The 2024 vintage is part of a complex and demanding climatic year. Steady rainfall since autumn 2023 recharged the soils over the long term, except during the months of July and August, which were marked by relative drought and moderate temperatures. In September, significant rainfall of up to 124 mm exacerbated light to moderate water stress on sandy and clay soils, while gravel terroirs only experienced a brief period of water stress in August.
The vine cycle was characterized by early budburst, which was quickly curbed by rain. Flowering, chaotic and exceptionally prolonged from the end of May to the end of June, lasted five weeks, a phenomenon Rare. This slowness led to a late, long and heterogeneous veraison, which was later than in previous vintages. Harvesting took place between September 18 and October 3, under rainy conditions that reflected the character of the vintage.
On the health front, persistent humidity, as in the previous year, favored strong pressure from mildew. The condition of the grapes deteriorated markedly in September, with large Merlot berries prone to shattering, particularly in the gravel terroirs, whereas the clay soils held up better. Heterogeneity within bunches and between vines complicated the harvest, requiring increased vigilance.
Grape selection was particularly rigorous in 2024. A significant proportion of the harvest, excluding the grand vin and Second vin, was carefully sorted by hand, supplemented by a densimetric bath to compensate for intra-bunch heterogeneity, bleeding and bulk picking. These operations concerned more than a third of the harvest. This strict selection allowed us to maintain a faithful parcel-by-parcel approach, integrating almost all parcels into the final blend. From an initial yield of 40 hL/ha, only 28 hL/ha were vinified, of which 66% will be bottled.
All in all, 2024 is a technically demanding vintage that confirms the relevance of our agronomic and oenological choices, both in the short and long term. Like the 2004 vintage, born in difficult conditions, this Cheval Blanc 2024 promises to express remarkable freshness, elegant balance and similar ageing potential, guaranteeing great success.
