Burgundy 2024 Vintage Overview
The one liner: 2024 is a delicious, classically-styled vintage with brilliant quality, especially the whites, but very small quantities. “A vintage of beauty, born from challenge”.
The growing season was challenging in every way and at every step. Frost, hail, mildew… you name it, they’ve had it. In Chablis and the Cotes de Nuits, many producers reported as little as 30% of their normal yield. One of our favourite producer in Chablis, Natalie and Gilles Fevre, made hardly any wine so we will try and get some more of the 2023 they have left. The picture improves a bit in Beaune, the Cote Chalonnaise and the Maconnais, just about, but at best there is 30 to 60% of a normal year.
Despite all this, the wines are nothing short of excellent and delicious. For this vintage, experience really paid off, every decision was critical. And the winemakers we work with have all done an amazing job.
The Whites
2024 is considered the best vintage since 2014 although I’d argue, they may be better still as the fruit is showing really well along with that bright, mineral acidity. The wines show purity, energy, minerality and gorgeous freshness – especially in Cotes de Beaune and the Maconnais. I also personally found the wines of Chablis to be dramatic and excellent. I would also check out the Aligoté which offers superb value.
The Reds
The reds are charming, aromatic and refined rather than powerful. Finesse, freshness and immediate appeal. Again, this vintage will definitely mark a difference between Burgundy and other famous Pinot Noir regions in my opinion. The level and elegance, finesse and complexity can only be found there.
A word on prices
For those who have followed the Burgundy story, you’ll have noticed that prices have gone up significantly in the last 15 years or so, more than most other wine regions. I wish it wasn’t so but Burgundy continues to be prized and cherished while on the other hand, it’s a relatively small place, they can’t expand. And every year, weather extremes make it harder for growers to produce enough wine to satisfy global demand.
As you’ve read above, 2024 was a case in point.
What I would say though, is that Burgundy continues to be the mesmerising place it has always been. These wines are truly outstanding and nowhere else on earth is making wines like these. Every year, when we taste the new vintage, we are reminded of that fact. There is nowhere like Burgundy, and this is why despite the price increases, people keep coming for more year after year. I love these wines, and always will… until they can’t be made anymore.
-Nic Rezzouk, Wine Buyer
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