Bordeaux 2024 – A Vintage of Grit, Grace and Grim Margins

Let us wait and see — that, in essence, sums up Bordeaux 2024. The growing season was, by any measure, a formidable gauntlet: a year demanding vigilance, patience, and not inconsiderable resources — both human and financial. And yet, despite it all, many of the wines are… rather good. Not uniformly, and certainly not in the manner of the more opulent vintages, but there is much to admire — particularly for those who favour restraint over swagger.

This is not a vintage of heavyweight bruisers destined for half-century slumber in the cellar, à la 2010 or 2016. Nor is it the astringent, anaemic affair of 2013. Alcohols are modest, extraction has, more often than not, been handled with care, and the wines reward a lighter hand. In many respects, this is the antithesis of 2022, 2020, and indeed 2016 — and that is not necessarily a bad thing. These are wines made to be drunk, not merely admired in trophy cabinets.

But — and it’s a sizeable “but” — this vintage will live or die by price. Every vintage has a price at which it makes sense. None should be dismissed wholesale. Already, the rumour mill is spinning: Château Lafite Rothschild, the perennial bellwether, is being whispered at anywhere between €250 and €300 per bottle. I suspect we’ll see the upper end of that range — still the most affordable Lafite currently on the market. All things considered, not unreasonable.

But ask yourself — why are you buying en primeur? It’s a question few merchants dare voice, but it deserves an honest reckoning. Historically, there were two reasons:

1. To secure wines at favourable, early-release prices.
2. To access rare wines in the formats you actually want.

In recent years, the second has become the dominant rationale. One no longer buys en primeur for a bargain. If you want a case of halves or a celebratory 6L Imperial, this remains the best route. But let us be frank: the châteaux must price appropriately if they wish to lure back a jaded customer base. Otherwise, there are plenty of back vintages on the market at the moment for very sensible prices.

The Weather: A Vintage Forged in Adversity

To truly understand 2024, one must first look skyward, then look down. This was a vintage forged by capricious and often cruel weather. It demanded fast decisions, financial flexibility, and, frankly, a fair slice of fortune.

• The Wettest Winter in 25 Years: From October 2023 to March 2024, up to 900mm of rain fell — a deluge 70% above the 10-year average. Vineyards became swamps, pruning was delayed, and the tone was set: this would be no easy vintage.
• Mildew and Mayhem: Mildew made its presence known alarmingly early, entrenched by late April. Growers battled it tirelessly — often by hand, as tractors sank in sodden soils. Flowering was uneven, not disastrous, but challenging. Several estates pursuing organic certification abandoned it in desperation — a choice of pragmatism over principle.
• Rain, Frost, Hail – Take Your Pick: May brought 125mm of rain, causing root asphyxia and stunted growth. June’s flowering dampened yields, especially for Merlot, via coulure and millerandage. Hail lashed Fronsac, St-Estèphe and the southern Médoc.
• A Glimmer of Hope: July and August were mercifully warm and dry — not searing, but ample for recovery. Grapes developed traditional aromatics without the cooked fruit of some, recent hot vintages.
• Late Ripening and Grey Rot: Véraison came late (mid-August), and September’s 120mm of rain brought Botrytis. Sauternes rejoiced; red wine producers did not. Harvests became logistical nightmares. Picking was done parcel by parcel, with many doubling their harvest teams just to stay ahead of rot.

Selection, Sorting, and Sacrifice

Precision was the order of the day. densimetric baths were near-universal, with optical sorting close behind. In some cases, up to 50% of the crop was discarded in the name of quality. Estates reported both “potential yields” and much smaller “final yields” — a stark reflection of just how surgical selection had to be.

Given the conditions, one might have expected dilution or green, underripe flavours. Remarkably, these flaws are rare. The wines, generally, are fresh and poised — not over-extracted, not over-alcoholic. Merlots occasionally needed chaptalisation just to reach 12.5%. Acidity is high, pH is low, and malic acid levels are a little more pronounced — classic hallmarks of a cooler profile.

The Grim Economics Behind the Grace

The financial burden of this vintage has been extraordinary. It’s a shame that those with deep pockets tended to benefit the most. The cost of specialist equipment to combat the difficulties were significant, whether a densimetric or optical sorter, the costs skyrocketed. Interventions to combat mildew and botrytis adds further to that cost, otherwise, it’s more hands on deck and longer hours in the vineyard and winery.

And yet, paradoxically, the market now demands price reductions. The disconnect between effort and reward has rarely felt starker.

Conclusion: Cautiously Hopeful

The dry whites are superb — vivid, structured, and complex. And Sauternes? Glorious. A silver lining for a region that’s struggled in recent years. Seek these out.

The reds? Not blockbusters. But nor are they write-offs. This is a vintage for drinkers, not show-offs. For those who value freshness over flamboyance, precision over power, there is plenty to enjoy — if the châteaux price accordingly.

A final word. We often think of Bordeaux as a machine — glamourous châteaux, suits, and spreadsheets. But behind that façade lies real toil. In 2024, the sheer effort required to produce these wines was Herculean. Amid the glitz, don’t forget the vineyard workers, cellar teams, and winemakers who turned adversity into elegance.

As one of my mentors in wine once said — though I’ll clean it up for polite company — “Don’t buy wine from a**holes!”

My Picks: Pre-pricing

Normally, I’d rattle off a list of money-no-object indulgences and smart buys. But without pricing, such things are mere posturing. That said:

• Château Beau-Séjour Bécot: Another triumph — elegant and harmonious.
• Châteaux Joanin-Bécot & Marsau: Delivering real value with character.
• Château Sénéjac: Benefited from deep pockets and deft hands.
• Châteaux Margaux & Palmer: Just two, smashing wines, will be the price be?
• Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, La Garde Blanc : Cannot go wrong with dry whites.
• Châteaux Coutet & Doisy-Daëne : Simply a great Sauternes vintage.

I’ll update this with recommendations as the releases flood out over the summer and pricing complete the picture.