How to buy a grand cru?

As an individual, there are 2 main channels for acquiring a fine wine directly: either through a wine merchant such as a caviste or négociant, or through an auction channel.

Tax rules

In the case of a purchase on a French merchant site, as is the case on our website

- If you are a French or European resident, you pay for your wines TTC (all taxes included) according to the tax rate in force in your country (20% in France).

- If you live outside the European Union, there are 2 possibilities:

o You pay for your wines tax-free if you decide to have them delivered to your home outside the EU.

o You pay for your wines with a French VAT advance (20%) if you decide to collect your wines directly from our cellar, or if you decide to have them delivered within Europe. We will draw up a CERFA customs document for you to validate with customs on leaving the European Union, so that you can be reimbursed 75% of the VAT (the remaining 25% is set aside for administrative costs).

- Please note that if you reside outside the European Union, customs duties may apply, depending on the laws in force in your country, which you will have to clear when the goods pass through your country.

In the case of an auction purchase, you pay the hammer price plus the auctioneer's tax-inclusive fees. These costs are generally between 24% and 30% inclusive of tax. It's very difficult to buy directly from estates and châteaux, as the grands crus we're talking about are generally sold in whole or in part to major merchants on the Bordeaux market, or exclusively on allocation by the prestigious estates of Burgundy.

What's more, when buying direct from châteaux or estates, you can only buy the most recent vintage available on the market, and it's more difficult to buy older, rarer vintages.