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Bordeaux En-Primeur wines 2024 & 2023 : Key Points

Each year, Millésima offers a wide selection of en primeur wines, purchased directly from the estates and delivered after bottling, usually 18 to 24 months after they go on sale. Prices are determined between April and July following the harvest, based on assessments by professionals and international critics.

As a major player on the Place de Bordeaux and one of the five largest buyers of en primeur wines, Millésima draws on more than 30 years of expertise to offer a rigorous selection. This includes not only the great Bordeaux appellations, but also a diversity of carefully chosen crus to meet the expectations of the most discerning wine lovers.

The 2024 Bordeaux en primeur vintage: between freshness and approachability

Shaped by demanding climatic conditions, the 2024 vintage in Bordeaux reflects the resilience of the terroirs and the remarkable adaptability of the winemakers. Despite modest volumes, it showcases the richness and diversity of Bordeaux’s terroirs through a variety of styles. Forged by the determination of those working the vines, 2024 stands out for its freshness, finesse, and moderate alcohol levels. In line with current consumer expectations, it charms with its vibrant fruit, juicy texture, and fine structure. A delicate and alluring profile, enjoyable even in its youth.

Climatic and agronomic conditions

The year 2024 will go down as one of the most unusual in France from a climatic standpoint, combining record-breaking heat and rainfall. This atypical context had a significant impact on the vineyards, resulting in a marked decrease in yields.

Climatically, 2024 was characterized by a mild winter, with rainfall well above the averages of the past decade. Flowering, which occurred in June, benefited from stable weather conditions, favorable for proper development. The summer was generally mild, with dry weather in July and August, posing few constraints for the vines.

However, September reversed this trend, bringing a sharp drop in temperatures and a resurgence of rainfall, which considerably complicated the harvest.

Profiles of the 2024 Bordeaux en primeur wines

Red wines

The red wines of this vintage captivate with their freshness and intense aromatic expression, dominated by bright red fruit. From the first sip, they reveal a silky texture supported by fine, well-integrated tannins. Their juicy core, combined with a low alcohol level around 12%, makes them approachable even in their early years.

Dry white wines

The dry whites show great promise. Most cuvées stand out with an intense aromatic profile, dominated by citrus notes and underpinned by lively acidity, giving the wines precise freshness and vibrant energy.

Sweet wines

The 2024 vintage looks very favorable for sweet wines. The weather conditions allowed for the development of a rich aromatic expression, driven by intense fruity notes and radiant freshness. On the palate, the concentration is balanced by vivid acidity, resulting in harmonious wines with excellent aging potential.

The 2023 en primeur Bordeaux vintage: back to the classics

The 2023 en primeur vintage in Bordeaux marks a return to the region's roots, with wines that blend classic freshness with ripe tannins and great density on the palate. Unlike previous vintages, marked by higher alcohol levels and significant concentration, 2023 stands out for its more moderate alcohol levels and aromatic profiles blending freshness and ripeness. This hybrid vintage, which is difficult to categorise using the usual styles (‘solar’ versus ‘classic’, ‘continental’ versus ‘Atlantic’), perfectly reflects the identity of each estate, offering wines that are both accessible and suitable for laying down.

Climatic and agronomic conditions

The 2023 vintage got off to an early start in Bordeaux, with budburst on 5 April. Spring then brought alternating cool and mild conditions, slowing down the vegetative cycle. However, milder temperatures in May enabled the vines to flower early and evenly. The rainfall in June, which occurred during the fruit set, encouraged the formation of larger-than-average berries.

The main challenge for the winegrowers was downy mildew, encouraged by the showers and mild temperatures. However, a turning point came in mid-August, with a heat wave that improved the health of the grapes and accelerated their ripening, bringing fullness on the palate and complete phenolic maturity.

Harvesting of the Merlot grapes began in early September. The rain forecast for late September prompted some producers to bring their harvest forward, but those who waited were rewarded, with just enough rain to complete the ripening of the remaining fruit without compromising its quality.

Bordeaux 2023 En Primeur wine profiles

Red wines

The 2023 Bordeaux Primeur reds stand out for their balance between freshness and ripeness. The tannins are ripe and well-integrated, offering structured wines without excess. From Saint-Estèphe to Pomerol, the best wines display notable aromatic complexity, with notes of fresh fruit and flowers and a lively mouthfeel. These wines have great ageing potential and will develop with elegance.

Dry white wines

The 2023 Bordeaux dry white wines are very successful overall, even surpassing the quality of the 2022s and coming close to that of the 2021s, particularly in Pessac-Léognan. The conditions at the end of the season enabled the grapes to ripen to a fine richness while retaining a good degree of freshness. These wines have a marked aromatic intensity, good balance and good ageing potential

Sweet wines

In Sauternes and Barsac, 2023 continues the tradition of great vintages for sweet wines. The rainfall in early September accelerated the development of botrytis, resulting in a successful harvest. The wines produced are rich, complex and promise a long life.

2023: a seductively diverse vintage

The 2023 Bordeaux vintage is a year marked by diversity and the expression of the terroir. Both accessible young and with good ageing potential, it will delight lovers of classic Bordeaux wines, while offering a variety of profiles that will appeal to a wide range of palates. As Véronique Sanders, director of Château Haut-Bailly, points out: ‘People will fall in love with 2023 when they taste it. It's a bit like 2016 and 2019. They taste it and they want it.

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