Private buyers · buying in bulk
Buying wine in bulk as a private individual
Yes, you can, and it isn't just for restaurants. From about twenty bottles, a wine merchant (négociant) will sell to you at the case price, with an invoice and delivery. Here is what that includes, what it doesn't, and the threshold below which your local wine shop is still the better choice.
What “in bulk” means for a private buyer
A wine merchant buys from the châteaux by the pallet and sells on by cases of six or twelve. The price goes down with volume because the work is the same for one case as for ten: a quote, preparation, a delivery. A private individual ordering the wine for a wedding, a family reunion or a 60-person birthday is, for a wine merchant, a customer like any other. They pay the same price as a caterer for the same quantity.
The flip side is that nothing is designed for buying single bottles. No shop, no advice at the counter, no bottle taken and returned. You order by the full case, you pay before dispatch, you receive a parcel or a pallet on an agreed date.
How it works
You work out your quantities
The calculator gives you the number of bottles per colour, rounded to the case. Under 18 bottles, it sends you back to your local wine shop.
You ask for a quote
Occasion, date, quantities, postcode. Reply within 48 working hours with named wines, a price per bottle and per case, and the delivery cost.
You adjust
A notch up for the meal, a notch down for the party, an extra rosé: the quote gets rewritten. You're only committed once you agree in writing.
You pay, we deliver
Payment before dispatch, by card or bank transfer. Delivery to your home or to the venue, as parcels up to 120 bottles, on a pallet beyond that. Details on the delivery page.
What's included, what isn't
| Point | At a wine merchant | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Price per case falling with volume | Yes | The unit price drops at 24, 60, 120 bottles. It doesn't drop between 6 and 12. |
| Invoice in your name | Yes | Useful for settling up between families or friends buying together. |
| Delivery to the event venue | Yes | Someone has to take delivery. A holiday cottage that's shut on delivery day means a return to the depot. |
| Great growths and old vintages | Yes | This is where the wine merchant beats the supermarket: the stock exists, you don't have to chase it. |
| Single bottles | No | Full cases of six. For one bottle, the wine shop. |
| Tasting on site before buying | No | Samples on request for a large order, not a tasting at the counter. |
| Taking back unopened cases | No | Neither with us nor with most wine merchants. Order tight, not generous. |
| Free delivery | No | A grid by band of bottles, specified on the quote. |
From how many bottles is a wine merchant worth it?
Around 24 bottles, so four cases. Below that, the price difference doesn't cover delivery and you lose the flexibility of the wine shop. Above it, each extra case brings down the average price, and delivery to the venue saves you three round trips by car. Between 18 and 24, it depends on the distance.
Is it really cheaper than the supermarket?
On everyday wines, not necessarily: a supermarket wine fair has prices a wine merchant doesn't need to match. On classified growths, second wines and vintages over five years old, yes, often by a clear margin, because the supermarket doesn't stock them or sells them at the label price. The page wine merchant, wine shop, supermarket or producer compares the four channels without sparing ours.
What budget should you plan per bottle?
Three levels, all Bordeaux: around €9 for a decent red, €16 for a good one, €40 for a classified growth; sparkling from €24 to €45. The budget per person page details what each level actually buys and where to put the money when it's tight.
Can several people buy together to reach the volume?
Yes, and it's common: three households filling their cellars together (the building a cellar page says how much and what), a group of friends before the summer. One order, one delivery, one invoice; you split it between you. The only thing to settle beforehand: who takes delivery of the pallet.
What happens if there's some left over?
You keep it. An unopened Bordeaux keeps for years lying down away from light. That's also why the calculator only adds an 8 to 10% margin: one case too many is a case paid for, not a case returned.