
Each spring, the same question comes up among collectors and investors alike: should you buy En Primeur, or wait to pick up the wines on the market a few years down the line? The answer depends on several factors, including vintage quality, ageing potential and, of course, pricing relative to previous releases. In 2025, the alignment of these three criteria warrants particularly close attention. Here is our analysis.
Are 2025 En Primeur prices genuinely attractive, or simply a correction after the 2022 peak?
Let’s start with a refresh. Prices for the 2022 vintage reached historic highs, driven by post-Covid momentum and strong international demand. Since then, the market has started to adjust, with the 2023 vintage already being released at noticeably lower levels. With 2025, we are seeing the next stage of this adjustment, this time supported by a compelling factor: the outstanding quality of the vintage.
The 25 wines we have selected below show some of the most significant price reductions, ranging from -39% to -57% compared with their 2022 counterparts. Rest assured these cuts do not reflect a drop in quality. Quite the opposite, in fact. In several cases, pricing decisions made at release should prompt buyers to take a closer look at the 2025 campaign. Estates such as L’Évangile (-57%), Cos d’Estournel (-55%) and Château Figeac (-55%) have made particularly notable efforts. For those still hesitating, the opportunity is there.
Does the quality of the 2025 vintage live up to these prices, and where does it sit among Bordeaux’s great vintages?
The 2025 vintage joins the lineage of the great ‘5’ Bordeaux vintages, from 1945 and 1985 through to 2005 and 2015. This year, growing conditions were close to ideal: a mild, dry winter, a spring that encouraged rapid, even flowering, a warm summer punctuated by well-timed rainfall that prevented over-ripening, and early harvests carried out in excellent conditions.
The results in the glass match expectations. The reds show remarkable aromatic purity, combining freshness and fruit, with some of the lowest pH levels seen in recent years, a clear marker of balance and ageing potential. Merlot performed particularly well, offering vibrant fruit and freshness without the heaviness sometimes associated with warmer vintages. Cabernet Sauvignon, meanwhile, delivers impressive tension and rare depth. The whites, harvested early to preserve their natural acidity, are simply outstanding.
One point is worth noting: volumes are limited in 2025, as a result of the difficult conditions in 2024, which affected floral induction. This relative scarcity is in itself an additional argument in favour of buying En Primeur, while allocations are still available.
Is the 2025 vintage suited to cellaring? Does it have its place in an investment cellar?
Absolutely. And for many, this will be the decisive argument. One of the defining features of the 2025 vintage is its naturally high acidity, the result of early harvesting carried out under favourable conditions. This acidity is the primary guarantee of longevity, ensuring slow, harmonious evolution in bottle and allowing the wines to reach their peak after a decade or more.
On the secondary market, iDealwine data confirms the trend: the vast majority of Bordeaux wines sold at auction come from vintages prior to 2010. Buying En Primeur is therefore a way of securing a foothold in the market of tomorrow. In the case of 2025, the combination of outstanding quality, limited volumes and sensible pricing is rarely seen.
One final point: 2025 is also a vintage with a dual profile. The wines will be approachable relatively early, thanks to their supple structure and silky tannins, yet the finest examples will also age gracefully over several decades.
2025 Bordeaux En Primeurs: 25 best value wines adored by the critics
| Name of wine | 2025 price (VAT incl.) | 2023 price | 2022 price | Difference 2022 vs 2025 | Notable rating |
| Château L’Évangile | €134.40 | €217.20 | €312.00 | -57% | 94-96 Vinous |
| Cos d’Estournel | €117.60 | €159.60 | €260.40 | -55% | 98-99 James Suckling |
| Château Figeac | €159.60 | €210.00 | €352.80 | -55% | 96-99 Le Figaro |
| Château Léoville Las Cases | €153.60 | €194.40 | €324.00 | -53% | 98-99 James Suckling |
| Château Ducru-Beaucaillou | €127.00 | €174.00 | €260.40 | -51% | 96-99 Vinous |
| Château Pavie | €216.00 | €328.80 | €420.00 | -49% | 98-99 James Suckling |
| Château Haut-Bailly | €88.80 | €103.50 | €168.00 | -47% | 97-100 Le Figaro |
| Château Haut-Brion | €390.00 | €438.00 | €722.40 | -46% | 98-99 James Suckling |
| Château La Mission Haut-Brion | €201.60 | €252.00 | €369.60 | -45% | 96-98 Le Figaro |
| Clos du Marquis | €47.40 | €53.76 | €86.40 | -45% | 94-95 James Suckling |
| Château Clinet | €63.00 | €68.50 | €114.24 | -45% | 96-98 Vinous |
| Château La Mondotte | €113.10 | €151.20 | €201.60 | -44% | 98-99 James Suckling |
| Château Lafite Rothschild | €470.00 | €572.00 | €834.00 | -44% | 98-100 Le Figaro |
| Château Angélus | €278.40 | €364.80 | €492.00 | -43% | 99-100 James Suckling |
| Château Rauzan-Ségla | €67.20 | €84.00 | €117.60 | -43% | 96-98 Le Figaro |
| Château Pichon Comtesse Lalande | €138.00 | €156.00 | €240.00 | -43% | 97-99 Le Figaro |
| Château Larcis Ducasse | €58.20 | €72.58 | €100.80 | -42% | 95-97 The Wine Advocate |
| Château Smith Haut Lafitte | €92.40 | €115.32 | €159.60 | -42% | 98-99 James Suckling |
| Le Petit Lion de Léoville Las Cases | €44.00 | €50.40 | €75.60 | -42% | 94 Decanter |
| Clos Fourtet | €77.28 | €97.80 | €132.00 | -41% | 96-98 Vinous |
| Château Mouton Rothschild | €425.00 | €459.60 | €724.80 | -41% | 99-100 James Suckling |
| Château Canon | €100.80 | €126.00 | €168.00 | -40% | 97-100 Le Figaro |
| Domaine de Chevalier | €49.76 | €63.80 | €82.32 | -40% | 97-98 James Suckling |
| Château La Lagune | €29.90 | €35.40 | €49.20 | -39% | 95 Jean-Marc Quarin |
| Château Pavie Macquin | €57.60 | €67.20 | €94.08 | -39% | 97-98 James Suckling |
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