Inside Bordeaux 2024: Highlights, Trends & Wines to Watch

The weather and the wines 

The 2024 vintage is marked by heavy rainfall – the highest levels since the ‘unwanted’ 1992 vintage. A very wet March heightened the risk of mildew, which some estimates may account for 20-25% of the reduction in yield. While a rainy vintage, a really good summer from mid-July to the last week of August certainly improved the quality of the wines. The cool and damp start to the growing season, however, resulted in ‘fewer bunches and loss of yield through poor fruit set’. Poor fruit set makes grapes particularly susceptible to millerandage and coulure (malformed berries and gaps in bunches). Still, technological advancements in the vineyard and winery mean that producers are better prepared for inclement weather patterns.  

The yields and the crop 

2024 saw low yields across Bordeaux’s top appellations, with Margaux, St. Julien, Pauillac, St. Estèphe and Pomerol coming in over 20% below their 20-year average. We actually haven’t seen the average yield in Pauillac being below 30 hl/ha in over 20 years apart from in 2013.

While poor weather was to blame for the lower-than-average yields, the crop — at least for regional level wines — was further diminished by a reduction in vineyard size. In 2024, 94,700 hectares of vineyard were declared for Bordeaux AOPs, down from 193,200 for the 2023 vintage and 107,700 for the 2022. 6,000 hectares of vines were pulled up in 2024 under the French government’s subsidised scheme. Other growers, in an effort to retain more control over their land, pulled vines outside of the scheme.

A Vintage for the Discerning Palate

The 2024 Bordeaux vintage presents an opportunity for enthusiasts to explore wines that embody elegance, balance, and a return to classic styling. While the vintage posed significant challenges, the dedication and adaptability of Bordeaux’s winemakers have yielded wines of notable quality. For collectors and consumers alike, the 2024 en primeur offerings provide a chance to acquire wines that are both reflective of Bordeaux’s storied tradition and indicative of its evolving identity.

A Few Summarizing Thoughts

The critic I trust unconditionally for Bordeaux is Jane Anson. A few thoughts from her are here offered. The vintage was better than expected, and it is clearly better than, for example, 2013 – and 2021 in the best cases. But it is not in the category of the greats, and there are many disappointing bottles.

You can find wines that have over-performed expectations, and as long as the prices give compelling reasons to buy, I am happy to recommend them. But pricing truly is key – châteaux surely have to recognise that recent En Primeur release prices have not been sustained in the marketplace, even for more successful vintages than this.

There are more overall successes on the Right Bank than Left, simply because underripe Cabernet is very difficult to mask. There was better ripeness overall on the Right Bank, even if some estates had tell-tale sweetness of clumsy chaptilisation.

With the exception of a tiny number of wines, I would not recommend heading to 2nd wines in the 2024 vintage.

Acidity can be sharp and emphasise the tannins, or it can add juice, muscles and salinity. The reality is that you are not going to find wines without acidity at all, but some have used it to their advantage – and it is worth remembering that high acidity vintages are not unusual in Bordeaux, and often have the ability to age extremely well, giving great pleasure in years to come.

Top Recommendations

Left Bank – Chateaux Margaux, Chateau Leoville Poyferre, Chateau Brane Cantenac and best value in Lafon Rochet.

Right Bank – Chateau l’Eglise Clinet, Ausone and Angelus and best value in Laroque, Couvent des Jacobins, L’If.

Sweet & Dry Whites – Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc and Padoges de Cos Blanc for dry whites and Rieussec, Suduiraut & Coutet for sweet.

Note: This blog post is based on current reports and analyses of the 2024 Bordeaux en primeur campaign. As the wines continue to develop, further assessments may provide additional insights into the vintage’s character and longevity.