Having captured the interest of marketers during the week of presentation of the primeurs, the 2025 vintage must transform the trial by converting these attractions into purchases. We take stock of a crucial commercial campaign that is coming up with François-Xavier Maroteaux, the president of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB, 131 members, 120 of whom present their wines en primeur).
By Alexandre Abellan On April 29, 2026
 
 
 
+10% of visitors for the 2025 En Primeurs, the Bordeaux Grands Crus are finalising their prices:
On the quays of Bordeaux, the tasting at Hangar 14 brought together more than a thousand professionals on Monday, April 21. - photo credit: UGCB
 
 

How many visitors did the Grands Crus Week welcome for the UGCB events (tastings at Hangar 14 and in châteaux)?

François-Xavier Maroteaux: We received 5,000 people, up 10% compared to last year. The H14 recorded a record attendance with 1050 people, 43% of whom were internationals. Overall, there were clearly more foreigners, their proportion having increased from 27 to 31% of people beeped, with the number of nationalities increasing from 69 to 76. The number of foreign companies represented also increased by 26%. We can see that the 2025 vintage is clearly of interest to distributors and importers who wanted to come and taste it physically in Bordeaux to get their idea.

 

Among the most present nationalities, the first were the English, as in all the years when they sniff out good deals, they were closely followed by the Americans, the Belgians are third, then the Swiss and Germans, the Chinese are returning, the cumulation with visitors from Hong Kong being equivalent to the Belgians. Bordeaux still has attractiveness, that's obvious. The appeal is still there, we can congratulate ourselves on bringing so many people for the new vintage, it is not seen anywhere else.

We are going to market a vintage that will be one of the great vintages of Bordeaux. And it will be the first time that such a great vintage has been offered with so few volumes. Even 2003 produced more. These small quantities with great qualities are part of a general context that will make prices extremely competitive. Caution will be generally required for many properties. We are going to start with the prices of 2024, I am not saying that it will be the same prices for everyone, each property has its history and there will be increases for some and not for others. But when we take stock of the releases, I have no doubt that for the wine lover there will be good deals. In the first place and in deliverables, which reaches other customers.

 

How does the campaign look like, rapid or progressive in its releases?

I think we shouldn't rush too much. The campaign will start slowly, so we shouldn't be surprised if there aren't any very big brands before the end of May or the beginning of June. We will still receive customers next week, the primeurs do not stop with the week of primeurs. It takes time for journalists and distributors to write their reports and explain things to consumers. Given the volumes and the infusion time of the vintage to understand it, we can take the time to talk about it after presenting it.

Source: Vitisphere