Bordeaux · great growths and old vintages · for Switzerland
Great growths and old Bordeaux vintages for Swiss collectors
Médoc first growths, Haut-Brion, Yquem, Ausone, Cheval Blanc, second growths from the 1970s to the 2000s: the old stock of Transvins, a wine merchant (négociant) in Bordeaux, vintage by vintage, with the indicative price. And what you need to know to bring a case into Switzerland: allowance, duty, VAT, transport.
The great growths and old vintages on offer
From the first growths to the wines of Swiss owners. Prices in euros, incl. French VAT, per bottle of the format: for Switzerland, read further down what changes. Filter by budget or by “ready to drink”. Nothing is sent until you click on the quote.
Bringing a case into Switzerland
Switzerland is not in the European Union: wine entering it goes through customs. Two cases, depending on whether you bring the case back yourself or have it delivered.
You bring it back yourself
An allowance of 5 litres of wine per person per day, so six 75 cl bottles; beyond that, 2 francs per litre. Swiss VAT at 8.1% is due on the full value as soon as your purchases exceed 150 francs per person, which is the case for any bottle of great growth. Declaration at the border or with the QuickZoll app.
It is delivered to you
The carrier clears customs: on delivery you pay the customs duty, the Swiss VAT and the carrier's clearance fees. Sold for export, the wine carries no French VAT. The conditions for delivery to Switzerland are to be confirmed with Transvins; the quote spells them out.
An example
A case of twelve bottles brought back by one person: 9 litres, 4 of them over the allowance, so 8 francs of duty, plus 8.1% VAT on the value of the case. With two people in the car, the allowance covers the case; the VAT is still due.
What a collector should ask about an old vintage
Of any seller, and of us. Better to ask before the quote than to find out when you open it.
The fill level
In the neck or at the base of the neck: normal up to twenty years. Top shoulder: acceptable beyond thirty years. Mid-shoulder and lower: a risk, which the price should reflect.
The provenance
Bought from the château or through the trade, kept in a cellar ever since, or passed through auctions? A bottle that has never left Bordeaux is worth more than one that has travelled.
The condition
Label, capsule, cork: a label stained by cellar damp means a good cellar; a capsule that has leaked means the bottle got hot. Ask for photos of every bottle.
The format
A magnum ages more slowly than a bottle; a half bottle faster. For a vintage over thirty years old, the large format is often the safest.
The Swiss of Bordeaux
Two Swiss families own growths offered here. The Zugers, originally from the canton of Zug, bought Malescot Saint-Exupéry, a third classified growth of Margaux, in 1955: only 7 hectares of vines were left at the time. Three generations have restored it to its rank; Jean-Luc Zuger has run it since 1994. The entrepreneur Silvio Denz, for his part, bought Faugères and Péby Faugères in Saint-Émilion in 2005, then Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a first classified growth of Sauternes, in 2014.
For châteaux with Belgian owners, see the Belgian châteaux of Bordeaux.
For which cellar
A birth or wedding year: the birth-year vintage page says what is still drinkable, from 1945 to 2010. A cellar to build over several years: filling your cellar suggests a composition. A family office or wealth manager buying for a client: the wealth advisers and family offices page says how we work. Wine as an investment: investing in wine says what to expect; its tax section is French.
How many bottles can you bring into Switzerland without paying duty?
Five litres of wine per person per day, so six 75 cl bottles. Beyond that, 2 francs per litre. The allowance doesn't cover VAT: as soon as purchases exceed 150 francs per person, Swiss VAT is due on the full value. Rules in force since 1st January 2025; check them on the Federal Office for Customs website before you leave.
Do you pay VAT twice, French and Swiss?
No, if it's done by the rules. Delivered to Switzerland, the wine is sold for export, without French VAT, and Swiss VAT is paid on entry. Bought in France and taken away, the French VAT can be recovered through a tax-free export refund when the seller offers it and the amount allows it; the Swiss VAT is still due.
Are prices in Swiss francs?
No, in euros. The quote is drawn up in euros; the amount in francs depends on the exchange rate on the day of payment.
How do you know if an old vintage has been well kept?
By the fill level, the provenance and the condition of the bottle, seen in photos before buying. No seller can guarantee the taste of a forty-year-old wine; they can say where the bottle comes from and show what it looks like.
Can a vintage missing from the table be found?
Sometimes. Give the château, the year, the format and the number of bottles in the quote request; Transvins will look, with no guarantee. The delivery grid gives lead times in France.