The 2024 en primeur campaign for Bordeaux has become one of the most striking in recent memory—not for record-breaking prices, but for their dramatic decline.
With just a few major names like Château Margaux and Petrus still missing from the release calendar, the campaign has largely confirmed the early trend: prices continue to fall. Compared to 2023, which already saw significant corrections from the overheated 2022 vintage, the 2024 campaign is witnessing many Châteaux returning to levels not seen in over a decade.
The pricing data analyzed by Liv-Ex shows a market-wide reset. Some of Bordeaux’s most prestigious estates are now priced at or below their 2014 or even 2011 levels. Château Haut-Brion, for instance, has released its red wine at EUR 240 per bottle ex-négociant—down 23.8% from 2023 and matching its 2014 pricing. In contrast, Haut-Brion Blanc has remained unchanged at EUR 540, one of the few exceptions resisting the overall trend.
Other major estates have made even steeper cuts. Château Ausone released at EUR 312, representing a 27.8% drop year-on-year and its lowest since 2013. Château Palmer now sells at EUR 162 per bottle ex-négociant (down 31.7% on 2023), while Château Pavie plunged to EUR 138—a 41.4% drop and the lowest since 2011. Even high-profile labels like Figeac and Léoville Las Cases are reverting to 2014 prices at EUR 96 per bottle. Château Troplong Mondot comes in at EUR 72 per bottle, a 19.1% decrease from the previous campaign.
While market sentiment shows clear signs of fatigue amid global economic pressure and collector caution, international critics have started to release their evaluations—providing crucial guidance in a complex buying season. According to Wine Lister, which aggregated scores from respected sources such as Antonio Galloni and Neal Martin (Vinous), Bettane+Desseauve, JancisRobinson.com, and Ella Lister of Le Figaro Vin, the top performers of the vintage are slowly taking shape.
Château Latour emerges as the top-rated wine overall, scoring 95.8 points—down 1.5 points from its 2023 evaluation, but still leading the pack. Close behind are Château Montrose (95.7, down 0.4) and Château Haut-Brion Blanc (95.6, one of the few with a positive delta, up 1.8). Lafite Rothschild, Ducru-Beaucaillou, La Conseillante, Mouton Rothschild, La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc, and Margaux also received strong scores in the 95–95.5 range.
Further down the top tier, but still in the high 94s, are Château Angélus, Château Guiraud, and Château Petrus—solidifying their standing even in a market undergoing significant realignment.
Despite widespread score declines compared to the 2023 vintage, a few white wines stood out as rare bright spots in an otherwise subdued campaign. Still, most of the highly rated wines remain red, continuing Bordeaux’s historic dominance in top-tier global wine rankings.
While pricing corrections may unsettle some collectors and investors, the combination of fairer valuations and clear critical guidance could revitalize long-term interest in Bordeaux. For buyers looking for quality at prices not seen in over a decade, 2024 may represent a unique opportunity in the en primeur market.
Source: WineNews