“A bleeding heart is of no help to anyone if it bleeds to death.”

Frederick Buechner

The 2024 Bordeaux vintage is defined as much by weather as by will. Whilst the year brought
its share of challenges—early mildew pressure, disrupted flowering, and an unsettled end to
the growing season—it is not nature alone that tells the story. 2024 is a year in which attention
to detail, investment in time and resources, and timely decision-making proved decisive. It
reminds us that terroir only reaches its full potential with human judgement and persistence.
From the quiet precision of vineyard teams managing disease pressure to the severe decisions
made on sorting tables, 2024 was shaped by presence and resolve. The most successful wines
are not merely reflections of place but of sustained effort and intention.

Structurally, 2024 is a vintage of modest alcohol, low pH and vivid acidity. Many wines are brisk,
finely drawn, and red-fruited, offering an immediate impression of energy and lift. In some
cases, this freshness brings charm and early approachability. Many wines will drink well in the
first decade of their lives. Yet such clarity comes with caveats. In response to a challenging year,
many producers adopted a philosophy of gentle infusion rather than extraction. When this
approach works, the results are refined and transparent. But in lesser hands, one finds wines
that feel overly cautious: pleasant but lacking depth and dimension. 2024 is a vintage in which
technical decisions—notably chaptalisation and saignée—played a visible role in shaping style.
The best châteaux bled their musts to improve concentration, accepting lower yields in the
pursuit of balance and complexity. Conversely, some châteaux erred in the other direction.
Where they insufficiently restrained extraction, green tannins and hollow cores have left a
mark. These are, thankfully, in the minority—but their presence serves as a reminder that this
was not a year for formulaic winemaking.

At First Growth level, Lafite Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild stood out for their refinement
and classical proportion on the Left Bank. Alongside Palmer and Montrose, Pichon Baron,
Ducru-Beaucaillou, and Rauzan-Ségla were especially impressive—each delivering wines of
precision and poise. The gap between the Firsts and the best of the rest of the 1855
Classification has rarely felt narrower.

On the Right Bank, where Merlot struggled in places, success often followed the presence of a
majority of Cabernet Franc in the blend. Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Vieux Château Certan, La
Conseillante, Figeac, and Troplong-Mondot all performed with distinction—wines of clarity,
composure, and quiet gravitas. These are not flamboyant, fruit-forward wines but poised,
architectural examples that should age confidently. Those who find that the Right Bank can be
too bombastic in hotter years will likely find much to enjoy in the best of 2024.

Whilst not a uniformly strong year for dry whites, 2024 has yielded some excellent wines in the
right hands. The growing season brought challenges—acidity can be sharp, and some aromatics
aggressive—but the best examples combine freshness with real depth and mineral clarity. As
ever, experience and resources made the difference. Haut-Brion and Margaux produced whites
of drive and detail, layered and long. Domaine de Chevalier, de Fieuzal, and Malartic Lagravière
also delivered successful wines that should age gracefully. This is a vintage to buy the names
you trust. In Sauternes and Barsac, 2024 is shaping into a rather fine year. The wines show
concentration and lift, with botrytis well-handled and balanced. Suduiraut, Coutet, and Guiraud
were amongst the most successful.

The market context remains precarious. Traditional buyers are cautious, global stock levels are
high, and enthusiasm is wearing thin. Yet châteaux have signalled a willingness to price
judiciously. Early releases will likely set the tone, with the campaign beginning in earnest on
Tuesday 22 April. Pricing must be more than reasonable to engage the market—it must be
compelling. That means release prices must undercut the lowest-priced comparable vintage
available in bottle. Pricing is not always straightforward. A 15€ wine has limited room to move;
for a 400€ wine, a 30% correction may only be the beginning.

Still, the opportunity remains. Bordeaux stands on the eve of a campaign in which it must once
again reassert its relevance—through the quality of its wines, pricing, communication, and
connection. Rumours of the region’s decline are nothing new; what matters now is how
Bordeaux responds. With the 2024 vintage, it has another chance to adapt—and to lead.

There is talk of engaging a younger generation of collectors, and the vintage does offer a path.
At the base and middle of the pyramid, many wines are fresh, charming, and accessible in
youth—styles that resonate with modern palates. But pricing must play its part if Bordeaux is
to open wallets and win hearts. At the top of the pyramid, the story is different still. Here, the
best 2024s are classically framed and slow to reveal themselves—wines of form rather than
flourish, built on purity, precision, and proportion. They are not wines of immediate appeal;
those buying them for the first time must be prepared and incentivised to wait.

The success of 2024 will rest not on flash but on faith: the faith of consumers to buy now, and
the patience to allow structure to soften, aromatics to unfold, and harmony to emerge with
time. The finest wines of the vintage are not opulent or overt. They are precise, poised, and
firmly built. If the wines are brut, the deal must be sweet.

For more information and a list of wines, please visit here.