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Bordeaux En Primeur
The 2024 Vintage
Navigating En Primeur is not a challenge. The only challenge consumers are facing right now is navigating the uneven ‘Atlantic’ 2024 vintage. Unforgiving humidity and rainfall brought about rot and mildew, and played havoc with ripeness in both banks.
Fear not dear reader: I have done the research for you and put together a collection of wines that I trust to represent the best from the 2024 vintage while also exemplifying what I love in ‘difficult’ Bordeaux years. I have assuredly avoided wines with greeness, forced extraction, or sour fungal notes. I fielded reports from not just trusted (conservative) critics, but from my contact’s ‘man in Havana’ over there ... tasting at present. What a life!
Last Tuesday, I met with the pre-eminent importer and authority on all matters Bordeaux in Australia. We delved deep into claret, obviously a favourite topic of conversation for us. We both have an affinity for years in which, despite difficulties and lack of praise from the pundits, the great Chateaux turned out elegant and linear wines: 2013, 2017, 2021, and now 2024. These are ‘ugly duckling’ vintages and represent for the consumer a great opportunity to buy classic Bordeaux; wines uncluttered by high scores and higher prices (courtesy of speculation), and ‘big’ fruit ... these are wines that have the characteristics of the great bottles of old. Now assisted by improvements in the vineyard and cellar, these recent vintages can turn out wines of precision and clarity.
Our conversation turned to these improvements. I immediately sprung on the cellar: many vineyards have resorted to gentler extraction (not pushing the fruit to bring out hard and green, ultimately unpleasant, tannins) and have been ably assisted by harvesting plot-by-plot and having the facilities (ie: many ferment vessels of a number of sizes) to start ferment immediately and separately, in conditions tailored to each plot. My learned colleague was even more justly correct in pointing out what has changed in the vineyard: more careful management of soil and site. We have, apparently, seen a return of cover-crops and an investment of capital has meant that labour was on hand to individually manage canopies in the plots. The former meant the soil was compact yet had the correct drainage, and the better canopy management meant that mildew and rot could be mitigated, almost on a case-by-case basis.
And it is on a case-by-case basis that we offer some of our selection of the 2024 ‘EP’ Campaign. I include a few notes below on my favourite producers.
— David
Policy:
* Orders must be placed before June 19 2025. The wines will arrive into Australia mid-2027 and will be available for collection or delivery, with no further charges bar delivery for orders below $300.
* Orders must be in lots of 3 bottles of any size. If you would like a bottle of a special and large format (ie: Double-Magnum (3,000ml); Jeroboam (4,500ml); Imperial (6,000ml); or Salamanzar (9,000ml)) this can be arranged at no extra cost bar shipping on arrival. Please let us know how we can assist.
* If there is a Chateau of interest which is not included below, please let us know and we can potentially arrange to have bottles brought in especially for you.
To order, please reply by e-mail to store@letuffeau.com
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I
Chateau Cantemerle
Cantemerele is an insiders gem. Affordable, elegant, and never OTT the wine years-in and -out offers so much value in Bordeaux. My contact says the property is like a garden; fenced and immaculately kept, now teeming with life as cover crops and biome variety has been introduced. Mid-week claret when young and a treat with a small bit of age. Recommended.
— David
Chateau Cantemerle 2024 Haut-Medoc 5eme Cru
En Primeur: $69.00
“The 2024 Cantemerle has a nicely composed bouquet with blackberry, sous-bois and subtle cedar scents percolating through with time. The palate is fresh and vibrant with saturated tannins, a keen line of acidity, well-integrated new oak and a very well-proportioned finish. This exceeds my expectations and is a great success in the context of the vintage. It could end up at the top of my banded score. Drink 2028-2040.”
(90-92pts) - Neal Martin, Vinous
II
Chateau Gruaud-Larose
Chateau Gruaud Larose 2024 Saint-Julien 2eme Cru
En Primeur: $165.00
“The 2024 Gruaud Larose shows excellent potential, bursting with notes of cassis, pencil shavings, iris and violets. Medium to full-bodied, suave and seamless, it's ample and pure, with a precise, refined pro-life and good persistence on the finish. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc, it is the fruit of a growing season defined by fully 30 organic phytosanitary treatments and a harvest that concluded on October 8. It checks in at 12.4% alcohol and pH 3.77 (for Gruaud, a rather low number).”
(92-94pts) - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
III
Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal
As Neal Martin — quite possibly my favourite wine critic — opines below, this is ‘unashamedly classic Pauillac’. I would be happy to leave it at that, enough said.
