En Primeur Bordeaux 2024

The 2024 Saintayme is quite elegant and refined. Floral overtones, bright red-toned fruit and a kick of blood orange lift this gorgeous, mid-weight Saint-Émilion. Understated and classy to the core, Saintayme is a winner in 2024.

Score: 90 - 92 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2029-2039

The 2024 Saintayme was picked between September 24 and October 6 and was matured 30% in new oak. It has a slightly more fruit-driven nose compared to its peers, with ripe red cherries, wild strawberry and veins of cassis. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins on the entry, fresh and quite strict compared to previous vintages, with a slightly grainy finish. Give this a year once in bottle.

Score: 87 - 89 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2027-2036

The 2024 Troplong Mondot is a total stunner. As has been the case for some years now, the Grand Vin is blended before being barreled down, which means at the time of tasting en primeur, the wine has seen less wood than the vast majority of its peers. That lends this wine a certain raw energy that is impossible to miss. The purity and intensity of the flavors are simply remarkable. Troplong Mondot is one of the standouts of 2024. Even in this vintage, Troplong Mondot possesses remarkable textural presence, but that richness is matched by notable freshness and linear drive. It was deeply impressive on the two occasions I tasted it. Élevage is planned to be 55% in new oak, 26% in 20HL barrels and 19% in once-used barrels.

Score: 95 - 97 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2026-2030

The 2024 Troplong Mondot was matured in 55% new oak, 26% in 20-hectolitre foudres and 19% in used barrels. It offers minerally, tightly wound black fruit, blueberry and light chalky scents. Very fine delineation. The palate is medium-bodied with pliant yet tensile tannins. Like the Mondot, it is peppery in style, pretty and sapid towards the finish. Not a huge amount of persistence, yet this is still a serious Saint-Émilion that could well end up at the top of my banded score.

Score: 93 - 95 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2032-2068

The 2024 Trotte Vieille is a potent, explosive wine. An exotic mélange of black fruit, new leather, chocolate, espresso, menthol and licorice literally stains the palate. As always, Trotte Vieille is such a distinctive wine. The finish is perhaps a touch light. Then again, this is 2024. Today, Trotte Vieille comes across as raw and not totally put together, but its pedigree and potential are undeniably present.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2034-2054

The 2024 Trotte Vieille was picked from 20 September to 5 October and matured entirely in new oak, with a small proportion aged in amphora. It has a lovely bouquet with redcurrant and black plum scents that gain amplitude with aeration. Not as intense as the impressive '22, but it has plenty of charm. The palate is medium-bodied with fluid tannins that lend a silky texture. The oak is well-judged and integrated, gaining weight towards the latter half. The finish is composed with just the right amount of piquancy. This is a delightful Saint-Émilion that will provide a great deal of pleasure.

Score: 92 - 94 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2050

The 2024 Valandraud is quite the powerhouse. Dense and explosive, Valandraud packs a huge punch. Macerations reached up to four weeks, long for the vintage, yielding an especially huge, deep Saint-Émilion. Valandraud is atypically concentrated for the year. Let's see what happens with élevage. There is a feeling of exoticism here that is so alluring. This is an especially heady, opulent wine in 2024. That was clearly the intent, and an approach that worked.

Score: 92 - 95 Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2034-2054

The 2024 Valandraud is the first vintage to include grapes from a parcel just in front of the château. Picked between 26 September and 7 October, it was matured entirely in new oak. This cuvée can handle the 100% new oak, with a floral style and more red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with sappy black cherries and raspberry, showing a firm grip towards the finish with moderate length. It will require three or four years to cohere, but I am concerned about the oak overwhelming the fruit, hence my score.

Score: 90 - 92 Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2030-2048