Some wines are so sought after that demand exceeds production. Here's how we distribute the limited quantities we receive.
Why an allocation?
Whether they are small, exclusive wine estates producing minuscule quantities or world-renowned names for which demand outpaces supply, certain wines cannot simply be bought: they are allocated. Each year, the estate assigns its importers a specific quota — allocation — which we then share amongst Club members who request it.
It’s neither a queue nor a first-come, first-served sale. It’s a relationship that is built over time, with both the winemaker and you.
Becoming an allocation recipient, step by step
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Step I
You write to us
Please send your request to info@cavesa.ch, specifying the wine estates you are interested in.
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Step II
We look into the request
Allocation depends on the quantities the wine estate makes available to us, the vintage (small harvest, hail, frost, etc.) and your purchase history.
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Step III
You will receive your offer
Depending on the criteria for Step II, we may send you an offer for an allocation by email, which you will need to confirm.
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Step IV
It is renewed
Your allocation is automatically carried over from one vintage to the next: there’s no need to reapply every year.
Two conditions for access
Our allocations are reserved exclusively for Club members. They reward active loyalty, going beyond mere membership on paper. And because we have the utmost respect for the work of our partner winegrowers, we refuse to encourage speculation, the grey market or label snobbery. For us, a great bottle is meant to evoke emotion around the table, and it is this philosophy of sharing that we uphold.
Becoming a member of the Club
Membership of the CAVE is a prerequisite for any application for an allocation.
You can become a member here if you aren’t already.
Buy other wines as well
Wines available through the allocation scheme are offered alongside regular purchases from our entire range. They cannot be purchased on their own.
Our wine estates available by allocation
Castille-et-León • Spain
Comando G
Only the Navatalgordo, La Morra Primer, Rumbo al Norte, Tumba del Rey Moro, Camino
del Pilar, Iruelas, la Brena Primer et el Tamboril Tinto vintages are subject to allocation.
See the rest of the range here.
Burgundy • France
Comtes Lafon
Only the estate’s white wines are subject to allocation.
See the rest of the range here.
Burgundy • France
D'Auvenay
Burgundy • France
Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier
Burgundy • France
Jean-Marc Roulot
Burgundy • France
Denis Mortet
Burgundy • France
Vincent Dauvissat
Champagne • France
Jacques Selosse
Champagne • France
La Rogerie
Only the estate’s Champagnes are subject to allocation.
Champagne • France
Roses de Jeanne
Northern Côtes du Rhône • France
Jean-Louis Chave
Languedoc-Roussillon • France
La Grange des Pères
Liqueur • France
Chartreuse
Only the green and yellow VEPs, as well as the "Reine des liqueurs", are subject to allocation.
See the rest of the range here.
Loire • France
Richard Leroy
Piedmont • Italy
Comm. G.B. Burlotto
Graubünden • Switzerland
Gantenbein
Graubünden • Switzerland
Studach
Neuchâtel • Switzerland
De la Rochette, J. Tatasciore
Neuchâtel • Switzerland
Maison Carrée
Valais • Switzerland
Denis Mercier
Volumes vary from year to year depending on the harvest: a wine estate listed here may, in exceptional circumstances, be unavailable for a particular vintage.
I would like to order wines from the estates listed above
Please write to us, stating which wine estate you are interested in.
Send my request or directly to info@cavesa.ch — +41 (0)22 354 20 20Frequently Asked Questions
On what criteria is the allocation awarded?
It depends on two factors: the allocation the wine estate allocates us that year, and your purchase history with the Club. The longer and more consistent your relationship with us, the more generous the allocation may be.
Do I need to reapply every year?
No. Once you become a member, you will be offered an annual allocation provided you continue to support us by purchasing wines from the selection, subject to the quantity allocated to us by the wine estate. CAVE will do its utmost to meet your requirements, but this is by no means a guarantee.
Can I just buy wines that are available under allocation?
No. The allocations are for members who also buy our wines throughout the year. This is what enables us to continue supporting these wine estates and offering them to you.
What happens if I don’t confirm my offer?
The bottles are offered to other members. If you decline, you will be removed from the list of recipients. If you wish to receive an allocation again, you must then submit a new request to us.
How long do we have to wait?
We send out allocation proposals once a year. The period during which proposals are submitted varies from one domaine to another. Waiting times therefore may vary considerably.