A vintage earned the hard way
Burgundy 2024 will be remembered as one of the most testing growing seasons of the last decade. Relentless spring rain, unyielding mildew pressure, episodes of localised hail and deeply uneven flowering pushed growers to their limits. Yields collapsed across large parts of the Côte — often by 50–80% — with some domaines barely reaching 10 hl/ha. In villages such as Vosne-Romanée, Nuits-Saint-Georges, Chambolle-Musigny, Gevrey-Chambertin and Savigny-lès-Beaune, the losses were devastating.
And yet, against all expectations, the wines themselves tell a different story.
2024 is not a vintage of excess or easy charm. It is a classical year — one defined by purity, freshness and an almost stubborn transparency of terroir. Many vignerons, reflecting on the wines in barrel, have drawn comparisons to 2010, 2012, 2014 and even 2016 — not because the conditions were similar, but because the results are: finely structured, saline, precise wines, shaped by restraint and experience rather than power. This is Burgundy at its most honest.
The growing season: Pressure without pause
The difficulties began early. From April through June, rainfall was almost continuous, creating ideal conditions for mildew. Even the most diligent growers were pushed to extremes. Treatment schedules doubled or even tripled: 17 passes at Georges Lignier, 22 at Charles Audoin (against a norm of 12), 17 at Pavelot, 17 again at Faiveley. Organic viticulture, in particular, was placed under immense strain.
Some domaines made the painful decision to abandon organic certification mid-season in order to preserve what fruit remained. Others refused. Audoin persisted with organic practices despite catastrophic losses, sacrificing yield in favour of principle. At Domaine Lamarche, Nicole Lamarche chose to stop treatments altogether once the damage was done, preferring to let the vines recover naturally rather than force a compromised crop — a decision that may yet prove prescient for future vintages.
Flowering was irregular and prolonged, leading to widespread coulure and millerandage. Localised hail compounded the damage: Audoin’s Clos du Roi in Marsannay was effectively wiped out. By early summer, it was clear that 2024 would be a year of scarcity.
Then, finally, the season turned.
From August onwards, conditions stabilised. Nights remained cool, days were warm but not excessive, and — crucially — the weather stayed dry. Harvests began between the 14th and 21st of September, slightly later for whites and Aligoté. Thanks to rigorous sorting, sanitary conditions were generally good, and what little fruit remained ripened cleanly.
Alcohols settled modestly, typically between 12% and 13%. Many domaines opted for small chaptalisations to bring balance rather than richness. Acidity remained healthy — pH levels often between 3.2 and 3.6 — though some, like Lignier, intervened gently to avoid excessively high pH. It was, in every sense, a vintage that had to be earned.
The wines: Classical, transparent, terroir-driven
Reds: Precision over power
Across both the Côte de Nuits and Côte de Beaune, the reds of 2024 speak quietly but clearly. Red fruit dominates — cherry, raspberry, wild strawberry — framed by saline notes and fine, linear tannins. There is freshness rather than weight, definition rather than density.
Alcohol levels rarely exceed 13%, and the balance between fruit, acidity and structure is striking. Several producers have likened the vintage to 2012 for its texture, to 2010 for its precision, or to 2016 for its harmony — though with a distinctly modern clarity.
Despite the concentration imposed by low yields, these are not massive wines. Many will drink earlier than expected, yet the underlying structure suggests graceful ageing, particularly from well-sited Premier and Grand Cru vineyards.
Whites: One of the vintage’s great successes
If there is a consensus emerging, it is this: white Burgundy lovers should pay close attention to 2024.
With pH levels often between 3.2 and 3.35 and alcohols in the 12–13% range, the whites are taut, mineral and saline, with a cut reminiscent of 2014. There is energy here — wines that feel built for the cellar rather than the tasting bench.
For collectors who prize tension, definition and longevity over richness, 2024 will be a compelling proposition.
