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If you spend much time in the wine community, it won’t be long before you hear talk of “wine futures.” Novice wine consumers might not be familiar with the phrase, but if you truly love the world of fine wine, it’s worth taking the time to learn about wine futures and consider making an investment.
While wine futures may have initially begun as a way for a wine merchant to offset production expenses, they have since become so much more — an exclusive opportunity for true lovers of good vintage to secure the finest wines at the best prices.
Ready to learn more? Keep reading to discover everything you need to know about wine futures, from what they are to how they became such an integral part of the wine industry and why they’re an investment that you want to make.
What Are Wine Futures?
You may have heard your wine enthusiast friends refer to buying wine futures. But what does it mean to purchase wine futures, and why are they such a popular wine investment?
When someone buys wine futures, they are buying wines that have not yet been bottled. Often, wine futures are sold at least eighteen months prior to a wine being released, so it will be quite a while before wine lovers are able to taste their investment for themselves.
Typically, buyers who choose to invest in wine futures do so to guarantee that they secure high-quality wines from top estates and wineries at a great price.
Is it worth it to become a part of the wine future system? Let’s discover more about the value that wine futures bring to the table.
The History of Wine Futures
The concept of buying wine futures, or en primeur, first originated in Bordeaux. While wineries have been selling wine en primeursince the 1980s, the process of selling wine that was still considered to be “unfinished” has been taking place for over 350 years, since the days of early trade.
Initially, the official en primeur system came about as a solution to financial struggle that offered mutual benefit to wineries and merchants alike. Wine producers needed help financing their winemaking operation; wine sellers were eager to lock in the best prices and guarantee their stock.
It was in the 1970s that wine futures first opened up directly to buyers after the 1973 oil crisis and subsequent economic crash left everyone across the wine trade industry struggling to make ends meet. Wine samples were shipped from Bordeaux to London for buyers to sample and purchase, and a new way of buying wine began to take off.
However, it wasn’t until the 1980s that wine futures truly exploded, courtesy of the legendary Bordeaux 1982 vintage. It was then that wine lovers truly discovered the value of en primeur wine, and have been on the edge of their seats to discover the next great vintage through the process ever since.
Wine Futures Today
Now, En Primeur Week in Bordeaux, France is one of the most important weeks for wine enthusiasts and high-end critics alike. Each spring, people flock to the region to taste barrel samples of the vintages crafted from the previous year’s vines and place their orders for themselves while prices are ideal.
Shopping for wine futures is not limited to France, so investors who don’t spend much time traveling internationally needn’t fret. While areas such as Bordeaux and Burgundy are certainly known for their en primeur wines, wine futures are also available from vintners domestically as well..
How Do Wine Futures Work?
If you don’t have the ability or opportunity to experience private tastings in Bordeaux from your favorite wine merchants, how do you purchase wine futures? How does the process work?
While not widely adopted by domestic vintners, some wineries do offer wine futures. Each winery handles their futures program a little differently, so it’s worth asking your favorite spots what their process for selling wine futures looks like. V. Sattui Winery is one of the first Napa Valley wineries to offer wine futures, and have been doing so now for more than 30 years. At V. Sattui, investing in wine futures is made easy, so you can lock in on what are sure to become your favorite age-worthy wines at a great price.
Every year, while the wine is still in the barrel, we allocate a small percentage of our new vintage — around 10% — to wine futures. These wines may not be ready to drink just yet — they’re still aging to become ready to bottle and sell — but they are ready for you to purchase early and save quite a bit of money.
V. Sattui wine futures sales are launched first at the annual Barrel Tasting Party, hosted at the winery in late January or early February. This is the first chance for wine enthusiasts to taste the vintage harvested just months earlier. Age-worthy wines such as single-vineyard Chardonnays, Zinfandels, Cabernets, along with hearty reds and Bordeaux Blends are offered as wine futures — with a few highly-allocated and available solely to top tier members.
You can purchase V. Sattui wine futures by the case (12 bottles) only. A 50% deposit locks in a discounted pre-release price before the wine becomes available to the public. You’re welcome to visit V. Sattui to explore and sample barreled wines as they mature, and encouraged to compare barrel samples with their current release predecessors. When the wine is finally ready to be bottled (about two years after the vintage date), our team will contact you for the remaining balance and to coordinate pickup or delivery.
Purchasing V. Sattui wine futures is the best way to secure small-batch, extremely limited-allocation wines that are high in demand at the lowest possible price. Our wines are known to appreciate in value, so it’s a wine investment that your future self will thank you for. We encourage buyers of wine futures to open a bottle upon receipt to gauge how long to cellar the remainder of the case for optimal bottle aging to meet their palate preference. Tannins typically soften over time in the bottle, further integrating fruit with acid and the wine’s overall structure.
Should I Buy Wine Futures: Are They Worth the Investment?
As with any investment, you want to feel confident when purchasing en primeur wine. Here are a few things to consider.
What are the Benefits of Buying Wine Futures?
Ask any wine enthusiast and they’ll be quick to tell you that buying en primeur wines is one of the best investments you can make. But what are the benefits of buying wine futures?
First off, you’ll typically find that wineries sell wine futures for the best possible price. While it’s not guaranteed that no one will be able to purchase the wine at the same price once it’s bottled as you were able to ahead of time, it is safe to say that you won’t be able to find it cheaper.
For collectors, this is the ideal point in time to purchase, as you are able to get the wine for the best value before it appreciates with age. Your wine will likely be worth far more than your initial investment in the years to come after it is released, and you’ll be glad that you didn’t wait to buy.
In fact, as most wine futures are from small allocations, if you do not choose to buy wine futures, you may not be able to get your hands on a bottle at all. If you really desire to secure a bottle of a specific wine for yourself, wine futures are the best way to guarantee your ownership.
Every reward has its risk, and buying wine through the en primeur system is no different. Here are a few things to keep in mind before moving forward.
What Are the Risks of Buying Wine Futures?
As with any advance purchase, there is always the risk that if something happens to the winery before you receive your bottles, you could be left high and dry. This is extremely rare, but is something to consider nonetheless. That’s why it’s important to purchase futures from wineries that you trust.
Wine futures also require a certain amount of patience. It will be a minimum of 18 months before your vintage is in your hands..
Finally, as with any investment, if something shifts within the economy or within the wine industry, your wines might not be as valuable as you had expected or hoped. This risk comes with the territory of buying en primeur, and should be considered.
Invest in Wine Futures With V. Sattui
At V. Sattui, you don’t have to go all the way to Burgundy or Bordeaux to enjoy the benefits of the en primeur system. We’re proud to offer wine futures of our newest vintage hand-crafted, small-batch wines, and look forward to sharing our knowledge and wines. Every futures case purchase qualifies V. Sattui buyers for for one full year.
To purchase our top-tier, limited-allocation wines at the best possible prices, take part inour Futures program. We would love to reserve a case for you. The next vintage just might be the best you’ve ever tasted!