Châteauneuf-du-Pape
2024: Dark Elegance

BY NICOLAS GREINACHER | OCTOBER 30, 2025

The powerful Southern Rhône sun may be a
constant, but the wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape prove that every year brings its
own surprises. This report focuses on 2024, a demanding growing season in which
downy mildew and coulure cut yields, frequently nudged blends toward Mourvèdre
and Syrah and often delivered darker-colored reds with less Grenache opulence
than usual. I’ll also offer a final word on 2023, an approachable,
crowd-pleaser vintage marked by gentle structures and broad appeal. 

A first glimpse at 2025 flags very early
Roussanne harvesting and continued mildew pressure, sharpening questions about
variety choice and adaptation in an increasingly erratic climate. Finally, I
share a few thoughts on bulk wine, weighing its role as a financial and
distribution safety net against the risks it poses to the region’s image and
quality perception.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761326290573-CdP+2025+Cover.jpg">Across Châteauneuf-du-Pape, vines often grow
on a sea of pebble stones.The 2024 VintageMild weather and abundant rainfall
encouraged vigorous growth early in the year. Paul-Vincent Avril of Clos des
Papes noted that rainfall between January and March was up 50% from the year
before. Strong mistral winds helped protect against frost, but wet soils and
windy conditions made vine treatments difficult—particularly against downy
mildew, which started to emerge by the end of April. By mid-May, flowering began
in selected plots, and the combination of temperatures above 25°C and regular
precipitation increased fungal disease pressure. “In 2024, we started
treatments in April and carried out a total of 20 applications through the year,
the highest number I’ve ever seen,” recalled Christophe Sabon of Domaine de la
Janasse.Growers adapted what they learned from
downy-mildew-plagued vintages such as 2018. Avril explained that at Clos des
Papes, copper doses were increased at the start of the season to 400-500 grams
per hectare (as opposed to 200-300 as in the past), which reduced the need for
later treatments. “Our final spray was on July 1,” he said, “and by starting
with higher doses earlier in the season, we were able to protect sensitive
clusters at véraison.” Claire Michel of Le Vieux Donjon agreed, noting that
mildew arrived earlier and more aggressively in 2024 compared to 2018, forcing the
team to begin treatments by the end of April rather than waiting until May as
in the past.Like Domaine de la Janasse, Le Vieux Donjon
faced the challenge of working organically. “Organic products are less
effective against downy mildew than conventional products, so we have to spray
more often and at a higher cost,” Michel explained. “There’s no margin for
error—you can’t miss a treatment. We’re a small family estate, but luckily, my
brother handles the spraying himself.” In 2024, mildew pressure remained
confined to the period before July and did not harm grape quality. Had the
fungal disease persisted throughout the summer and damaged leaves more,
photosynthesis would have been compromised, risking uneven grape ripening.







But by June, another decisive factor came into
play: coulure. This phenomenon, where flowers fail to develop into
berries, reduces fruit set and can lower yields significantly. Coulure can
occur when carbohydrate supply to the flowers is disrupted, often through poor
photosynthesis in cold or overcast conditions, or when vines shut down in hot,
dry weather. Vigorous shoot growth can also divert carbohydrates from clusters,
a problem often seen on fertile soils. Grenache, the dominant variety in
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is especially prone to coulure, which in 2024 meant
natural yield reduction and less need for potential green harvesting.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761326358787-Christophe+Sabon+of+Domaine+de+la+Janasse_Vinous.jpg">Christophe
Sabon of Domaine de la Janasse, delighted by the arrival of the 2025 harvest.Biodynamic producer Sophie Armenier of
Domaine de Marcoux observed similarities to 2017 and 2010, other years with
significant coulure. “When it’s cold at first, the vine grows slowly,
then suddenly it turns warm and the growth explodes. During flowering, the vine
can’t do both—grow and flower—so fertilization fails. In my experience, coulure
years occur when the weather alternates between hot and cold,” Armenier explained.
Laurence Féraud of Domaine de Pegau made a distinction between quantitative and
qualitative coulure. The latter, she noted, can actually benefit
quality: “Clusters are looser, berries less tightly packed, which prevents rot
if rain comes later. Yields drop, but the grapes can be healthier.”It is therefore important to note that
lower Grenache yields due to coulure do not necessarily mean poor fruit
quality. Indeed, benchmark vintages such as 2010 suffered significant coulure
and yielded outstanding wines. In 2024, fantastic Mourvèdre and promising Syrah
compensated for the shortfall in Grenache, allowing producers to maintain
quality and balance in their multi-variety blends. In vintages like 2024,
Châteauneuf-du-Pape grape growers are certainly glad that the appellation
rulebook allows the flexible use of 13 permitted varieties (18 if the five
color variants are also accounted for).From August onward, dry weather brought
relief and ended mildew outbreaks. By mid-August, véraison was complete almost
everywhere. Warm days were tempered by cool nights, helping to preserve acidity
and freshness, the latter being a key characteristic of many samples I tasted
for this report. On September 9, daytime highs still touched 35°C, but nights
stayed under 19°C. Harvest began around September 10 with white varieties. By
early October, most red varieties were picked and fermentations were well underway.