Producers who rose to the challenge
The defining characteristic of 2024 is not uniformity, but differentiation. This is a vintage that rewards decisiveness, experience and clarity of philosophy.
At Georges Lignier in Morey-St-Denis, repeated rainfall washed away organic treatments, forcing the domaine into laborious hand-spraying. A decisive early intervention ultimately preserved yields of 24 hl/ha — dramatically higher than neighbouring vineyards at 8 hl/ha. The Clos de la Roche stands out for its generosity and classical breadth.
Charles Audoin endured one of the hardest seasons in Marsannay, remaining organic through 22 treatments and losing Clos du Roi entirely to hail. The wines evoke 2010 in their purity and structure, with Les Favières emerging as a highlight.
Louis Jadot, facing heavy losses and a demanding season, spoke of “fighting to keep Burgundy affordable” yet produced precise, harmonious wines — including St Aubin En Remilly, one of our favourite plots and a FINE+RARE exclusive which we are proud to secure each year, bottled only in magnum.
At Hudelot-Noëllat and Fourrier, volumes are heartbreakingly small but the wines are clear, fragrant and unmistakably from their place.
Paul Pernot’s whites show vibrant freshness and deep acidity, with Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières standing out for its tension and grace.
The 2024s from Alvina Pernot combine the freshness of 2017 with the accessibility of 2021, yet offer greater depth and poise.
At A-F Gros, frost proved more damaging than mildew, reducing yields by 70%. The increasing use of Clayver amphora — now close to 50% — has brought a vivid, electric quality to the wines, particularly the Richebourg.
Olivier Bernstein produced just two to four barrels per cuvée, yet the wines combine the charm of 2016 with the lift of 2017. Bonnes-Mares is especially compelling, and the domaine remains focused on deepening consumer understanding through tastings and back-vintage context.
In the Côte de Beaune, Guillaume Lafon marks his first vintage fully at the helm. With almost no new oak and a preference for demi-muids, the wines prioritise purity and line. The Bourgogne Blanc is a standout, carrying a clear Lafon signature.
At Domaine des Lambrays, Jacques Devauges described 2024 as “a difficult vintage with a happy end.” Yields fell sharply — 16 hl/ha for Clos des Lambrays — yet the wines, made with 80% whole bunch, possess remarkable poise. His claim that “2024 Lambrays will age 100 years” may sound bold, but the structure supports the ambition.
Meanwhile, Nicole Lamarche endured losses of up to 90%, producing just one barrel of Vosne Village and four of Échézeaux. As ever, the wines are spiritual and precise, and her decision to step back in the vineyard may well strengthen future vintages.
Across Marsannay, Savigny and Gevrey, domaines such as Bouvier, Pavelot, Chézeaux and Hérestzyn-Mazzini all delivered wines of striking purity, often from minuscule quantities — proof that old vines, careful sorting and restraint paid dividends.
Positioning Burgundy 2024
This is not a vintage built for hype. It does not trade on power or immediate seduction. Instead, its strength lies in substance.
Scarcity is real — many domaines report their smallest crops in decades — but speculation misses the point. The true narrative of 2024 is integrity: who stayed the course, who adapted intelligently, and who resisted the temptation to force a result.
Collectors will recognise this instinctively. The wines speak a language that Burgundy lovers understand: freshness, salinity, site expression and balance. Whites, in particular, will attract those who cherish the great classical years.
A vintage to buy thoughtfully — and early
Burgundy 2024 is a year where experience mattered more than weather, and philosophy mattered more than yield. Production is painfully low, but quality is consistent among serious growers.
For collectors, the focus should be clear:
Domaines with rigorous viticulture and judgement under pressure
Producers refining and clarifying their stylistic identity
Grand Crus from houses that embraced restraint
High-performing villages such as Marsannay, Savigny and Santenay, where value remains
This will be a tightly allocated En Primeur campaign, and a vintage whose story deserves to be told with clarity and conviction.
