tranche

French for “slice.” In Bordeaux this term is applied to a portion of a vintage that buyers are permitted to bid on. This system, which permits only those who have bought wine from a chateaux previously to tender a bid for the Premier Tranche, or base bid, makes purchase difficult if not impossible for newcomers and contributes heavily to the importance of longterm relationships in the French wine trade.

© 2009 WINES.COM All rights reserved.
Database used with permission of Vintage Wine Lover’s Software.