Pre-order or commitment to purchase a wine before it is produced and bottled or, in extreme cases, even before the harvest (French: sur souche: from the stem = vine). In English, the term "Futures" (meaning "future trade") is also used. This is done to secure exceptional wines where first-class quality is expected or confidently assumed. Additionally, these wines are more affordable than in the regular wine trade afterward. This approach is particularly popular during times of strong demand for very good vintages from usually renowned wine producers.
This is especially common for the Grand Cru-Classé wines of Bordeaux for entire vintages, but is increasingly used by other wineries producing so-called garage wines (special wines of often excellent quality in often very small quantities). As a prerequisite for pre-ordering, professional tastings and wine evaluations of the young wines are conducted before bottling.
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The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena