En Primeur Day Two: Standouts from St Estèphe and Margaux

Day 2 saw our team in Bordeaux delving deeper into the Left Bank for the 2024 En Primeur tastings. With visits to St Estèphe and Margaux, it’s clear these two appellations stood out this year. From the structured elegance of Montrose to the floral finesse of Palmer, they’re bringing you the latest insights, direct from the Châteaux.

Continuing our tour of the Left Bank, it’s clear that both St Estèphe and Margaux fared better than their neighbours this year.

The more consistent microclimate in St Estèphe, surrounded by the Gironde and the Atlantic, allowed for the longer hangtimes key for a fuller fruit profile. Montrose was classic, an iron fist in a velvet glove with bright aromatics, and both Cos d’Estournel and Calon Segur captured some notable intensity.

Margaux’ signature purity and floral profile really supported the wines in this challenging season, with all of Dufort-Vivens, Rauzan-Segla, and Palmer producing impressive wines, with a generosity and charm that was hard won in the vineyard and the winery.

Tomorrow we cross the river to explore the Right Bank – join us then to hear our thoughts.

Missed anything? Catch up on our Day One Highlights and our Pre-EP Report to see how the week’s been shaping up. Tomorrow, we cross the river to the Right Bank - stay tuned for our thoughts on the 2024 vintage from Pomerol and St-Emilion.