2024 Southern Rhône Vintage

Gigondas had a rainy winter and spring with significant mildew pressure, and in Tavel the spring brought as much rain as the whole of the previous year. In Chateauneuf-du-Pape, unseasonably warm, wet weather brought budbreak sometimes ten days ahead of 2023, and spring rain reached 250 mm, against 50 mm in 2022 and 110 mm in 2023. In the Luberon, a warm end of winter brought early budburst and exposed young branches to frost in mid-April. Frost hit the southern Rhone Valley at the end of April but spared Chateauneuf-du-Pape. In the Costieres de Nimes, frequent rain from the end of May brought strong disease pressure and made flowering complicated, particularly for Grenache. Downy mildew was more localised than in the northern Rhone: parts of Chateauneuf-du-Pape were hit hard, while Vacqueyras got away relatively unscathed. Grenache was also badly hit by coulure. Chateauneuf-du-Pape saw localised hail in mid-July, then very hot weather at the end of July and the start of August with little rain (40 to 80 mm). Two heat spikes in August drew a line under the poor weather. Two storms in early September and another toward the end of the month raised the risk of rot until the mistral dried out the vines. The cool weather that followed made for a relaxed harvest, typically in mid-October, and in Vacqueyras the grapes ripened significantly later than in 2023. It was a small crop in the south.

• Spring: rainy in Gigondas, Tavel and the Costieres de Nimes; 250 mm of spring rain in Chateauneuf-du-Pape
• Frost exposed young Luberon branches in mid-April, and frost hit the southern Rhone Valley at the end of April, sparing Chateauneuf-du-Pape
• Downy mildew was more localised than in the north, and Grenache was badly hit by coulure
• Two heat spikes in August, then September storms dried out by the mistral and a relaxed harvest, typically in mid-October

Chateauneuf-du-Pape counted the cost in volume: around 78,200 hl, down 24 percent on 2023 and 14 percent on the ten-year average, at an average yield of about 24.9 hl/ha (28 hl/ha for whites, 24.7 hl/ha for reds). Spring mildew, coulure on Grenache and localised mid-July hail lowered yields on some estates; the appellation's own vintage report holds that none of these affected the quality of the vintage. The 2024 Chateauneuf-du-Pape reds carry a relatively higher proportion of Syrah and Mourvedre in the blends, two varieties less susceptible to coulure than Grenache. Decanter's Matt Walls found Gigondas the standout for reds in 2024. Gigondas had less rain and more wind than Chateauneuf, so growers could wait even later to pick and reach better ripeness. Walls also found that all the appellations in and around the Dentelles de Montmirail fared well, including Beaumes de Venise, the Cotes du Rhone Villages of Sablet and Seguret, and parts of Ventoux, and he called it a good vintage for Vacqueyras, with plenty of strong individual wines from Chateauneuf. Louis Barruol, co-president of the Gigondas appellation, put it this way: "These are undoubtedly the most balanced wines since the 2020 vintage."

• Chateauneuf-du-Pape: about 78,200 hl, down 24 percent on 2023, at an average of about 24.9 hl/ha
• Gigondas had less rain and more wind than Chateauneuf, so growers could pick later
• Dentelles de Montmirail appellations fared well in Decanter's view, including Beaumes de Venise, Sablet, Seguret and parts of Ventoux
• Vacqueyras got away relatively unscathed by downy mildew

Decanter rated the southern Rhone 2024 at 3.5/5, a juicy, fresh and balanced vintage with only moderate alcohol, though some reds lack concentration. Walls found weather and style similar in the northern and southern Rhone: good acidity, moderate alcohol, fresh and drinkable, but sometimes lacking concentration. In his view whites are excellent throughout all appellations, making it a stronger year for whites than reds, with beautiful rose wines from Tavel, and Mourvedre performed well. Cesar Perrin of Chateau de Beaucastel called 2024 "an elegant vintage, more drinkable than 2023 and 2022". For the Cotes du Rhone, Damien Gilles, president of the Syndicat General des Cotes du Rhone, pointed to ripe Grenaches without excess alcohol and fine, expressive Syrahs. Chateauneuf-du-Pape acidity was often higher than usual; the appellation's own report found its whites floral and citrus and its reds of above-average colour intensity with fine, elegant tannins. Across the Rhone Valley as a whole, Walls cautioned that most wines are not built for long ageing.

• Decanter rated the southern Rhone 2024 at 3.5/5: juicy, fresh and balanced with only moderate alcohol, and a stronger year for whites than reds
• Chateauneuf-du-Pape: acidity often higher than usual
• Valley-wide, Decanter found most wines not built for long ageing