Bordeaux Vintage 2024 Tasting Notes

The following wine tasting notes are for left bank and Entre-Deux-Mers Bordeaux red wines, as well as for a few Bordeaux white wines. These notes accompany a companion article titled Bordeaux Wine Vintage 2024 – Varied, Challenging, Aromatic, Precise, as well as a companion article titled Bordeaux Vintage 2024 – Tasting Notes For Right Bank Red Wines.

Red Wines

Entre-Deux-Mers

Chateau Barre Gentillot. Inspiration. Graves de Vayres. 2024. 90+ points.

Aged in French oak. Slightly smoky aromas that include wild herbs. Crisp and raw acidity needs time to amalgamate with red fruit.

Château Auguste. Bordeaux. 2024. 90-91 points.

50/25/25 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Cabernet Sauvignon with tangy aromas and flavors of wild strawberries and creamy black cherries as well as some herbs.

Château Larteau. Bordeaux Supérieur. 2024. 93 points.

100% Merlot with no wood used in aging. Light aromas and delicate flavors of rich fruits that include red cherries. Supple tannins and a wonderfully bright mid palate. Fine finish.

Château Senailhac. Bordeaux Supérieur. 2024. 91 points.

58/31/11 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot with 13% alcohol. Freshness and flavors of crisp young fruit, though lacking the usual structure.

Left Bank Bordeaux

Cháteau Labegorce. Margaux. 2024. 91 points.

50/45/3/2 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot aged in partially new French oak for up to 16 months. Aromas of gorse, eucalyptus, red and black cherries. Light body, with light flavors of red fruit.

Château Chantegrive. Graves. 2024. 93+ points.

58/40/2 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot from 22 year old vines. 13% alcohol. Aged in partially new French oak barrels for 12 months. Bright aromas of young red fruit as well as green grass and minerality. Supple tannins, fine crackling fruit flavors; crisp acidity and beautiful length.

Château Laffitte Carcasset. Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. Saint-Estéphe. 2024. 93-94 points.

60/35/5 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc from 30 year old vines. Aged 12 months in partially new oak. Bright, layered and soft aromas of raspberries as well as some graphite and cocoa. Light, bright and attractively well integrated flavors that include raspberries and red cherries. Brilliant acidity; supple tannins. Optical sorting reduced 15% of berries tainted by mildew.

Château Lamothe-Bergeron. Cru Bourgeois Supérieur. Haut-Médoc. 2024. 92+ points.

50/45/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Franc/Petit Verdot. Aromas of black peppers and spices. Supple tannins in this basket of fine, light and bright red fruits. Pair with veal and tagliatelle.

Château Granins Grand Poujeaux. Moulis en Médoc. 2024. 92-93 points.

55/40/5 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot with distinctly supple aromas that include green notes. Well integrated suave tannins and red fruit and flavors that include blueberries in this light and fine juice.

Château Branas Grand Poujeaux. Moulis-en-Médoc. 2024. 93+ points.

Aromas of fresh blueberries and black cherry tart. Supple and soft tannins, well integrated acidity and overall—delicious.

Château La Lagune. Haut-Médoc. 2024.

52/42/6 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Petit Verdot. Rich aromas of ripe red fruit and slight herbaceousness from this biodynamic wine. Bright acidity, fine and light tannins and light red fruit.

Château Larrivet Haut-Brion. Pessac-Léognan. 2024. 94+ points.

62/25/13 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc aged in new barrels and a small amount aged in amphorae. 13% alcohol. Pronounced, fine and fresh aromas of molasses, tar and blackberry jam followed by flavors of fresh dark plums with bright acidity, treacle, chocolate and blueberries. Strong, fresh and soft tannins. Absolutely delicious with prominent acidity.

Domaine de Chevalier. Grand Cru Classé de Graves. Pessac-Léognan. 2024. 94-95 points.

65/30/5 blend of Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Petit Verdot aged for 16 months in partially new oak. Flavors include chocolate chips and raspberry tart. Classic and complex with well-integrated tannins. 12.45% alcohol.

Château Paveil de Luze. Margaux. Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. 2024. 95 points.

100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 20 months in new and used oak. 12.5% alcohol. Succulent aromas of honeysuckle and violets, as well as blueberries, cinnamon, apples, toast and brownies. In the mouth—fondant melted suave tannins and soft, velvety texture. Flavors include blue and red fruits bathed in low key acidity which allows the fruit flavors to dominate.

Château Clément-Pichon. Haut-Médoc. 2024. 91-92 points.

84/26 blend of Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon. Fresh and will integrated perfume that includes ripe raspberries and red cherries and slight honey. Slightly jammy flavors with some herbaceousness on the finish, but luscious easy drinking. Soft tannins.

White Wines

Right Bank Bordeaux

Famille Teycheney. Blanc de L’Etampe. 2024. 94-95 points.

100% Sauvignon Blanc from massal selection grapes from Lilian Bérillon. In conversion to biodynamic. Crisp and clean aromas include grapefruit, lemongrass, limes and salinity. Classic Sauvignon Blanc but with pronounced subtleties. Succulent mid palate with lightness that provides a pleasant oily mouth feel. Rounded and textured. 1,500 bottles produced. A wine for food.

Château Le Virou. Vielles Vignes. Blanc. Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux. 2024. 92 points.

From winemaker Pauline Gentet. 100% Sauvignon Blanc fermented in barrels. Crisp, crackling, fresh and mineral aromas followed by flavors of honey, tangerines, grapefruit, pineapple with slight butterscotch on the finish. A rainbow of well-integrated flavors; a wine for meals. Superlative value.

Château Plain Point. Fronsac. Blanc. 2024. 94-95 points.

100% Sauvignon Blanc that ages for up to 10 months in barrels. Soft and creamy aromas of peaches, grapefruit, melons and white pears. Supple, fresh, easy drinking wine with creamy flavors that include honey and peaches. Beautiful tension.

Château Monlot. Blanc. 2024. 92-93 points.

Made from equal third parts of Sémillon, Sauvignon Gris and Sauvignon Blanc and aged in 2000-liter barrels. Crisp perfumes include exotic fruits such as grapefruit. Complex citric and tropical flavors. Easy drinking and compelling due to acidity.

Entre Deux Mers

Château Barre Gentillot. Vielles Vignes. Graves de Vayres. 2024. 91-92 points.

Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, Muscadelle blend with aromas of grapefruit, and other citrics. Needs amalgamation of components over time, but flavors are honeyed, crisp and rounded with crisp minerality.