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Burgundy En Primeur 2024 and the current market

  • The 2024 Burgundy vintage is low volume with a classic profile
  • Informed selection of reputable domaines and appellations is essential when making purchasing decisions.
  • Burgundy wines showed signs of bounce in Q3 after steady price decline
  • The region remains a major player in the fine wine market despite shifts in Power 100 index

The 2024 Burgundy vintage is characterised by scarcity, precision, and classical elegance. A challenging growing season resulted in sharply reduced yields across the region, notably in red Burgundy wines. However, careful vineyard and winery management produced wines, albeit in smaller volumes, of exceptional quality, balance, and typicity. This is especially evident from Grand Cru and Premier Cru holdings.

This year’s En Primeur campaign unfolds against a complex market environment backdrop: previous vintages are still competing on the secondary market and fine wine pricing is showing cautious signs of stabilisation. This environment is offering collectors and investors opportunity and selectivity from the year’s best Burgundy wines.

This report examines the 2024 Burgundy vintage. It compares reds and Burgundy white wine, highlights standout domaines and appellations, and positions the campaign in a wider market context. This overview provides insights for both investment potential and enjoyment.

2024: Scarcity, vibrancy, and intensity

The defining characteristic of the 2024 Burgundy vintage is that of reduced volumes owing to a difficult growing season. Yields saw significant losses across the region, especially for red Burgundy wines. However, diligent work in the vineyard and winery resulted in wines that display a modern character with an old-school profile. The vintage is widely regarded as a year for admirers of classic, timeless Burgundy wines after a run of (with the exception of 2021) hot summers.

Chablis producer, Samuel Billaud, described the year as “a combination of 2014 (freshness and vibrancy) and 2021 (concentration and intensity of fruit).”

Climatic conditions and alcohol levels in 2024

Cool, wet conditions in spring led to coulure, resulting in reduced yields for Bourgogne red Burgundy wine. Chardonnay was not as badly affected. Spring and summer rain meant mildew and disease also posed a threat, which vignerons tried to deal with through repeated vineyard treatments where possible. Chablis was the worst affected, with yields often under 10hl/ha (usually 50hl/ha). The Côte de Nuits hovered around 15hl/ha. In the Côte de Beaune, red Burgundy grapes yields were at around 50% of typical levels. Chardonnay fared better at about 40hl/ha. Some areas, like the Mâconnais, had normal yields for Mâcon Burgundy. Lower-lying vineyards suffered more than mid-slope holdings. Localised hailstorms also added stress to vineyards. A clement late summer and a cool, dry north wind helped salvage the harvest.

  • Chardonnay’s greatest terroirs benefited from the cool, accentuating typicity and depth.
  • Pinot Noir’s low yields ultimately meant good phenolic maturity and intense ripeness.

Domaines demonstrated meticulous vineyard management and rigorous sorting to mitigate the impact of mildew. Potential alcohol levels across the vintage largely fell short of 13% abv. Some winemakers mitigated this with selective chaptalisation by half a degree. Both tartaric and malic acidities were higher than the previous year. During élevage, this resulted in softer, creamier acidity in fresh, zippy wines.

Reds vs white Burgundy wines: the essence of vintage quality

Like the previous vintage, 2024 was the year of Chardonnay, but Pinot Noirs also displayed grace, character, and balance. Many commenters noted that modern vineyard and winery methods had made finessed red Burgundy wines possible in conditions that would have written off Pinot Noir even just 25 years ago. The consensus was that the style for both reds and whites was traditional and classic, with a modern elegance.

Burgundy white wine featured:

  • Fresh acidity
  • Restrained, concentrated citrus
  • Precise minerality and structure

Grand Crus and Premier crus benefited from the cool weather conditions more than the Villages sites located on lower slopes. Standout appellations include: 

  • Puligny Montrachet wine, such as Les Caillerets
  • Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses
  • Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru 

Burgundy Pinot Noir is one of the recent best Burgundy years for:

  • Small quantities
  • Concentrated fruit
  • Elegant, precise profiles

The vintage’s Pinot Noir yields were greatly reduced by the weather, but the wines were classic, expressive, and understated. Carefully timed harvest and stringent sorting resulted in reds with transparency, a core of red fruit, and supple tannins. 

Notable successes include:

  • Gevrey Chambertin Les Dix Climats
  • Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chenes

Overall, producers such as Samuel Billaud, Domaine Drouhin-Laroze, Pierre-Vincent Girardin, Domaine Y. Clerget, and Simon Colin have been praised for fresh, chiselled Burgundy wines with dynamism and terroir transparency.

Comparing 2023 vs 2024 Burgundy

Comparisons between the 2023 and 2024 Burgundy vintages are inevitable.

  • 2023: Large quantities, wide variability, precision-driven wines
  • 2024: Low volumes (notably of Burgundy red wine grapes), classic, elegant wines with concentrated fruit

Several growers and critics have noted similarities between 2024 and great Burgundy vintages for key characteristics: 2014 for its Burgundy quintessence and 2021 for its intense fruit.

