Bordeaux 2024 En Primeur
Bordeaux 2024 En Primeur.
After our annual cask-tasting visit to Bordeaux, we are still digesting our notes on the 2024 vintage. Quality was very uneven, but through careful tasting, we still managed to find wines made to a very high standard.
2024 was one of the most difficult vintages in recent times, due to a wet summer. In the vintages of thirty and twenty years ago, weather like this would have shown through in the glass, producing dilute wines with unripe tannins and probably a distinct whiff of musty dampness. This brings back memories for Antony of working a stage in Margaux in the 1994 vintage, and for Tim of visiting Bordeaux as an MW Student to taste the 2004 vintage and hearing about controversial winemaking trends like reverse osmosis, used to concentrate dilute wines.
In general, the 2024s show how far winemaking practices have come since then, so banish the wines of those days from your mind. Even the poorer Cru Bourgeois and less successful Cru Classé were miles ahead of vintages like '94 in terms of quality (and it's worth remarking that '94 did produce wines that have aged well, like the bottle of Brane Cantenac which we opened recently!).
Tasting the 2024s, we generally found attractive floral and fruit aromas, clean fruit flavours, and ripe tannins, with fresh, balancing acidity. What was harder to find was the level of fruit concentration and, above all, the palate length and complexity that our customers should rightly expect of wines at the prices charged these days by top estates. We had to make a very rigorous assessment, selecting a much smaller-than-usual range of wines that represent what we feel is the very best of 2024, wines that will live for a long time and that deserve a place in your cellar.
The wait is now on to see what will happen regarding pricing. Some Bordeaux merchants are hoping for a drastic return to price levels of a decade ago. We expect to see the first releases next week!
| RED | 2024 | Château Sociando Mallet | 75cl | £222 per case of 12 | Château Sociando Mallet 2024 / / 75cl £222 per case of 12 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Sociando-Mallet has a light, slightly gravelly, herbaceous bouquet that needs to muster more fruit. The palate is medium-bodied and typical of the estate's style - maybe a bit green around the edges, but there is an attractive core of red fruit and a touch of spice on the finish. Those who like this château will appreciate this wine, though it is not a long-term prospect. 87-89 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A blend of 57% Merlot and 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2024 Sociando-Mallet offers up aromas of cassis, plums and pencil shavings, followed by a medium-bodied, suave and lively palate with good depth and balance. It represents a very strong performance in this challenging vintage. 90-91 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Saciando-Mallet is elegant, polished and very sophisticated. Fine tannins wrap around a solid base of dark plum, lavender, mocha, licorice and mint. The 100% new oak is barely perceptible. Floral and saline undertones shape the long, beautifully persistent finish. This is a super-impressive Sociando. 90-92 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Attractive aromatics here, this has gentle smoke, grilled cedar and cloves, clear oak influence but one that is extremely well handled, adding a layer of interest and complexity over the soft berry fruits. Great job from Sociando in this challenging vintage, and fans of this wine will find plenty of estate typicity. 92 points" janeanson.com |
|||||||||||
| WHITE | 2024 | Château Suduiraut | 75cl | £237 per case of 6 | Château Suduiraut 2024 / / 75cl £237 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"This really is charming, full of marmalade and orange zest, saffron and lime, bitter finish in the best way, gives focus and rises up through the palate. 4.1 TA. 3.83 pH. 130 g/l. 50% new oak. Four passes through the vineyard through to 3rd week of October, with 2nd and 3rd being the heart. Pierre Montegut technical director across both Suduiraut and Pichon Baron. 11.3hl/h yield. Lovely, softly spoken, not the intensity of 2022, but just thoroughly appealing. Eric Boissenot consultant, as at Pichon and at Noval in Portugal. 95 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Suduiraut offers up a beguiling mix of passion fruit, mango, pineapple and tangerine oil. Even with 130 grams of residual sugar, the 2024 is not an especially opulent Sauternes. I especially admire its freshness. What a beautiful and expressive wine. 2030-2054. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
