Bordeaux 2024 Primeur: The Drinker's Vintage
A Welcome Return to Classicism
There I was, scrolling through preliminary reports of the 2024 Bordeaux vintage with a glass of 2008 Pauillac in hand—a happy coincidence that would prove remarkably fitting. As the familiar notes of cedar, blackcurrant, and that quintessential pencil shaving character danced across my palate, I found myself increasingly intrigued by what the latest Bordeaux offering appears to represent: a return to form, a recalibration, a vintage for wine lovers rather than speculators.
After the headline-grabbing, price-soaring 2022 campaign that had many of us questioning the very purpose of the en primeur system, 2023 was somewhat underwhelming, and we're expecting that 2024 will be the 2023 that never was. While I wasn't able to conduct my usual comprehensive tastings this year, the market intelligence and early reports suggest something that should make true Bordeaux enthusiasts rather excited—a classical vintage that speaks to the region's heritage while offering accessibility that recent years have sorely lacked. It's a vintage that may finally offer the price-quality ratio we're dreaming of.
The Vintage Character: A Factory Reset
What makes the 2024 vintage particularly compelling is its apparent return to balance and traditional Bordeaux expression. Liv-ex aptly calls it a "factory reset"—a vintage that strips away the excesses of recent years and reconnects with what made Bordeaux the world's most coveted wine region in the first place.
The growing season was marked by moderate conditions without the extreme heat spikes that have characterized many recent vintages. Spring rains replenished water tables depleted by previous drought years, while a warm but not scorching summer allowed for steady, even ripening. September brought the characteristic diurnal temperature shifts that Bordeaux winemakers prize for developing complexity while maintaining freshness.
The resulting wines show:
- Moderate alcohol levels (typically 13-13.5%, compared to the 14.5%+ we've seen in hotter years)
- Bright acidity that promises both immediate pleasure and aging potential
- Classic flavor profiles with the regional typicity that made us fall in love with Bordeaux
- Structured but approachable tannins that won't demand decades in the cellar
What's particularly exciting is the apparent consistency across appellations. While Left Bank areas like Pauillac and Saint-Julien display their characteristic graphite-tinged cassis notes with impressive precision, the Right Bank hasn't been left behind, with Merlot-dominant blends showing remarkably pure fruit expressions backed by limestone-influenced minerality.
The Price Point: Reason Returns
Perhaps the most refreshing aspect of the 2024 campaign isn't in the bottle at all—it's on the price tag. Early indications suggest a significant correction from the eye-watering levels of the 2022 release, with prices expected to retreat to levels we haven't seen since the 2008 vintage.
This reset isn't just welcome—it's necessary. The primeur system has increasingly seemed like a game only the wealthiest collectors could play, with investment potential overshadowing the fundamental joy of actually drinking these wines. The 2024 vintage offers something different: wines priced to be purchased, cellared modestly, and ultimately opened and enjoyed.
For context, the average 2022 release price across classified growths saw increases of 25-30% over the previous year, which was already compounded by hefty increases in previous years. For 2024, we're anticipating decreases of similar magnitude, making these wines substantially more accessible than anything we've seen in years. The fact that the primeur releases will be earlier than usual is a good indication of good price reductions expected.
Choosing Wisely: Where to Focus
Not every château will embrace this reset equally, of course. Based on early market indicators and historical performance in similar vintages, these are the areas where I believe the most compelling value will be found:
Cru Bourgeois and Equivalent Properties
The sweet spot may well be found among properties just below the classified growths. Names like Château Potensac (Médoc), Château Peyrabon (Haut-Médoc), and Château Fombrauge (Saint-Émilion) are likely to offer exceptional quality-to-price ratios in this classic vintage.
Second Labels of First Growths
With more moderate pricing expected, the second labels of premier estates should be particularly attractive. Carruades de Lafite, Les Forts de Latour, and Petit Mouton could provide glimpses of first-growth quality at significantly lower entry points.
Under-the-Radar Appellations
Look toward Fronsac, Castillon, and the southern Graves for wines that fully express this return to classicism without the premium commanded by more famous neighbors.
Select Classified Growths
For those wanting to secure classified growth wines, the second-tier châteaux from both banks may offer the most compelling proposition—properties like Brane-Cantenac, Léoville Barton, and Canon-la-Gaffelière have historically shown restraint in pricing while delivering exceptional quality in classical vintages.
Why This Vintage Matters for Your Cellar
What makes the 2024 vintage particularly worthy of your attention is its drinkability timeline. Unlike the powerhouse vintages that require decades to shed their tannic armor, these wines promise to offer pleasure throughout their evolution.
With their moderate structure and beautiful balance, many 2024s should begin showing well after just 5-7 years in bottle, yet possess enough backbone to continue developing for 15-20 years or more. This makes them perfect for those who appreciate Bordeaux's evolution but lack either the patience or the dedicated storage space required for the most massive vintages.
In essence, 2024 represents that rarest of opportunities: classically-styled Bordeaux at reasonable prices that won't demand a generation in the cellar before revealing their charms.
The Vintage82 Approach
At Vintage82, we're approaching the 2024 campaign with focused enthusiasm. Rather than casting a wide net, we'll be carefully selecting wines that truly represent the best aspects of this vintage—balance, approachability, and value.
Our strategy will prioritize wines that showcase regional typicity and classical Bordeaux expression. This means favoring producers who resisted the temptation to over-extract or over-oak, instead allowing the vintage to speak through their wines.
We'll be sharing our specific recommendations in the coming weeks as more wines are released, but I can promise that our selections will be guided by one principle above all others: these should be wines you'll actually want to drink, not just collect.
Final Thoughts: A Vintage Worth Celebrating
After years of challenging weather conditions, soaring prices, and wines increasingly built more for competitions than for dinner tables, the 2024 vintage arrives as a welcome reminder of why we fell in love with Bordeaux in the first place.
These are wines that promise to deliver the complex, layered experience that is Bordeaux's birthright, but with an accessibility—both in terms of drinking window and price—that has become increasingly rare.
Whether you're a seasoned Bordeaux collector looking to supplement your cellar with wines you won't have to will to your grandchildren before they're ready, or a relative newcomer seeking to understand why this region has captivated wine lovers for centuries, the 2024 vintage deserves your attention.
As I finish the last sip of that 2008 Pauillac—now showing beautifully at 16 years of age—I'm struck by the parallel. If the 2024s follow a similar trajectory while offering an even more classical expression at comparable prices, we're in for something special indeed.
Stay tuned for our specific recommendations as the campaign unfolds. In the meantime, perhaps it's worth revisiting some of those 2008s to remind yourself just how rewarding classic Bordeaux can be when the price is right and the wine is ready.
For personalized guidance on navigating the 2024 Bordeaux campaign, or to secure allocations of our recommended wines, please contact the Vintage82 team at [info@vintage82.eu].