Buyers should approach 2024 with a focus on appellation and domaine, rather than a broad perspective. 

Burgundy 2024 in market context

The Burgundy En Primeur 2024 campaign unfolds against a unique market backdrop.

  • The volumes of 2023 and 2024 mean that there is the potential for competition from previous vintage stock
  • Following a 5-year steady decline in prices, in Q3 2025, Burgundy showed signs of stabilisation with a slight bounce in prices
  • Out of the leading fine wine regions, Burgundy wines had the most movement in the Power 100 index, with ten brands dropping out and nine entering
  • Most climbers are mid-range wines priced under £2,000 in a movement towards prioritising Burgundy to enjoy, not solely as an investment asset
  • Top tier in the Classification Report dominated by Burgundy
  • The region retains a 25–30% share of the global fine wine market, underlining its enduring importance
  • Burgundy continues to demonstrate resilience driven by scarcity and long-term demand

Overall, the best Burgundy wine still constitutes a market juggernaut, but demand is price sensitive. Burgundy vs Bordeaux wine (the dominant fine wine region) comparisons will be accentuated by the En Primeur pricing approach. Commentators and producers alike project Burgundy prices to be reasonable despite a low-volume vintage.

Pricing strategies and producer behaviour

Understanding market conditions, many producers are flexible about their 2024 pricing approach.

Key influencers include:

  • Lower yields by themselves do not automatically justify higher release prices
  • Pricing impacted by values of back vintages of Burgundy wines
  • Producers face margin pressure, but stock inactive in the supply chain has no advantages
  • Burgundy learned that Bordeaux En Primeur overpricing in recent years reduces incentive for early buying
  • Low yields mean the best 2024 wines could be fiercely contested

More limited 2024 yields compared to 2023, sensible pricing, and lessons from Bordeaux hint that demand will be robust for the scarcest, highest-quality wines.

Competition from the secondary market

A key influence on the Burgundy En Primeur 2024 campaign is competition from the secondary market.
Well-stored top rated Burgundy wines from recent strong vintages are maturing well and available at attractive prices. Additionally, market softening has made buyers and investors less willing to purchase at any price. The options are to:

  • Secure 2024 En Primeur at fair pricing (“fair” meaning Bordeaux vs Burgundy En Primeur pricing referenced above)
  • Choose established older vintages with track records

This landscape puts pressure on producers for reasonable pricing and rewards buyers who carefully assess value across multiple vintages.

How buyers should approach Burgundy En Primeur 2024

With such low yields and varied performance across appellations and even plots, the 2024 campaign demands a selective and discerning approach rather than indiscriminate buying.

Essential takeaways:

  • Reduced volumes
  • Pressure to price according to market
  • Classic styles (reds and Burgundy whites)
  • Grand Crus and top Premiers Crus across regions in Burgundy benefited most from the cool, precise vintage
  • Signs of gradual market uptick 

Whether or not 2024 is one of the best Burgundy vintages is not of prime importance. What is critical is that, with its classic styles, low quantities, and appearance at a time when the market hints at upward correction, 2024 could present competitive opportunities for selective investors.

Burgundy’s enduring strength

Despite short-term market shifts, Burgundy’s long-term fundamentals remain robust:

  • Exceptional vineyards
  • Strong global demand
  • Enduring, prestigious cultural and historical legacy
  • Consistent scarcity at the very top tier of Burgundy wines

The 2024 En Primeur campaign puts in relief a region responding to market and climate pressures while maintaining the qualities that make good Burgundy wine such a consistently prized segment. 

Final thoughts on Burgundy En Primeur 2024

The 2024 Burgundy vintage offers a rare combination of low volumes, selective quality, and evolving pricing strategies at a moment when the fine market has signalled a bounce following pricing decline.

The finest Burgundy wine examples – particularly among the best white Burgundy – display precision, vitality, and strong value. 

Jasper Morris MW says …”a miserable growing season does not have to translate into miserable wines”, adding, “Do not boycott 2024 – there are many delicious wines which merit attention”

Neal Martin (Vinous) says: “2024 is an endlessly fascinating vintage that will enamour the small number who imbibe the fruits of much labour.”

For informed investors, the present market conditions create a strategic window to engage with wine from Burgundy thoughtfully, balancing new releases against secondary market opportunities. 

 

WineCap’s independent market analysis showcases the value of portfolio diversification and the stability offered by investing in wine. Speak to one of our wine investment experts and start building your portfolio. Schedule your free consultation today

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The best-performing Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne wines of 2025

  • Even as Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne declined in 2025, select wines delivered double-digit gains.
  • Value, scarcity and specificity proved decisive as investors became more selective.
  • Early signs of market broadening suggest the correction phase may be nearing its end.

In our annual Fine Wine Report, published last week, we revealed the top-performing wines of 2025 – a diverse group spanning the Rhône, Burgundy, Tuscany and Sauternes. Some of these standout performers posted gains of over 65% in a year defined by prolonged market weakness, subdued sentiment and cautious capital allocation. But beyond these headline risers lies a subtler story.

