The 2022 vintage will long be remembered for its high temperatures, not only in Bordeaux, but across Europe. In contrast to 2021, which saw long-lasting grey skies and a lot of rain, 2022 made headlines for extended dry spells and soaring temperatures. However, the inclement 2021 vintage with cool temperatures and moist soils played a significant role in maintaining soil moisture reserves in an otherwise dry 2022. As with many other great vintages, these extremes (within certain bounds) can lead to incredible wines. The dreaded ‘frost period’ in April saw a drop in temperatures and frost did affect various areas, though not as severely as other frost-ridden vintages. A period of very low rainfall followed and, as summer drew closer, the thermometer jumped. June, July and August recorded the hottest average temperatures since 2009. Very little rain was recorded during the summer and an early harvest ensued, bringing in healthy but small-berried clusters of grapes.

Despite winemakers fearing the worst in terms of overripe fruit and low acidity, wineries across Bordeaux were surprised by the energy and tension in the wines. ‘I remember seeing the juice of my first block during fermentation and realised we have something special. We called the whole team together and decided to work very gently as we did not need to do hard extractions this year,’ commented Jean-Antoine Nony at Grand Mayne during our recent visit. Guillaume Thienpont echoed these sentiments when we visited Vieux Château Certan and Le Pin: ‘Of course every vintage is different. There are no recipes. For 2022 we didn’t have to work anything too hard.’ Across appellations, the wines have great concentration, energy and tension on the palate, without sacrificing depth of fruit or structure. 2022 is a vintage that will age exceptionally well, yet at the lower end of the price scale, some wines will be very appealing in their youth.

The main benefits of buying en primeur are certainty of allocation as well as pricing. Margins throughout the value chain are lower during en primeur and consequently pricing is more attractive. Wine Cellar has conducted 20 EP campaigns and 80% of these have turned out be considerably more attractive if you bought during the campaign compared to after the wines’ in bottle release. All prices quoted are excluding VAT. VAT, landing charges and local delivery are all payable on arrival in South Africa in 2025. Ultimately, your view of the Rand’s position and long-term outlook will determine whether you buy or not.

A combination of critics that we consider to be authoritative are used to compile a collection a scores per wine. These critics are Neal Martin (for Vinous.com), William Kelley (for Robert Parker's Wine Advocate), Antonio Galloni (for Vinous.com) and Jane Anson (for Inside Bordeaux).

Wine Cellar has selected the finest and most popular 100-odd châteaux based on 2 decades of en-primeur sales. We can, however, source wines from almost all the châteaux that sell through the campaign on customer requests. Some properties, such as Latour, choose not to participate.

We also offer buying advice and can suggest a basket of wines based on your particular style and budget. Sign up to our en-primeur newsletter.

The big question is: Should you buy? We have analysed 10 of our most popular châteaux from the 2005 campaign, and compared en-primeur to current retail prices. 2005 showed a 280% growth in Rand price – or a 10% annualised saving since 2006. While a fair portion of the gain is Rand depreciation, as well as higher retail versus en-primeur mark-ups, there was still sizable growth in price from en-primeur to release, through to maturity.

En-primeur enables you to buy all châteaux with 1 invoice in various bottle formats and case sizes at highly competitive prices. So, if the Rand stays fairly constant or depreciates further, en-primeur is the cheapest way to buy Bordeaux in SA.

Subscribe to our en-primeur mailing list and respond to one of our Bordeaux en-primeur newsletters, or you can order via email or phone while stocks are available. Alternatively, you can send through your wish list at any time.