The latest vintages from Bordeaux are expected to be released in the coming weeks. Many journalists and critics are yet to review the wines so we must stay patient for a little longer but, here is a summary on what to expect this year.
Overall, 2024 was a challenging year and the winemakers' expertise played a crucial role in the resulted wines. The quality will vary based on the location and producers. The wines should be enjoyable in their youth and will not require significant ageing.
With regards to prices, we expect they will be even lower than last year. Due to the current market, demand from collectors and true Bordeaux lovers is not expected to be high. This vintage could be an excellent opportunity for the modern consumer who do not want to store his wines for long but, is keen to secure wines from the most famous Chateaux while enjoying very attractive prices.
The Growing Season
The 2024 vintage was challenging right from the beginning. Winter was the wettest in record since 2000 with warm temperatures. This meant early budding (two weeks earlier than usual) which increased the risk of mildew and frost. Spring looked more promising at first with a generous flowering. Many young plots of vines produced a remarkable fruit set but, overall, it was cooler and rainier than usual and translated in an uneven berry setting. Summer finally arrived at the end of June lasting until late August. Skins and tannins began to ripe but September turned out to be the rainiest in years. Grapes were highly selected to maintain quality and the yield are much lower than 2023.
The Wines
The wines should have lower alcohol levels than in recent vintages. Jane Anson noted "almost all Merlots reached 13% abv potential naturally, while Cabernets are closer to 12-12.5% abv". They should also be vibrant due to their high acidity. Colin Hay, from the Drink Business, mentioned a "one-off vintage of youthful exuberance".
The quality will vary a lot across the appellations. The best wines will show beautiful aromatics while others may reveal vegetal notes if the grapes did not achieve optimum ripeness. We will be extremely selective with our recommendations to only get you the best.
What to expect with prices?
As per last year, the demand for En Primeur wines is low. Due to long term over supply, the secondary market is still seeing a price decrease but, 2025 is also facing a new challenge: global tariffs.
We can only speculate at this stage but, with the turbulent global market conditions, we think the prices will be even lower than last year. It has been suggested some Chateaux may need to sell their wines at prices below their own costs. This could be a great opportunity for a young generation of wine enthusiasts to secure wines from the most famous estates.
Our recommendations
This is just a quick overview based on previous years but below are some of the releases we will be actively following.
Fifth Grand Cru Classé Ch. Pontet Canet is a firm favourite which has consistently been producing great wines. It has experienced an unprecedented rise to the top and is today considered as one of Bordeaux's most iconic estates. Ch Lynch Bages is another UK's favourite and over-performer. This classic Pauillac has depth and structure and always delivers.
Ch. Pichon Comtesse de Lalande could also do well. Since the arrivals of Nicolas Glumineau as a cellar master, this Pauillac is achieving new heights. Another contender is Ch Haut Bailly. Due to a much stricter selection of the plots destined for the Grand Vin, the wine has gained in depth and precision in recent years.
Finally, if you are looking for a rising star, Les Carmes Haut Brion is one to watch! Long under the radar, this estate has had a stratospheric rise over the past decades. The increase in quality combined with carefully considered release prices, have been crucial to its success making it one of the top performing Bordeaux with real potential. With only 4,000 bottles produced on average, this is listed 'as strong sellers every year' by Liv-ex.
If you have any query about Bordeaux En Primeur 2024, please contact us via info@petershamcellar.com.