There’s always a lot to enjoy in the best wines of the Médoc appellation. These usually provide good value for the regular Bordeaux drinker. As you would expect the 2024 vintage has rendered wines that are fresh, aromatic and sappy in the main. These should provide lively, satisfying Médoc in the short and medium term. This set of notes is limited to those châteaux that are members of the Grand Cercle. There were pretty consistent in quality. Obviously 2024 is not a big ripe year like 2018, 2019 or 2022, but there is real typicity here with the feel being more akin to 2012, 2014, 2017 or 2023. Amongst those tasted, Château Griviére, Château La Cardonne, Château Loudenne, Château Ramafort and Château Tour Seran all showed well. I’ve not had the chance to taste other leading Médoc properties such as Château Potensac, Château La Tour de By, Château Tour St Bonnet and Goulée. Hopefully I will fill these gaps soon.

The following wines were tasted in May from samples sent to me by the Grand Cercle. I hope you find them useful. The wines of the Médoc make up a large proportion of my own reds for everyday drinking – so cheers!

Château Bellerive, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, 2024

Mid depth; glossy and healthy; vibrant at meniscus; legs; some violet lift; geranium notes and spices; fresh cherry; raspberry too; later the geranium notes blew off and more morello cherry spectrum; little medicinal on the palate; spices, some geranium again with fresh cherry and spices; acidity good; vigour and zap on the palate. This hopefully should mellow during élevage. [50% Merlot, 30% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 13.5% alc, 50% new oak – 225 ltr and 500 ltr]. Tasted May 2025. Drink 2027-2034. 85-87

Château Griviére, Médoc Cru Bourgeois, 2024

Mid depth; earthy at edge; some spices, freshly sawn wood; intense; some resin and spice and some spicy/peaty Islay whisky notes; plummy fruit beneath [60% Merlot, 40% Cab]; spicy and tight on the palate; has vigour; fruit is soft and feels quite a bit; currently the oak and fruit need to meld, but they surely will. This will be solid and satisfying Médoc. Tasted May 2025. Drink 2027-2032. 86-88

Château La Cardonne, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, 2024

Deep; solid colour; opaque at centre; healthy looking; colour tight to rim; legs; attractive purity; blackcurrant and plum tones; quite a seam of pure fruit on the nose; deep and seductive; this is a Médoc on the up; feels ambitious; some pencil and minerality too; full; works really well; nice entry; nice mix of blackcurrant and plum fruit; fruit in the ascendant; has texture and grip; this is really good. Snapping on the heels of Potensac these days I wonder? Extract and grip at the back but this is an ambitious and successful effort in the vintage context. [53% Cab, 38% Merlot, 7% Petit Verdot, 12.85% alc, 25hl/ha]. Tasted May 2025. Drink 2028-2038. 90-91+

Château Loudenne, Médoc, 2024

Mid depth; earthy red/purple; ripe and lifted aromatics; black fruits but also mint, black olives and resin; arguably less traditional Médoc; rich and quite spicy; palate has nice black fruit, leafy and tobacco notes; much more on the money here, Médoc-wise; nicely worked in the mid palate. A success in the vintage. Has depth, fruit and acidity with a good supporting structure. Like to see this again after élevage. Organic here now. [61ha, 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 30% new oak [225lt and 500lt], 12% alcohol]. Tasted May 2025. Drink 2028-2035. 88-90

Château Ramafort, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, 2024

Good colour; tight to rim; legs; quite layered; seam of mulberry and plum fruit with a spicy edge; attractive and quite deep; like this; quite open fruit on the nose; nice, sweet entry on the palate; emphasis on the purity of expression and the fruit; has nice texture and grip; good acidity and punctuation on the end. Firm acidity but comes to an arresting full stop on the end. Good length. Will work well. Enjoyable Médoc. [50% Merlot, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon]. Tasted May 2025. Drink 2027-2039. 87-89+

Château Tour Seran, Médoc, Cru Bourgeois, 2024

Mid depth; solid colour; red at edge; ripe and unctuous fruits; red strawberry and ripe black cherry; attractive; some earthy and leafy undertones too; good stuff; quite cool entry; earthy black fruits with some leafy tones; this is solid and feels of the Médoc; has some extract and nice balance between the fruit and the sappy acidity. Works. Fresh and refreshing. Grippy on the finish but has plenty of material. Tasted May 2025. Drink 2027-2039. 87-89+