En Primeur Bordeaux 2024

Seamless and silky in the glass, with superb balance, the 2024 Les Carmes Haut-Brion is one of the wines of the vintage. All the elements are so well balanced, always a sign of a superior vintage at this address. Floral notes, spice, leather and mocha run through a core of layered, beautifully persistent dark red fruit. Harvest took place between September 17 and 25, during one of the rare windows with little rain. As always, Les Carmes is done with a high percentage of stems (52%), specifically 100% for the Cabernet Franc, 50% for the Merlot and 20% for the Cabernet Sauvignon. Aging is 70% new oak barrels, 19% 18HL foudre and 11% amphora. New oak is already very nicely integrated, another sign of a superb vintage. The 2024 is a brilliant effort by the team led by Technical Director Olivier Pouthier.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2034-2054

Inky depths to the colour, touch of reduction on the opening as is often the case with En Primeur Carmes, this delivers energy, density, clarity. Austerity on the finish, but plenty of interest, savoury and muscular juicy black fruits, expect a wine that is built around about texture, architecture and savour, which is not something that I have found in many bottles in the vintage. 90% new oak, split between barrels and casks, 11% amphoras. Harvest 17 to 27 September. 3.61 pH, clay and limestone, 60 years old average vine age. 46hl/H yield in vineyard, 41hl/h after picking selection, then 24hl/h after cellar selection. All press used, no chaptilisation.

Score: 94 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

The 2024 La Chapelle de La Mission Haut Brion is soft, open-knit and juicy, all qualities that will make it a fine choice for drinking on release. Unusually, Cabernet Sauvignon takes the lead in 2024. It's a style that works quite well. Macerated cherry, plum, spice, new leather and tobacco all build nicely in the glass.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2036

High aromatics on the nose, and lovely vibrant fruit, ripe apples, cranberry, raspberry fruits, fresh acidities but crunchy and full of flavour. Austerity on the finish, but this is full of sappy charm, 26hl/h yield, 4.9% press, 31% new oak

Score: 90 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

The 2024 Le Clarence de Haut-Brion is a very beautiful second wine. Dark and pliant, with terrific nuance, the 2024 is a delight. Cabernet Franc is quite high in this vintage. It’s a style that works so well. All the elements are impeccably balanced. Time in the glass brings out notable aromatic presence and body.

Score: 91 - 93 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2028-2036

Clearer levels of intensity and concentration than Chapelle from the same stable, evn a touch of fennel and liquorice, a welcome gourmet character in this lean-styled vintage, plenty of spice and savoury black fruits, with salinity on the finish. Quite a different expression than recent vintages with lower alcohol and slim frame, but this delivers estate signature. 6.3% press, 31% new oak., harvest September 17 to October 4, 26hl/h yield.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2030-2042

The 2024 Domaine de Chevalier is soft, fruity and relatively simple, given its typical personality. Plum, black cherry, licorice, chocolate and sweet oak are pushed forward in this open-knit, easygoing Pessac-Léognan. There may be more here than meets the eye. We will see. Today, the 2024 is on the light side. Tasted two times.

Score: 92 - 94 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2049

The 2024 Domaine de Chevalier was cropped at 48 hl/ha between September 20 and October 8. This is almost Burgundian in style, with a fragrant bouquet revealing pure blueberry and blackcurrant aromas alongside crushed violet and iris flower scents emerging with aeration. It is very comely and alluring. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant tannins. It's very harmonious and already in this prenatal stage, seductive. With finely chiseled tannins and more mineralité compared to the L'Esprit, this seems to glide on the finish. Just a lovely Pessac-Léognan for the vintage, though this year it must accept the silver medal as Olivier Bernard's white takes the gold.

Score: 91 - 93 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2031-2048

The 2024 de Fieuzal is a powerful, brooding wine. Dried herbs, tobacco, scorched earth and leather all take shape in the glass. This offers lovely mid-palate creaminess and fine depth. A classy Pessac-Léognan, Fieuzal is very nicely rendered. Floral top notes linger effortlessly on the close.

Score: 89 - 91 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2034

Medium intensity cherry red, slate and crayon texture, well handled, austere, but structured, you can see the slow build of muscles through the palate, and the deepening black fruit character. Softly spoken compared to many vintages of this excellent wine, but there are layers here, good complexity, and skilful construction.

Score: 92 Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux Maturity: 2027-2036