|||||||||||
| WHITE | 2024 | Château Suduiraut | Half bottle | £257 per case of 12 | Château Suduiraut 2024 / / Half bottle £257 per case of 12 |
IB | |||||
| RED | 2024 | Château Talbot | 75cl | £194 per case of 6 | Château Talbot 2024 / / 75cl £194 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Talbot is a blend 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot. Offering up aromas of minty cherries, cassis, burning embers and new oak, it's medium-bodied, taut and youthfully angular. 88-90 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"Finely constructed tannic frame, sappy, good clarity of autumnal berry fruit but lacking some punch. St Julien finesse in evidence, possible upscore in bottle. Yield just under 40hl/h, Nancy Bignon-Cordier owner. 60% new oak. 90 points" janeanson.com----"The 2024 Talbot is an attractive, understated Saint-Julien. Sweet pipe tobacco, cedar, mint, mocha, dried herbs and incense lend notable aromatic presence. The 2024 is pleasant but also a bit light texturally. Let's see what happens with élevage. 2032 - 2049. 90-92 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Talbot was picked between September 18 and October 7 at a respectable 39 hl/ha for the vintage. It will be matured in 70% new oak from 12 cooperages with various toastings. The wine has a light bouquet at first that upholds the Talbot style, mainly featuring red berry fruit intermixed with mocha and light cedar scents. It shows fine delineation but is certainly not a powerful wine. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. I like the brightness and vivacity of this Saint-Julien. It's cohesive with a discrete, peppery finish that gently fans out. Worth seeking out, though it would need more grip and substance to merit a more generous score. Drink: 2029-2055. 90-92 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Focused, dense and creamy with berries and chocolate on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Chalky, with crunchy berries and a flavorful finish. 93-94 points" jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2024 | Château Troplong Mondot | 75cl | £432 per case of 6 | Château Troplong Mondot 2024 / / 75cl £432 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a beauty, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries and licorice mingled with hints of violet and lavender. Medium to full-bodied, dense and deep, it's one of the more layered and muscular wines of the vintage, a quality this terroir seems to invariably deliver, with sweet tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, expansive finish. 93-95 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Troplong Mondot was matured in 55% new oak, 26% in 20-hectolitre foudres and 19% in used barrels. It offers minerally, tightly wound black fruit, blueberry and light chalky scents. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant yet tensile tannins. Like the Mondot, it is peppery in style, pretty and sapid towards the finish. Not a huge amount of persistence, yet this is still a serious Saint-Émilion that could well end up at the top of my banded score. 2032 - 2068. 93-95 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"A crunchy and vivid red with blackberry, black olive and walnut character. It’s medium- to full-bodied with medium-round tannins and a creamy, textured finish. I like the citrus and chalk undertones. 85% merlot, 13% cabernet sauvignon and 2% cabernet franc. 94-95 points" jamessuckling.com------"This has the Troplong terroir and intensity visually, immediately clear, with violets, squid ink, slate, roses, liquorice root. Love the chalky oyster shell salinity on the finish, delivers exceptional balance and lift, with interesting texture that is grippy with pumice stone tannins. No chaptilisation, because this is a location with natural density and you really see it here. Brilliantly silky, this has depth and yet is savoury, touch of whole cluster winemaking. 