— David
Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal 2024 Pauillac 5eme Cru
En Primeur: $96.00 (750ml)
Magnum: $215.00 (1500ml)
“The 2024 Haut-Bages Libéral was cropped at 30 hl/ha between September 24 and October 4. It's due to be aged for 12 months in 63% new oak barrels and 37% in ovoid amphoras. This has a lucid purple hue. The nose is a little timid at first but opens with a few swirls of the glass, revealing blackberry, wild hedgerow and light tobacco scents. The palate is medium-bodied, reserved in style and grainy in texture, with lighter tannins than the previous vintages and a graphite-infused finish. Unashamedly classic Pauillac in style, this is a successful biodynamic wine that has a spring in its step. Drink 2025-2040.”
(91-93pts) - Neal Martin, vinous.com
IV
Chateau Duhart-Milon
I recently had a 2021 Duhart-Milon in the context of examining the 2021 vintage in Bordeaux and Burgundy against recent and more highly regarded warmer years. The 2021 Pauillac felt almost Burgundian in its elegance and delicate, nuanced fruit profile. Again Neal Martin nails it: ‘Pauillac in an old-school style that I approve of’ ... me too Neal.
— David
Chateau Duhart-Milon 2024 Pauillac 4eme Cru
En Primeur: $168.00
“The 2024 Duhart-Milon was picked between September 24 and October 8 and matured in 50% new oak. The aromatics take their time to coalesce. It's a little herbaceous at first although that ebbs away to reveal quite pure blackcurrant, raspberry and Morello scents. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannins, a mixture of red and black fruit and a dab of licorice toward the finish that just tapers slightly. Overall, this is a decent Pauillac in an old-school style that I approve of.”
(90-92pts) - Neal Martin, vinous.com
V
Chateau Prieure-Lichine
Chateau Prieure-Lichine 2024 Margaux 5eme Cru
En Primeur: $85.00
“Deep garnet-purple colored. Opens with notes of juicy black plums and red currant jelly, leading to touches of fallen leaves, bay leaves, and graphite. The light to medium-bodied palate is chewy and refreshing with just enough savory-laced fruit and a firm finish.”
(89-91pts) - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Independent
VI
Chateau Durfort-Vivens
Chateau Dufort-Vivens 2024 Margaux 2eme Cru
En Primeur: $129.00
“The 2024 Durfort-Vivens is laced with dark blue/purplish fruit, lavender, licorice, spice and mocha. It offers gorgeous texture and fine balance. The pliant, creamy mid-palate is especially appealing. The 2024 is naturally still coming together, but it is a striking, beautifully rendered wine.”
(92-94pts) - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com
VII
Chateau Pavie-Macquin
One of my favourite Chateaux, indeed a guilty pleasure I hardly ever feel guilty about. Improvements here in winemaking techniques over the last few years (ie: stepping back in the cellar to a more gentle touch) have yielded great results: the wines are more sophisticated, elegant, and perfumed than ever before. Even in 2024 they have apparently turned out a wonder. Highly recommended.
— David
Chateau Pavie-Macquin 2024 Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classe B
En Primeur: $158.00 (750ml)
Magnum: $330.00 (1500ml)
“The 2024 Pavie Macquin is positively gorgeous. Silky, layered and voluptuous, the 2024 is so impressive right out of the gate. Plush contours wrap around a core of purplish fruit, lavender, licorice, spice, menthol and chocolate. All the signatures of this site come through loud and clear. Savory and floral notes supported by clean veins of salinity extend the persistent finish. Pavie Macquin shows what was possible in 2024. The choice to harvest everything in October (from the 3rd to the 8th) paid off big time. Aging is in French oak, with about 15% in larger 500-liter barrels, 45% new wood overall. Tasted three times. Drink 2034-2054.”
(94-96pts) - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com
VIII
Clos Fourtet
Clos Fourtet 2024 Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classe B
En Primeur: $195.00
“The 2024 Clos Fourtet is a gorgeous, elegant wine. Medium in body, with terrific persistence and notable purity, Clos Fourtet impresses with its balance more than anything else. Dark blue fruits, lavender, spice, menthol, licorice and dried herbs open first, all framed by bright chalky notes that lend freshness. In 2024, Clos Fourtet is built more on persistence than overt textural richness, as has been the case in some recent vintages. Tasted two times. Drink 2034-2054.”
(93-95pts) - Antonio Galloni, vinous.com
IX
Chateau Troplong-Mondot
Chateau Troplong-Mondot 2024 Saint-Emilion 1er Grand Cru Classe B
En Primeur: $285.00
“The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a beauty, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries and licorice mingled with hints of violet and lavender. Medium to full-bodied, dense and deep, it's one of the more layered and muscular wines of the vintage, a quality this terroir seems to invariably deliver, with sweet tannins and lively acids, concluding with a long, expansive finish.”
(93-95pts) - William Kelley, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
If you would like any of the above, would like to come by for a private appointment, or just have some questions — please let us know.