So how can we summarise the 2024 vintage? Once again, it was a challenging year for winemakers (frost, damp and rain, mildew…), especially at key moments in the vine’s cycle. 2024 can be described as a winegrower’s vintage, where quality variations reflect the decisions made by the estates and châteaux, their observations, choice of harvest dates, grape selection… The outcome? Dry and sweet whites of very high standard, a true success; reds unlike the fine Bordeaux wines of the most outstanding vintages (often very solar and powerful) but nevertheless meeting today’s consumers’ expectations with their fresh, fruity character and immediately accessible quality.

In short, 2024 warrants the full attention of all wine lovers, who should seek out wines suited to their tastes and expectations. There is no doubt in our mind that there is something for everyone.

2024 weather in Bordeaux: A challenging year

A mild and rainy winter

Let’s start at the beginning. Heavy rainfall, both in terms of quantity and regularity, characterised the winter of 2024. In October, winegrowers were sometimes unable to work in their vineyards due to the extent to which they were flooded. With the exception of the period between 6 and 14 January, the whole season was also particularly mild in terms of temperature.

Spring: Frost followed by the onset of mildew

Given such conditions, bud break, the vegetative awakening of the vines, did not occur as early as expected, taking place around early April. It was a sunny start to the month, which accelerated the cycle, before the temperature suddenly plummeted, giving way to the dreaded spring frosts. Damage was clearly evident in some areas. More bad news followed in the third week of April, when the first signs of mildew were observed, with the disease spreading further throughout May. Delayed flowering occurred in damp conditions, with rainfall from October to May well above average, standing at 1,095mm compared to the usual 750mm.

A summer of hope

The weather improved slightly at the start of summer, although frequent storms encouraged mildew to develop. Good news came at the end of July, when a dry, warm spell set in at the time of veraison, when the grapes change colour and start to ripen. There was more good news at the end of August when mildew pressure dropped and the good weather returned. September, however, began rainy and cool.

Autumn required winegrowers to be attentive and responsive

The first harvests for the dry whites were made in early September, at a time when the grapes had retained their aroma and acidity (thanks to the low water stress), followed by the Merlots around 20 September, when the weather was still quite changeable. Although grey rot appeared in some plots, observant winegrowers were quick to react and sent their teams to the vines, where they rigorously sorted the grapes. And this is what determined the vintage’s success in certain estates and châteaux. Weather conditions were more favourable throughout the second part of the harvest, when the Cabernet varieties were picked. As for sweet wines, September and October alternated between wet and dry periods, perfect for the development of the famous Botrytis Cinerea fungus. Acidity, purity and aromatic qualities were all present at the time of harvesting, which was carried out in three stages.

Wine quality: Excellent white wines, pleasant surprises among the reds

Both dry and sweet white wines turned out very well in 2024: balanced and fresh, with good acidity (owing to the rainy year), aromatic and complex. They are not to be missed!

As for the red wines, in the end they are a very pleasant surprise. While some rainy years in the past failed to produce good wines, 2024 is definitely not one of them. The wines display a fresh and fruity profile and are ready to drink young (which is what wine lovers expect these days). We applaud the work of many estates (choosing the harvest date, sorting the grapes and blending them perfectly) which has clearly paid off. They can be extremely proud to present wines that are sure to delight the palates of all wine lovers.

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Source: Le millésime 2024 à Bordeaux [English: The 2024 vintage in Bordeaux] by Geny, Guittard, Lavigne, Marchal