the last few years, and often outstrips supply. For this reason, some wines will not be available commercially later in their lives, and if they are, will command much higher prices than when they were offered en primeur.

En primeur wines are sold in bond, which means exclusive of UK duty and VAT. These taxes are paid when the wine is delivered, sometimes as much as two years later.