The En Primeur system is the futures market for Bordeaux wine: châteaux present their new harvest still in barrel, about a year after the vintage, to allow professional buyers to place orders before bottling. The transaction involves a wine that will only be delivered two to three years later.
This mechanism concentrates, over four days in April, several thousand brokers, merchants, importers, and specialized journalists from over fifty countries. The Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) En Primeur Week structures these days: a large inaugural tasting on Monday at Hangar 14 on the Chartrons quays, followed by a circuit through six host châteaux from Tuesday to Thursday, each representing an appellation area. In 2026, for the presentation of the 2025 vintage, over five thousand professionals were welcomed from April 20 to 23.
For bizav, this week temporarily transforms Mérignac airport into an international business hub: aircraft from Tokyo, New York, Hong Kong, Dubai, and Zurich share the tarmac over two to three days. Slots fill up ten to fourteen days in advance. Demand for helicopter transfers to the six host châteaux is at its annual peak during these 72 hours. Our team simultaneously submits slot requests, handler coordination, and transfers as soon as your dates are confirmed.
