Bordeaux 2024 Redefined: Why This Difficult Vintage Shines in the Glass
Bordeaux 2024 is not a great vintage.
It is a good one, and that matters more than the headline suggests.
I came to the 2024's Arvi tasting earlier this week, expecting a struggle in the glass.
At The Dolder Grand in Zürich, each producer poured the new vintage beside their 2018. The contrast could not have been sharper: a cool, wet, difficult year next to one of the warmest and most praised vintages of the last decade.
On paper, it should have been an uneven contest.
In the glass, it was different.
The best 2024s showed balance, gentleness, and clarity. On the Right Bank, several wines were among the most enjoyable young reds I have tasted in recent years.
The year looked difficult before the first glass
The growing season gave plenty of reasons for caution.
Between March and September, the region received around 649 mm of rain, about 52% above the ten-year average. Mildew pressure started early and remained a constant threat. May was cool and wet, which disrupted flowering. Merlot, especially, produced larger berries with less natural concentration than usual.
The crop was also small. The 2024 harvest was reported as the smallest since 1991.
A season like that often leaves clear marks:
On paper | What I was expecting |
Heavy rainfall | Dilution and thin mid-palates |
Mildew pressure | Uneven fruit quality |
Cool flowering | Irregular ripening |
Small crop | Less room for strict selection |
Difficult Merlot | Green edges or forced extraction |
That was the risk. But it was not the full story.
The best estates did not try to turn 2024 into 2018. They accepted the character of the year. They picked carefully, sorted hard, and avoided heavy extraction. That restraint shows.
The strongest wines feel infused rather than extracted. The fruit is not massive, but it is clean. The tannins are not powerful, but they are fine. The alcohol feels moderate. The balance is real.
The Right Bank is the clear surprise this vintage in Bordeaux
Saint-Émilion and Pomerol delivered the biggest surprise.
In the best bottles, the Merlot feels juicy and fruit-forward, with a savoury finish and, in several wines, a light menthol note. Neither vegetal nor unripe. But approachability, and very well-integrated tannins.
Canon-la-Gaffelière and Clos Fourtet showed the polish expected from serious names. La Dominique and Rouget also stood out. Even some entry-level wines offered honest fruit and real drinkability.
What matters most is what these wines avoid.
There is no heaviness. There is no overripe warmth. There is no push from the cellar trying to compensate for a difficult vineyard year. The better Right Bank wines have charm, freshness, and enough structure to hold together.
For sommeliers, that makes them useful. These are not blockbuster reds built only for long cellaring. The best examples could work well on a list for guests who want young Bordeaux with energy, lower weight, and immediate pleasure.
The comparison with 2018 made 2024 easier to understand
Tasting 2024 beside 2018 was revealing.
The 2018s had the advantage of scale. They were richer, darker, and more obviously powerful. Many carried the warmth and depth that made the vintage famous.
The 2024s could not match that density. They were not trying to.
Their appeal came from another place: line, freshness, texture, and drinkability. In several flights, the 2024s felt more transparent. They showed the site and the decisions of the producer with less coverage from ripeness.
In 2018, with their lack of acidity, shown already some volatile acidity, marked evolution and an overcharged finish.
That is why this kind of Vintage Tasting matters. A vintage can look modest in reports and still offer pleasure when the right estates are in the glass.
The best 2024s succeed through restraint
The keyword for 2024 is selection.
This is not a vintage to buy blindly by appellation. It rewards producers who made the right choices at the right time. It also rewards buyers who taste, compare, and stay selective.
The successful wines share several traits:
Clean fruit
Red and black fruit show clearly, without jamminess or cooked notes.
Gentle tannins
The tannic frame supports the wine instead of drying the finish.
Fresh acidity
The wines feel lifted, not heavy.
Moderate extraction
The best examples avoid hard edges and hollow structure.
A savoury finish
Many Right Bank wines close with salt, herbs, mint, or graphite rather than sweetness alone.
This is where 2024 becomes interesting. It is not a vintage of excess. It is a vintage of detail.
That also means weak wines will stand out. If the fruit is picked too early, the wines can feel green. If extraction is pushed too far, tannins can dry out the finish. If the selection was not strict enough, dilution appears fast.
The difference between good and average is wide.
This is the perfect type of vintage that shows the real expertise of each winemaker and estate. In the challenge, the best shine high.
The buying lesson is simple
Bordeaux 2024 will not replace 2016, 2018, 2019, or 2020 for collectors who want depth and long ageing power. It should not be judged that way.
Its strength is different.
The best 2024 reds offer freshness, balance, and early charm. They show lower weight and less heat. They may also give strong value if pricing reflects the difficulty of the year.
For restaurant programs, this matters. Lighter, fresher fruits have a real place at the table. It pairs well with dishes that richer vintages can overpower: roast poultry, veal, lamb, mushrooms, lentils, and classic bistro cooking.
For private cellars, the safest approach is focused buying. Choose producers with a record of precision in difficult years. Favour wines already tasted by reliable merchants or critics. Be especially attentive to Right Bank names where Merlot was handled with care.
Also, because most wines are 30 to 45% cheaper than their previous vintage, 2023, for example. As an investment purpose, it will allow some wine lovers to access some Grand Châteaux that they could not purchase recently.
We will also find more 2024 in the restaurant wine list for their by-the-glass option, I guess.
My personal standouts
Ten wines stood above the rest at the tasting.
Right Bank | Left Bank |
Canon-la-Gaffelière, Saint-Émilion | Pichon Baron, Pauillac |
Clos Fourtet, Saint-Émilion | Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac |
La Dominique, Saint-Émilion | Lynch-Bages, Pauillac |
Rouget, Pomerol | Lagrange, Saint-Julien |
Château Canon | Léoville Barton, Saint-Julien |
Brane-Cantenac, Margaux |
Chateau Gazin Clos Fourtet Château l'Evangile 2024 Chateau Clinet 2024 Chateau Rouget 2024
A vintage that asks for attention
Bordeaux 2024 did not impress because it was powerful. It impressed because the best wines were honest.
Bordeaux wines have never been as good as they are now. The quality, the overall level rose drastically, and it is a real pleasure to see the new face and sense of direction of the region
That is the real story of 2024. It is not a great vintage. It is a careful vintage. It rewards discipline in the vineyard, restraint in the cellar, and attention from the buyer.
The best bottles shine because they do not pretend to be something else. They are true to their story and producer
Want to explore the world of fine wine with genuine expertise?
At Paroles de Vins, I offer private wine consulting, curated tastings, and exclusive wine experiences for collectors, investors, and hospitality professionals who demand more than a label. → Visit parolesdevins.com to discover our services → Follow @TonyLcrx_MS on Instagram for field dispatches from the world's great wine regions → Contact: info@parolesdevins.com |
About the Author
Tony Lécuroux MS
Tony Lécuroux is a Master Sommelier, one of fewer than 300 in the world to hold this distinction, and the 2nd Best Sommelier of Switzerland 2025.
I am the founder of Paroles de Vins, a wine advisory & Wine Concierge company, also creating events based in Switzerland.
I am also a certified lecturer of Wine Education Switzerland, delivering ISG certification programmes across the country.
Having spent a decade working in Michelin-starred restaurants across England and Switzerland, I now work with private clients, estates, and hospitality groups across Europe and beyond.
I grew up near Hermitage in the Northern Rhône Valley, a place that continues to shape my understanding of what wine, at its best, can be.
This article reflects Tony's personal vision and field experience, and does not represent the position of any commercial partner or institution.
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