With both downy mildew and coulure
negatively impacting yields, final volumes were the lowest since 2018, coming
in at just below 25 hectoliters per hectare (hl/ha) throughout the appellation.
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe reported 23 hl/ha, Famille Isabel Ferrando 20 hl/ha
and Le Vieux Donjon just 19 hl/ha, one of the smallest in their estate’s
history. This is a stark contrast to 2023, when most wineries came in at or
just below the appellation limit of 35 hl/ha.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761326394073-Sophie+and+Vincent+Armenier+of+Domaine+de+Marcoux_Vinous.jpg">Together with her son Vincent, Sophie
Armenier upholds Domaine de Marcoux’s reputation for consistent, ageworthy wines.

Looking at what’s in the bottle, lower
Grenache yields shifted blends toward Mourvèdre and Syrah in 2024, leading to
darker-colored wines with more spice-driven complexity and fleshier aromatic
profiles. In general, most wines remain positively fresh yet aromatically
somewhat restrained. Though less charming in their youth, the 2024s are built
with the balance and concentration for aging. 

Overall quality in 2024 turned out less
consistent than in 2023 as the growing season came with far more challenges, so
buyers should be selective. Of all the reds I have tasted so far, Clos des
Papes, Clos Saint-Jean and Famille Isabel Ferrando deserve recognition for
producing some of the most promising Châteauneufs of the 2024 vintage. As for
white Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château de Beaucastel and Famille Isabel Ferrando
produced the appellation’s finest.

A Final Word on 2023 

The 2023 vintage in Châteauneuf-du-Pape
will be remembered for crowd-pleasing wines without any rough edges, marked by
notable balance and approachability. It was a warm, harmonious year that
yielded wines with plenty of ripe dark fruit, spiciness, ample richness and
subtle structure, without the weight or austerity that would require long
cellaring. A key ingredient in 2023 was generous yields, which helped prevent
overly concentrated wines. There is nothing challenging about these wines,
which makes them especially enjoyable both in youth and over the medium term.

Kudos to Château de Beaucastel and Domaine de la
Vieille Julienne for crafting the finest red wines of the 2023 vintage.
Ultimately, 2023 is not a vintage that rewrites the story of
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but one that reinforces it. Rich yet balanced, ripe yet
refreshing, fruit-driven yet spicy—the wines embody the traits that draw people
to the appellation in the first place. Although it may never go down as one of
the most intellectual vintages, 2023 deserves recognition as a reliable and
widely appealing year that will win the hearts of Rhône aficionados.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761326488283-Thierry+Usseglio_Vinous.jpg">Thierry Usseglio at left, joined by his
nephews Gregory and Maxime at Domaine Pierre Usseglio, celebrates the return of
the rare Cuvée Not for You! in 2023 after a four-year absence.A First Glimpse at 2025While tasting the 2024s at the end of
August this year, I noted that some Châteauneuf-du-Pape estates had already
brought in their Roussanne grapes. Isabel Ferrando and her team harvested on
August 14, the earliest in the estate’s history. The decision was driven by an
approaching heatwave, but it also reflects a deeper concern. Many growers now
fear that Châteauneuf-du-Pape is becoming too warm and dry for Roussanne, and
some are already considering regrafting to more resilient white varieties like Clairette
or Grenache Blanc.





