Seasonal Weather Conditions in 2024
The 2024 growing season in Bordeaux was shaped by specific meteorological conditions, significantly influencing the development of the vines. Each season brought its share of challenges and opportunities, moulding the character of the future wines. A mild winter and a capricious spring required heightened vigilance from the winemakers (see The Seasons in the Vineyard). The summer, with its spells of heat and welcome rainy interludes, enabled good grape ripening.
The Qualities of the 2024 Vintage
Promising White Wines
The 2024 vintage looks particularly promising for Bordeaux white wines. Optimal ripeness, achieved thanks to generous sunshine and cool night-time temperatures towards the end of the season, favoured the development of intense aromas and beautiful acidity. This vintage is set to deliver crisp, balanced dry whites with great aromatic expression (to find out more about white wines, see White Wines).
Complex Red Wines
For red wines, 2024 presents a profile of complexity and structure. The harvested grapes displayed great colour concentration and fine tannins, promising wines with good ageing potential. The balance between fruit and freshness is one of the key hallmarks of the reds this vintage, thanks to a ripening pace that fostered harmonic phenolic maturity (Red Wines).
Exceptional Sweet Wines
Conditions for sweet wines were also favourable, with the gradual onset of Botrytis cinerea (to learn more about this precious fungus, see Botrytis). Sugar concentration and aromatic complexity developed optimally, heralding sweet wines of great finesse and remarkable richness, distinguished by their balance and length on the palate (Sweet White Wines).
The 2024 Vintage at Château Cazebonne
At Château Cazebonne, the 2024 vintage was a masterclass in patience and precision, with a harvest (see The Harvest) phased over time to capture the peak ripeness of each plot and grape variety. Here is an overview of the picking schedule:
Thursday 5 September: Sauvignon (Bouche parcel) and Sauvignon Peyron.
From 12 September: Sauvignon from Cazebonne, Sauvignon Gris from Médecine, Sémillon Médecine, followed directly by Sauvignonasse and Prueras.
Monday 16 September: End of Sémillon from Cazebonne and (late-ripening) Sauvignon from Mazères.
Wednesday 18 September: Starting on Merlot from Peyron.
Thursday 19 September: Castets, Jurançon Noir, Penouille, Castets and Jurançon Noir from Le Maine, Malbec from Le Maine.
Monday 23 September: Blanc Vert.
From 25 September: Merlot Cazebonne, Merlot Darche, Carménère (which was beginning to deteriorate), Gros Verdot (also struggling), Béquignol (which could have waited but tasted great, given the rain), Mérille (overcropped, beginning to give way), then Malbec from Peyron and Couet.
1 October: Blanc Auba.
From 2 October: Mancin, Merlot from Mazères + Cabernet Franc + Petit Verdot + Cabernet Sauvignon.
7 October: Finished the Cabernet Sauvignon (Cazebonne) and Bouchalès from Darche.
9 October: Ending with the few rows of Saint-Macaire, Mancin, Petit Verdot (Darche and Couet), and Fer Servadou.
The 2024 vintage wines from Château Cazebonne promise exceptional quality, the fruit of meticulous parcel-by-parcel management and constant adaptation to the whims of nature. In the end, the harvest proved complex and demanded calculated risk-taking, juggling with rot that was beginning to set in across the reds.
This vintage is a prime illustration of our commitment to crafting authentic wines. Historic grape varieties such as Saint-Macaire, vinified alongside Jurançon Noir and Bouchalès, revealed exquisite aromas of pepper and concentrated fresh red fruit, with a dense yet supple structure underpinned by remarkable acidity and salinity. Our work to revive and champion Bordeaux's forgotten grape varieties continues, offering wine enthusiasts unique tasting experiences made possible by the support of those who embrace our wines. To learn more about this captivating story, discover our book "Bordeaux, a History of Grape Varieties" or test your knowledge with our wine quizzes. You can also discover our wines online and become part of this journey. For a look ahead, explore the 2025 vintage in Bordeaux.
