Bordeaux 2024 - What the wine critics say

Tasting En Primeur can be challenging, as the wines are constantly evolving. We spent a week in Bordeaux assessing the 2024 vintage and were impressed by how well the wines were showing—full of energy, precision, and purity. We've shared our impressions in our vintage report, based on tastings from 14th–17th April. Interestingly, several of our trade partners and friends in Bordeaux noted that just a week earlier, the wines were much more subdued. That’s often the nature of tasting En Primeur and wines that are still 'samples' and can change from day to day.

The Wine Advocate was the first major publication to release their report, and we assume they tasted earlier too. Reading through their scores, we were a little surprised, as some ratings felt lower than our own experience suggested. By contrast, Jane Anson’s report more closely mirrored what we found in the cellars, highlighting the vibrancy and balance we believe define the 2024 vintage.

Of course, everyone’s palate differs. To help you navigate the vintage, we’ve summarised the early commentary and top scores from each critic. We’re still waiting on major publications like Vinous, Decanter, Jeb Dunnuck, The Wine Independent, and James Suckling to release their reports. We’ll continue updating this page as more scores and reviews come in, so do check back regularly for the latest updates.

Don’t Miss Wines: Margaux, Leoville Poyferre and Brane Cantenac

Jane Anson’s report on Bordeaux 2024 paints a vintage of contrasts, where precision in the vineyard and at harvest made all the difference. On the Left Bank, she found a wide range of quality, with wines scoring from 96 down to 80 points. Château Margaux led the way with her highest score of 96, and standout performances were also seen at Léoville Poyferré and Brane-Cantenac. However, Anson noted that Cabernet Sauvignon did not have an easy ride everywhere—particularly in the Médoc and Haut-Médoc, where uneven ripeness, rustic tannins, and even pyrazine notes were apparent. She emphasised that 2024 is not a classic Cabernet vintage, and that careful selection was crucial. Wines from Margaux and St Julien were generally more consistent, thanks to excellent terroir and vineyard management, while Pessac-Léognan and Graves delivered charming, if slightly lighter, styles. Anson highlighted that many wines should be enjoyed earlier to capture their delicate fruit before structure overtakes.

Across the Right Bank, Anson found more consistent success. She awarded her highest red wine score—97 points—to Château L’Eglise Clinet, calling it her wine of the vintage. She noted that terroir played a crucial role, with the best wines coming from limestone and clay-rich soils that regulated water supply through the challenging growing season. St Emilion’s plateau wines showed tension and some austerity, but also remarkable finesse when well handled. In Pomerol, the best estates on the classic inner plateau produced aromatic, lifted wines of real class. Again, precision viticulture, rigorous selection, and patience at harvest were key themes. The Right Bank overall seemed to have adapted slightly better to the conditions, with several properties able to make refined, age-worthy wines. Anson also pointed to success stories among lesser-known estates such as Laroque, La Prade, and Vieux Château Saint André, highlighting excellent value for collectors.

In summary, Jane Anson’s take on 2024 is that it is a vintage where excellence is available—but not everywhere. It’s a year defined by skill, terroir, and selection, with significant gaps between the top wines and the rest. Stylistically, the vintage brings a return to Bordeaux’s historic profile: vibrant acidity, moderate alcohol, and classical structure. Drinkers can expect finesse, freshness, and precision rather than opulence, with the top wines promising to age gracefully over the coming decades.

For Jane Anson's full report, see https://janeanson.com/ 

Jane Anson's Top Scoring Bordeaux 2024s

William Kelley’s report for The Wine Advocate describes Bordeaux 2024 as a challenging and uneven vintage, highlighting it as the weakest of the past decade. While a handful of producers managed to deliver impressive wines against the odds, many estates struggled with dilution, herbaceous notes, and sharp acidity. Kelley attributes the wide variation in quality to one key factor: ripeness. In 2024’s cool, wet conditions, the ability to achieve full maturity was paramount, and only those who took risks, worked carefully in the vineyard, and waited for later harvest dates were truly rewarded.

The growing season itself was difficult from the start, with record mildew pressure, waterlogged soils, delayed flowering, and a cool, rainy September. These conditions led to uneven ripening and elevated pyrazine levels in many wines. Sorting was critical, with many estates using optical and densimetric sorting technologies, but even rigorous selection could not fully compensate for a lack of ripeness. As a result, the best 2024 reds are described as structured, energetic, and intensely flavoured middleweights, showing finesse and estate character. However, many wines are lighter, more herbaceous, and display shrill acidity. Kelley warns that while élevage might bring improvements for some wines, it could amplify weaknesses in others.

Kelley also offered a cautious view of the dry white wines. Although early harvesting spared white grapes from the worst September rains, many still showed incomplete maturity, vegetal notes, and high acidity, with only a few standout successes. In terms of the market, Kelley expects a challenging En Primeur campaign, noting that while some estates will offer significant price reductions, broader consumer interest, especially from key markets like the US, is likely to be muted. He points out that when Bordeaux wines are offered as futures but can be readily sourced years later, it erodes consumer confidence in the system. While he remains confident that Bordeaux will recover in time, he concludes that 2024 will not be the vintage to reignite widespread enthusiasm.

Overall, Kelley paints 2024 as a year where skill, hard work, and risk-taking were crucial—but even among the best producers, nature left little margin for error. The gap between the top estates and the rest has rarely been wider, and careful selection will be essential for collectors considering buying Bordeaux 2024.

For William Kelley's full report, see https://www.robertparker.com/

The Wine Advocate's Top Scoring Bordeaux 2024s