En Primeur Notebook – 2024 Vintage

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The annual Primeurs event, so long awaited by the industry, took place in a friendly and warm atmosphere, despite a certain gravity linked to the very difficult economic context for the wine sector. Our exchanges as professionals therefore dealt as much with the quality of the vintage as with commercial prospects and the future of the Bordeaux vineyard.

The number of visitors was lower than in previous years; however, the main thing is the active presence of winegrowers at this event. The presentation of the primeurs is a strategic moment that allows them to present this new vintage, seize the opportunity to establish commercial contacts or collect tasting notes to boost their sales.

Again this year, some events were open to the public, which I find an excellent initiative. This allows enthusiasts interested in the Bordeaux appellations to discover this en primeur format, while having the opportunity to taste released wines and to talk directly with the producers.

This vintage did not foreshadow a big crop because of downy mildew and coulure/millerandage. There were serious doubts about the final quality given the rainy and cool conditions, the lack of heat and light over a large part of the growing cycle, but also the hurried harvests because of Botrytis. Ultimately, the 2024 vintage is a nice surprise and the properties that were able to adopt rigorous viticultural and winemaking strategies were able to come out well. The wines, still ageing, stand out for their freshness, aromatic precision and moderate alcohol levels.

Read on at En Primeur Notebook – 2024 Vintage | Echos de Bordeaux – Agence Fleurie