55% new oak, with 19% oak casks and the rest one year old. 95 points" janeanson.com------"The Grand Vin 2024 Château Troplong Mondot is deeper hued than the Mondot and is based on 85% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, aging in 55% new wood with portions in foudre and used barrels. It's a classic wine from this Château today that shows the focus on purity, precision, and elegance without being dilute or mid-weight. Black raspberries, spring flowers, spicy wood, and graphite all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, has a pure, seamless, elegant mouthfeel, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. It's one of the standouts in the vintage on the right bank. 94-96 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"Deep garnet-purple colored. Needs a lot of shaking to wake up wonderfully pure notes of red currant jelly, fresh blackberries, and licorice, plus hints of cardamom, mint tea, and lilacs. The light to medium-bodied palate shimmers with vibrant red and black berry flavors, supported by fine-grained tannins and fantastic tension, finishing long and minerally. Seriously good! 95-97 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a total stunner. As has been the case for some years now, the Grand Vin is blended before being barreled down, which means at the time of tasting en primeur, the wine has seen less wood than the vast majority of its peers. That lends this wine a certain raw energy that is impossible to miss. The purity and intensity of the flavors are simply remarkable. Troplong Mondot is one of the standouts of 2024. Even in this vintage, Troplong Mondot possesses remarkable textural presence, but that richness is matched by notable freshness and linear drive. It was deeply impressive on the two occasions I tasted it. Élevage is planned to be 55% in new oak, 26% in 20HL barrels and 19% in once-used barrels. 2026 - 2030. 95-97 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2024 | Clos du Marquis | 75cl | £186 per case of 6 | Clos du Marquis 2024 / / 75cl £186 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"Deep garnet-purple colored. Slowly unfurls to reveal notes of juicy blackberries and raspberries, leading to an undercurrent of black currants, violets, and menthol with a touch of bay leaves and wet slate. The light to medium-bodied palate delivers racy red berry flavors and great tension, framed by approachable, grainy tannins, finishing chalky. 89-91 points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"Juicy Bing cherries, violets, cassis, and graphite all emerge from the 2024 Clos Du Marquis, another juicy, medium-bodied, elegant, and focused 2024. It has ripe, polished tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a good finish, while still staying in the more mid-weight, focused style of the vintage. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc that hit 12.9% alcohol with a pH of 3.62. It will spend 16 months in 50% new barrels. 89-91 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that attained 12.9% alcohol, the 2024 Clos du Marquis unwinds in the glass with notes of cassis, iris and pencil shavings, followed by a medium-bodied, taut and incisive palate with good depth and persistence. It's a serious wine, but it will require patience. 90-92 points" William Kelley, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Clos du Marquis was cropped at 32 hl/ha between September and 25 October 10. It matured in 50% new oak barrels for 16 months. This has an expressive bouquet with blackberry, blueberry and light violet scents that lend it Margaux-like allure. The palate is medium-bodied with a citric entry thanks to the acidity, edgy tannins and more black fruit laced with cedar and graphite toward the finish. Give this three or four years in bottle. This is slightly leaner, but it maintains focus. Drink: 2028-2042. 90-92 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Clos du Marquis is a very pretty, aromatic Saint-Julien. Crushed flowers, mint, lavender, white pepper and slate give the 2024 an attractive upper register to match its mid-weight, nervy personality. There is a bit of dryness on the finish that hopefully will be resolved with élevage. 2026 - 2036. 90-92 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"A very fragrant, mineral-driven nose. This has some depth but remains poised and refined with a thin gauze of fine, chalky tannins that dissolve throughout the palate. Long and almost ethereal. Spot-on balance and poise, the terroir showing through in a delicate, transparent vintage like this one. Slightly lighter than previous years but a more “intellectual” wine. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. 95-96 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2024 | Clos Puy Arnaud | 75cl | £195 per case of 12 | Clos Puy Arnaud 2024 / / 75cl £195 per case of 12 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"The 2024 Clos Puy Arnaud feels a bit exaggerated on the nose, as if overcompensating for the shortfalls of the growing season. The palate is medium-bodied with red cherry and strawberry fruit laced with orange zest, finishing in a fresh style that partly compensates for the aromatics. Hopefully it will improve in barrel. 