▻ Bordeaux 2024 – The Verdict
In conversation with Jane Anson
Episode Summary:-
In our final podcast on En Primeur, Jane Anson talks to Sarah Kemp and gives her verdict on the Bordeaux 2024 vintage, after three weeks of tasting over 750 wines. She explains that it is not a vintage to buy blindly, either by appellation or château, but reveals there are at least 150 successful wines in the vintage: “If priced correctly, there is a reason to buy them.”
“The guys who did a good job, huge congratulations to them, as it was not an easy vintage to handle,” she adds. Both Jane and Sarah agree that 2023 was a much more successful vintage, and Jane advises that unless the prices don’t come down significantly, then in almost every single case it is better to secure the 2023 version.
Her top mark in the vintage was 97, and four of her top marks went to white wines, with only one red wine scoring 97. Her lowest score was 80 on the Left Bank, and 84 on the Right Bank. Where the scores were low on the Left Bank, it was because the Cabernet Sauvignon hadn’t fully ripened and there were hard green flavours. One advantage of the vintage is that it will make for earlier drinking, 7-8 years instead of 10-12 in many cases. Lesser wines might drink earlier, but have the issue of being dilute.
How does it rank against other vintages? It certainly isn’t a 2013, but on a quality level the best wines are better than the 2021s, and the worse wines are worse than 2021. In terms of pleasure, not style, they will give similar pleasure quality as the 2011s and 2012s. High-acid vintages can often surprise and age beautifully, she notes. “The great Bordeaux can rewrite rules in so many ways.”
Janee hopes that the châteaux will release the wines at a price that the market will find attractive, as the last eight vintages haven’t held their prices. There is nowhere to hide on this one, she states, realistic prices are needed,
Right now, though, one discount is guaranteed. Jane is offering a 15% discount to new subscribers for an annual subscription, which will contain her full En Primeur tasting report. Go to Janeanson.com/subscribe and use the code EP152025.
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 10.09
"Do not buy blind.” – Jane Anson
– Overview of the vintage.
– Top marks and lowest marks.
– Cabernet Sauvignon on the Left Bank. -
10.09 – 18.41
“There are 150 real successes.” – Jane Anson
– Comparison to 2013 and 2021 vintage.
– Comparison to 2011 and 2012 vintage.
– High-acid vintages’ ageability.
– The question of price and whether to buy.
– Jane’s subscription offer.
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