With fewer cases of coulure in 2025,
downy mildew pressure remained similar to that of 2024. Sophie Armenier of
Domaine de Marcoux explained, “In both 2024 and 2025, we faced very rainy
springs, unlike in the more distant past. When I began working 30 years ago,
mildew pressure in April and May was minimal. Now it’s a struggle almost every
year. Constant rain, humidity and warmth push the vines to grow very early. It
has become far more complicated than before. In the past, we never carried out
more than ten treatments per season, but that has become the norm.”<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1761326567212-Clos+Saint+Jean_Vinous.jpg">Clos Saint-Jean’s collection expands in
2023 with the introduction of the Sine Fine (the sixth bottle from left).To Bulk or Not to BulkBulk wine remains prevalent in Châteauneuf-du-Pape,
representing a little more than half of the region’s total production. Although
seemingly high, this is by no means unusual in the Southern Rhône, with
Gigondas and Vacqueyras currently at over 50% as well. For many wineries, bulk wine production serves
a practical purpose, offering both financial stability in high-yielding
vintages and a useful outlet for fruit from young vines or lots considered less
suitable for estate bottlings. Bulk wine also spares smaller estates the burden
of managing large-scale sales and distribution, allowing them to focus on
vineyard work.Handled well, bulk wine can benefit the
appellation as a whole. Quality lots sold to respected négociants reach
international markets, widening Châteauneuf’s presence and giving consumers
access to affordable price points. For many drinkers, these wines are an
introduction that may lead them to seek out estate-bottled cuvées, helping to
grow the region’s reach. And quite often, the rise in bulk wines can be
attributed to growing interest from major négociant houses, who in turn see an appetite
for these wines from end consumers.The risks emerge when volumes climb too
high. With around 100,000 hectoliters produced annually, the fact that half of
that volume enters the négociant trade may raise concerns about quality
dilution, especially when bulk wine is used as a channel for weaker lots. Some
Châteauneuf winemakers suggest limiting bulk to as low as 20% to protect the
image of the appellation. In the end, bulk wine is both a safety net and a
potential liability—valuable when kept in check, but a risk if it overshadows
the identity and standards that make Châteauneuf-du-Pape one of France’s most
distinctive winegrowing regions. Given the current conditions in major
global wine markets where oversupply is far more common than scarcity—particularly
for full-bodied, high-alcohol red wines—Châteauneuf-du-Pape as an appellation
may want to reflect upon whether maintaining such a high proportion of bulk
wine production is a sustainable strategy going forward. 













I tasted the majority of the wines in this
report in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in late August 2025, with follow-up tastings at
my office in Zurich.© 2025, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or redistributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.<hr> You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/northern-rhone-2023-the-art-of-perseverance-jan-2025">Northern Rhône 2023: The Art of Perseverance</a>, Nicolas Greinacher, January 2025 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/chateauneuf-du-pape-alluring-2023s-and-benchmark-2010s-nov-2024">Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Alluring 2023s and Benchmark 2010s</a>, Nicolas Greinacher, November 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/chateauneuf-du-pape-2022-bring-it-on-jun-2024">Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022: Bring It On</a>, Nicolas Greinacher, June 2024 <a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/northern-rhone-where-diversity-ignites-the-senses-mar-2024">Northern Rhône: Where Diversity Ignites the Senses</a>, Nicolas Greinacher, March 2024<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/chateauneuf-du-pape-new-releases-welcome-to-the-pleasuredome-jun-2023">Châteauneuf-du-Pape New Releases: Welcome to the Pleasuredome</a>, Nicolas Greinacher, June 2023

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