The Jeroboams team has arrived in Bordeaux to begin tasting the 2024 vintage. There is less noise this year—no fanfare, no rush to hyperbole. Instead, there’s a quiet tension, a sense of curiosity. What kind of wines will we find? And what will they say—not just about the vintage, but about Bordeaux itself?

At a time when Bordeaux is striving to reconnect with its audience, many of its wines are technically better than ever—yet emotionally distant. Image, not quality, is the battleground now. And if Bordeaux is to reassert its relevance, it must do more than impress—it must reconnect.

2024 might not offer easy answers, but it could provide something more important: a reminder of the human effort behind the label, of terroir revealed through adversity, and of the quiet drama and risk that underpins greatness in the vineyard and the cellar.

But reconnection does not rest on quality alone. The market is cautious, buyers weary, and the expectation is clear: prices must come down. En Primeur in 2024 faces a paradox—it must rekindle passion whilst respecting financial reality. For many collectors, this is as much an emotional transaction as a financial one: a vote of confidence in a wine, a system of distribution, and a region’s future.

The campaign looks set to move swiftly, with the first releases expected shortly after Easter (from 22 April). The question is not only who made the best wines but also who truly understands the moment.

A Growing Season That Demanded Everything

Extremes shaped the 2024 growing season. A mild, sodden winter gave way to early bud break, but spring brought relentless rain, downy mildew pressure, and a disrupted flowering period between late May and mid-June—particularly troublesome for Merlot.

Véraison, beginning in late July, was long and uneven. Ripening came in two distinct phases: first under warm summer skies, then in cooler, unsettled conditions that persisted into harvest. Some châteaux picked Merlot from 18 September, with Cabernet stretching well into mid-October.

Throughout, success relied on relentless presence in the vineyard. Canopy work, repeated treatments, soil aeration and careful bunch spacing were vital. In the cellar, rigorous sorting and gentle extractions were key, with fermentations requiring close attention to preserve aromatic brightness and structural harmony.

Yields across the region were anything but uniform. Some properties saw significant losses due to mildew and rot. Others—through timely interventions and pragmatic vineyard management—produced respectable volumes.

What We Expect to Find

Early indications point toward a vintage of classical balance rather than power. Alcohol levels are expected to be modest, acidities higher, and the style fresher overall. Where vineyards struggled with excess water or disease, dilution and green notes may be present—especially in younger vines. But the results should be elegant, pure, and quietly compelling for those with the resources, judgement, and timing to navigate the vintage’s hurdles.

As tastings begin, 2024 presents itself not with broad themes but intricacies. The growing season demanded presence, judgement, and adaptability, and the wines will likely reflect those qualities in subtle, site-specific ways. This is a vintage where the meaning is likely to lie in the details.

This is not a year for sweeping declarations. Instead, the focus turns to the glass: to understanding what was achieved, where, and how. For Bordeaux, 2024 may be less about impressing and more about reconnecting—with place, purpose, and a chance to reassert relevance and resonance.