The 4 seasons
of the 2024 vintage

Key figure: 900. That’s the number of millimetres of rain which fell on our vineyard between October 2023 and March 2024. Followed by 400 more between April and September. That, ladies and gentlemen, is the all-time record. When spring came around, our team had some choices to make on the fashion front: they opted to stick with the autumn-winter collection, wrapped up in woolly jumpers and waterproof parkas to keep out the rain.

Protecting the vines was a different story altogether. The growing season was struggling to get going, and the health of the vines was at risk. The seemingly constant rain – combined with the warming effect of the two great bodies of water that surround us (the Gironde Estuary and the Atlantic Ocean) – kept humidity levels high.

Coulure (shot berries), abnormal fruit set (full or partially withered grapes), mildew – every grape variety was affected, Merlot most of all – and the predicted yields were already looking low.

Our decision to switch to organic agricultural practices in 2021 has certain consequences, of which we are well aware: we have to be prepared for pressure from parasites. But that doesn’t mean we have to take it sitting down. Our ability to adapt and adjust is one our greatest assets. Recent vintages (2018, 2021, 2022) have demonstrated the importance of cover crops, not just to boost the strength and resilience of the vines, but also to help bear the weight of our tractors. In 2024, unusually, we applied the first copper treatments as soon as the first leaves began to appear on the vines. That was the first round of many, with the tractors heading back out whenever they were needed, which is to say often, taking us right to the limits of what organic agriculture allows.

The grape varieties were ripening at an even pace, which allowed us to concentrate all the picking between 23 September and 9 October. That was two weeks later than the two most recent harvests; which, admittedly, were remarkably early.

Alas, just as we were thinking that the volume of fruit seemed to be close to average, many bunches turned out to have shot berries. Weighing the harvest revealed the extent of the loss, which exceeded the initial estimates made during the growing season.

Nevertheless, once the grapes had been sorted, the rude health of the remaining fruit gave us reason to be cheerful. Once again, the Cabernet Sauvignon vines demonstrated their ability to adapt. Our most promising Merlots fulfilled the hopes placed in them, bringing a grace, smoothness and fleshy texture which are all integral to the silken charm of Pichon Comtesse. And of course, the Cabernet Franc adds some spice. It’s that indescribable something, that fresh, infinitely subtle note of mint or aniseed.

But that all depends on getting the fermentation process just right, revealing optimal ripeness and quality. Once again, adaptation was the name of the game. It was all about reining in our enthusiasm, remembering to proceed with caution. Less is more, we soon realised: more maceration, less extraction.

Finesse, precision… Slowly but surely, some pleasant surprises began to reveal themselves. Not least when it came to alcohol levels. Average after fermentation: 12.8%.