85-87 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"Based on 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2024 Clos Puy Arnaud Grand Vin reveals ripe red and black fruits, classy vanilla oak, and floral, spicy notes. Medium-bodied, it has a charming, forward, pure, satisfying style that will drink well right out of the gate. 86-88 points" Jebdunnuck.com------"A blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Franc, the 2024 Clos Puy Arnaud is a great effort this year, unfurling in the glass with aromas of cassis, mulberries, flowers and pencil shavings. Medium-bodied, layered and lively, it's framed by structured tannins that conclude with a long, resonant finish. The vintage’s fresh acidity brings energy and appeal without compromising the wine’s underlying seriousness and almost classical austerity. 89-91 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"The 2024 Clos Puy Arnaud is one of the revelations of the vintage. Deep, powerful and resonant, with no hard edges, the 2024 is positively stellar. Dark red fruit, blood orange, spice, pomegranate and rose petal stain the palate. Clos Puy Arnaud is without question one of the wines of this very challenging year. Considering that the property is 100% biodynamic, this performance, including yields of 45 hectoliters per hectare, is simply unreal. Élevage will be about 12 months in a combination of demi-muid, barrique, amphora and porcelain. The blend is 60% Cabernet Franc and 40% Merlot, quite a bit more Franc than usual. 94-96 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com |
|||||||||||
| RED | 2024 | Domaine de Chevalier | 75cl | £192 per case of 6 | Domaine de Chevalier 2024 / / 75cl £192 per case of 6 |
IB | |||||
Tasting Notes"A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot and 5% Cabernet Franc, the 2024 Domaine de Chevalier reveals a spicy, brooding bouquet of oak, dark berries and gentian. Medium to full-bodied, juicy and round, it's firm and has an assertive tannic frame, concluding with a somewhat chewy finish. Despite a respectable yield and a clear stylistic shift toward less oak influence, the estate’s sandy terroirs struggled to achieve full ripeness in this delicate vintage. 90-92 points" Yohan Castaing, RobertParker.com------"Stands out for its deep ruby red colour, soft grilled cedar and sandalwood aromatics, and its slow build through the palate, with juice and character, a ton of gorgeous slate and liquorice. Not at the peak of 2023 or 2022, but this has depth and balance, and estate character. Great job from the team at Domaine de Chevalier. Harvest 20 September to 8 October. 30% new oak for ageing, Olivier Bernard owner. 92 points" janeanson.com------"The 2024 Domaine de Chevalier was cropped at 48 hl/ha between September 20 and October 8. This is almost Burgundian in style, with a fragrant bouquet revealing pure blueberry and blackcurrant aromas alongside crushed violet and iris flower scents emerging with aeration. It is very comely and alluring. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It's very harmonious and already in this prenatal stage, seductive. With finely chiseled tannins and more mineralité compared to the L'Esprit, this seems to glide on the finish. Just a lovely Pessac-Léognan for the vintage, though this year it must accept the silver medal as Olivier Bernard's white takes the gold. 2031 - 2048. 91-93 points" Neal Martin, Vinous.com------"The 2024 Domaine de Chevalier is soft, fruity and relatively simple, given its typical personality. Plum, black cherry, licorice, chocolate and sweet oak are pushed forward in this open-knit, easygoing Pessac-Léognan. There may be more here than meets the eye. We will see. Today, the 2024 is on the light side. Tasted two times. 2032 - 2049. 92-94 points" Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com------"Deep garnet-purple in color. Pops from the glass with wonderfully fragrant notes of red roses, cardamom, and mossy tree bark, leading to a core of cassis and red currant jelly. The light-bodied palate is energetic and shimmery, delivering fine-grained tannins and bold freshness, finishing long and minerally. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot. 3.62 pH. 93-95+ points" Lisa Perotti-Brown, The Wine Independent------"Fine cocoa powder, cedar, minerals, currants and blue fruit. Juicy and medium- to full-bodied with fresh, firm tannins and a long, crunchy finish. It lingers well. 65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% petit verdot. 95-96 points" Zekun Shuai, jamessuckling.com |
|||||||||||
YOU MUST BE 18 AND OVER TO PURCHASE AND CONSUME WINE AND ALCOHOL