VINTAGE REPORT: BORDEAUX 2025

Bordeaux en primeur is on the ropes… but don’t throw in the towel… It’s been a bruising few years for negociants and chateaux, with demand for futures and young vintages on the canvas. Now is the time for Bordeaux to come out punching and start connecting with customers.

It may seem perverse to be focussing on the state of the market rather than waxing lyrical about the latest and greatest Bordeaux vintage. In years gone by, the market would be whipped up by Bordeaux hyperbole, with little heed paid to pricing; however, our new reality is governed by economic factors, world events and changing buying habits. The old days of negociants and merchants bankrolling chateaux are well and truly over.

With negociants and merchants unprepared to finance the 2025s, it’s a simple choice for chateaux. They can either hold the wine for several years (a luxury afforded to only the best-capitalised properties), or they can price it at a level that re-engages consumers. Desperate times call for desperate measures, which could present real opportunities for collectors, and prove that en primeur is down but not out!

After the turmoil of 2024, this was in some respects an “armchair” vintage; there was no risk of frost and no mildew pressure. However, 2024 had a final sting in its tail. The rainy and cold spring of 2024 negatively affected the initiation of fruit buds, causing smaller inflorescences (flower clusters) to develop for the 2025 season. Even before the heatwave, 2025 was predestined to be a small vintage.

From May through to the end of August it was hot and dry. Most appellations received virtually no summer rain, which presented its own challenges. Bordeaux used to count temperatures over 30° as exceptional. 2025 had almost forty days over 30°, and a high close to 46°! However, unlike some other “hot” vintages, there were big diurnal variations with relatively cool nighttime temperatures, which helped preserve a freshness in the grapes.

This drought caused problems for young vines, where root systems weren’t established, and also for mature vines on warmer gravel and sandy soils. Water retentive limestone and clay terroirs clearly benefitted. Many vignerons recounted how the limestone Côte of St Emilion remained verdant and healthy, while surrounding vineyards appeared jaded. “Blockage”, caused by high vapour pressure deficit halted ripening, photosynthesis, and vegetative growth. Some much needed rain at the end of August and beginning of September kick-started blocked vines, reduced potential alcohol levels and sounded the starting gun for one of the earliest harvests on record.

The net result of all the dry, warm conditions was tiny, concentrated berries. Yields were paltry. Grapes were miniscule with thick skins and not much juice. In general, this is the smallest harvest since the frost-affected 1991 crop.

There was a temptation to harvest soon after the rains to avoid the risk of botrytis, capture a bit more juice and preserve freshness. However, we’re not convinced this was always the right strategy. Aurelien Valance at Chateau Margaux explained that, although analytically correct, the Cabernets didn’t have full phenolic ripeness. Through a combination of tasting, analytics and intuition they decided to delay picking, finishing on the 29^th of September, which aligned with their standard 120-day maturation period from flowering to harvest. Some earlier harvested wines feel as if they are lacking a bit of ripeness and mid-palate to balance out the tannins

With such small, concentrated berries, a delicate touch was required. Gentle extractions or “infusions” were popular this year as were cooler macerations. Due to the skin to juice ratio, winemakers had to be careful not to extract too much tannin. Finding the right balance was not a given. Unlike 2010 when the dials were turned up to 11 on all metrics, this was a year with high IPT, lots of concentration, low pHs and relatively low alcohol levels. A deft touch was required to achieve perfect balance and cohesion.

Now the bit that matters. What do they taste like? Well, to coin a Bordelais’ term, they are quite “heterogeneous”. We’ve tasted everything from the sublime to the frightful. If anyone tells you this is a universally brilliant vintage, they’re slightly deluded. It’s a vintage with a few outstanding, otherworldly wines, many excellent wines and quite a few disappointments.

At its best, these wines are unique: gorgeous, aromatic, fragrant, with purity, depth, length, precision, complexity and grace. We cannot remember a vintage with such levels of concentration allied to such low pHs and low alcohol levels. Paradoxically, they have the profile of a cool year with crunchy flavours and floral aromas, and the concentration and structure of a hot vintage. It’s also a vintage where you can taste the terroir. The best limestone sites possess thrilling vibrancy, the finest clay plots offer pure seduction and texture, and the greatest gravel croups have minerality and tannic gravitas.

There were some suggestions that these will be early drinking wines. Based on our tastings, that is just not the case. Whilst Bordeaux is generally making more approachable, early-drinking vintages such as 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021, these 2025s are serious, structured wines that should age gracefully.

We felt there were more outstanding wines and possibly more consistency on the Right Bank: Petrus, Lafleur and VCC being the pinnacle, with the likes of Canon, Le Pin, Eglise Clinet and Ausone just a fraction behind. There were superb performances from the Pessac trio of Haut Brion, La Mission Haut Brion and Les Carmes de Haut Brion too, all noteworthy examples. Chateau Margaux was the most impressive Medoc – an extraordinary, haunting wine – while Chateau Montrose also deserves special mention for another exceptional effort.

There are any number of great 2025s to choose from. Stand outs include (in no specific order): Brane Cantenac, Grand Puy Lacoste, La Fleur Petrus, Belair Monange, Pichon Baron, Pichon Comtesse, Calon Segur, Leoville Barton, Leoville Poyferre, Lynch Bages, Rauzan Segla, Clos du Marquis, Les Pensées, Talbot, Gruaud Larose, Angelus, Évangile, Réserve de la Comtesse, Batailley, Branaire Ducru, La Conseillante and Beychevelle.

In terms of the best value buys, we were very impressed by the following chateaux: Capbern, de Pez, Lacoste Borie, Batailley, Laroque, Fonbel, Beaumont, Baron de Brane, Lafleur Gazin, Montlandrie, Petite Eglise, Langoa Barton, d’Armailhac, Talbot and Grand Village.

If the price is right, these could be some of the best pound-for-pound Clarets you’ll ever buy!

For further information about the vintage, please reach out to your Account Manager to receive tailored advice.