In this final article of the year, we focus on the three most important fine wine regions globally by demand and liquidity: Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. These regions were among the hardest hit during the downturn. Year-to-date, Bordeaux remains down 6.6%, Burgundy – 4.4%, and Champagne – 4.3%.

Yet within each of these regions, distinct pockets of resilience and growth have emerged. Individual wines not only stabilised but delivered meaningful appreciation, offering a clear view into how capital behaves at the tail end of a correction.

What follows is a closer look at the best-performing individual wine indices in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne in 2025, and what they might reveal about the next phase of the fine wine market.

Key points

  • Regional averages mask significant dispersion at the individual wine level
  • Market downturns tend to reward selectivity rather than broad exposure
  • Outliers often signal early shifts in investor behaviour

Bordeaux investment: Value at the bottom of the cycle

Bordeaux, the most important region in fine wine by traded volume and global recognition, was also among the weakest performers in 2025. A muted En Primeur campaign, coupled with high stock levels and investor fatigue following several years of overpricing, placed sustained downward pressure on prices.

However, Bordeaux’s top performers tell a more nuanced story.

By mid-year, prices across the region appeared to find a floor. As the year progressed, demand selectively returned – first to wines offering clear value relative to quality, and later to brands that had fallen hardest during the correction.

Bordeaux top performing wines 2025

The top performing Bordeaux this year has been Château Gracia, rising 11.7%. The wine has an average price per case of just £881, underscoring the importance of value. The second best performer was Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc, up 9.6%. It was followed by Grand Puy Lacoste (9.0%), another relatively undervalued classically styled Pauillac, which saw an uptick in the last quarter. The wine has an average price per case of £589, and has enjoyed a 64% rise in the last decade.

In a market saturated with stock, prices only rise where quality is evident and upside remains. In 2025, investors increasingly favoured estates offering an avenue for growth. 

Key points

  • Lower entry prices improve downside protection in uncertain markets
  • Classic styles and strong track records continue to attract long-term capital
  • White Bordeaux is gaining relevance within diversified wine portfolios

Burgundy’s biggest risers: after the fall

Burgundy remains Bordeaux’s closest rival in market share terms, and one of the most volatile regions of the past decade. After dramatic price appreciation between 2019 and 2022, Burgundy was among the steepest fallers during the downturn, alongside Champagne.

In 2025, Burgundy declined 4.4% on average, but the performance dispersion within the region widened sharply.

Dujac’s Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières has been the best performing Burgundy this year, up 25.3%, closely followed by Comte Liger Belair, Nuits Saint Georges Lavieres, up 24.6%. The rest of the pack recorded more modest gains in comparison, between 5% and 11%.

After years of capital concentrating narrowly on the most famous Grand Crus, 2025 marked the beginning of a more discriminating phase for Burgundy investment.

Key points

  • Burgundy’s volatility reflects its scarcity-driven pricing structureCorrections tend to be sharper after periods of rapid appreciation
  • Relative value within elite producer ranges is increasingly important

Champagne: From tariff shock to broadening demand

Champagne’s trajectory in 2025 was shaped by external macro forces. The US tariff threat in March hit the region particularly hard, triggering a sharp dip in prices. However, clarity emerged by July, and with it a steady return of demand.

Year-to-date, Champagne has finished down 4.3%, but the region’s top performers tell a story of structural strength and evolving investor preferences.

Champagne top performing wines 2025

The top performing wine from the region has been a grower Champagne; Egly-Ouriet has increased 15.9% so far this year. Scarcity, authenticity and critical acclaim have elevated top growers into an investment category once dominated exclusively by Grandes Marques.

Meanwhile, Larmandier-Bernier’s Terre de Vertus in second place, with a 12.0% rise, illustrates the appeal of singular wines: 100% Chardonnay, single terroir, single vintage, and priced well below prestige cuvées. Meanwhile, Moët’s Grand Vintage, up 11.7%, highlights that recognisable brands at accessible price points still command deep global demand.

Collectively, these performers reflect Champagne’s unique strength: a balance of brand familiarity, approachability and increasing diversity.

Key points

  • Brand recognition underpins long-term liquidity
  • Grower Champagne continues to gain institutional recognition
  • Accessible pricing supports both liquidity and diversification

Looking ahead: From narrowing to broadening

One of the defining themes in our annual report – and a key signal for 2026 – is the return of market broadening.

During periods of stress, demand narrows. Capital clusters around the safest names and most mature vintages, while secondary and emerging opportunities are overlooked. The past three years exemplified this dynamic.

The performance patterns seen in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne in 2025 suggest that this phase is beginning to reverse. As volatility subsides and confidence returns, investors are once again willing to look beyond the obvious. The fog is lifting, and with it comes a clearer view of where the next opportunities may lie.

In fine wine, as in all long-term markets, recovery rarely announces itself loudly. It begins quietly – in the outliers.

WineCap’s independent market analysis showcases the value of portfolio diversification and the stability offered by investing in wine. Speak to one of our wine investment experts and start building your portfolio. Schedule your free consultation today.