Bordeaux 2025 En Primeur: Field Report

Having just returned from a week in Bordeaux, one thing is certain: Ampel Global's inaugural Bordeaux En Primeur trip was a resounding success. More importantly, it provided first-hand insight into what is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating Bordeaux vintages of recent years. The 2025 campaign arrives at a crucial moment for the region. After the commercially difficult 2024 release, Bordeaux needed a stronger vintage both in quality and confidence. On the evidence of our tastings, discussions with winemakers and extensive technical data from leading estates, 2025 has delivered exactly that, albeit in a highly nuanced and selective way.

Vintage Overview

It is however not the vintage of the century — some estates flirt with brilliance but one should not be mistaken. In many cases, it is considerably more than that. We were struck throughout the week by the remarkable concentration of colour in the wines, the depth of fruit, the energy of acidity and the sense of freshness running through the best examples. These are not heavy wines. Nor are they wines of excess. Instead, the finest 2025s combine body, density and ripe tannic structure with brightness, aromatic lift and crucially, well-controlled alcohol levels.

Across many tastings, particularly on the Left Bank, alcohol levels frequently sat around 13% to 13.5%, materially lower than many expected given the heat and drought of the season. Several producers compared the year to 2016 and 2022, though with lower alcohol than the latter and in some cases greater classical balance.

Why the Vintage Worked: Canopy Management and August Rain

This balance between concentration and freshness is the central story of the vintage. Two factors were repeatedly cited by estates and were evident in the glass. The first was increasingly sophisticated canopy management. Bordeaux's leading châteaux have materially changed their viticultural philosophy in response to a warming climate. Where previous generations often sought greater sunlight exposure to maximise ripening, many estates now prioritise protecting fruit from excessive solar radiation and heat stress.

At Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Margaux, leaf management has become more nuanced, with more foliage retained around bunches to reduce sunburn and slow sugar accumulation. At Château Haut-Brion, adaptation reportedly extends to canopy height and row orientation, while Château Rauzan-Ségla fine-tunes leaf plucking parcel by parcel. The second key factor was timely rainfall in late August, which relieved vine stress, rehydrated berries and helped slow sugar loading while allowing phenolic ripening to continue. As a result, 2025 is certainly no repeat of 2003. It is a hot vintage shaped by modern viticulture and careful decision-making.

The Growing Season

The growing season itself was demanding. Early budbreak and successful flowering gave the year a healthy start, but conditions turned increasingly dry and hot through June, July and August. Many estates reported severe water deficit, prolonged drought and repeated temperatures above 35°C, with some sites recording over 40°C.

Younger vines and shallower-rooted parcels suffered most. Berry size was extremely small across many properties, resulting in thick skins, intense colour and naturally concentrated musts. At several benchmark estates, berry weights were among the lowest ever recorded.

In most years, such conditions might have produced hard, overripe or alcoholic wines. Instead, because of old vines, deeper root systems, improved farming and the August rain event, many leading estates achieved a remarkable equilibrium.

Harvest Timing: A Key Separator

Harvest timing was critical. This was not a vintage where technical competence alone was enough. Picking decisions separated the best wines from the merely good. Some estates harvested early out of caution, fearing botrytis or deterioration. Others waited, particularly for Cabernet Sauvignon, allowing tannins to ripen fully after the late-August and early-September weather changes. The evidence suggests that patience was often rewarded. Several of the finest Cabernet-based wines were picked later, showing greater texture, riper tannins and more complete balance.

Low Yields and Scarcity

Whilst excellent wines were produced, yields are severely down across the region. This will be one of the defining commercial themes of the campaign. At Château Margaux, only 37% of total production was directed into the Grand Vin. No second wine was produced at Château Ausone, the first time since 1995, nor at Château Cheval Blanc, where all production was directed into the Grand Vin. Château Palmer reported yields of around 20 hl/ha, while Vieux Château Certan came in around 22 hl/ha. These are materially reduced volumes and will inevitably influence allocations and pricing.

Left Bank: Margaux Leads the Way

In terms of appellation performance, we felt Margaux was perhaps the most consistent across the board. Time and again, wines from the appellation combined fragrance, polish, freshness and layered concentration. Château Margaux and Château Palmer were both outstanding, but strength ran deeper than the very top names. Château Lascombes appears to be continuing its upward trajectory, while Château Giscours, Château Rauzan-Ségla and Marquis de Terme should offer serious interest. If one commune can be called the star of 2025, Margaux has the strongest claim.

Pauillac and Saint-Julien

Pauillac was not far behind. The leading names showed impressive authority, precision and ageing potential. Cabernet Sauvignon excelled in the vintage when fully ripened, bringing structure, cassis fruit, graphite character and length. Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild, Pontet-Canet and Lynch-Bages all appear highly successful, while estates such as Haut-Bages Libéral and Fonbadet may represent relative value. Saint-Julien also performed strongly, offering classical structure and polish. Ducru-Beaucaillou was repeatedly cited among the wines of the vintage, while Léoville Las Cases showed the more powerful side of the year.

Pessac-Léognan and Dry Whites

Pessac-Léognan was more mixed, though the best wines are excellent. La Mission Haut-Brion and Château Haut-Brion appear very strong, while Les Carmes Haut-Brion continues its impressive run of form. Dry whites from the region were one of the pleasant surprises of the week, showing power, concentration and freshness despite the warm conditions.

Right Bank: Merlot Shines

Merlot performed terrifically in 2025, especially on the Right Bank where the best clay and limestone terroirs retained enough moisture to navigate the season. We felt St. Émilion was stellar at the top end, particularly on the limestone plateau. Château Canon was one of the most complete wines we tasted, combining floral lift, salinity, depth and precision. Troplong Mondot and Château Cheval Blanc also look highly significant. Cheval Blanc is particularly intriguing given the tiny yields and concentration directed entirely into the Grand Vin.

Pomerol is more uneven, which is unsurprising given its warmth and heavy dependence on Merlot, but the best wines are superb. We finished the trip at Vieux Château Certan, which was a favourite of the entire Ampel team. It captured many of the strengths of the vintage: deep colour, aromatic complexity, richness, freshness and remarkable poise. La Conseillante and L'Évangile also appear highly successful, though broader selection in Pomerol will need more caution than in Margaux or Pauillac.

Critical Opinion

Critical opinion broadly aligns with these conclusions. Antonio Galloni described Margaux as the star of the vintage, with Pauillac close behind, while highlighting the paradox of lower alcohol and brisk acidity despite intense heat. He praised the best wines for their aromatic intensity, silky tannins and richness married to freshness, while noting inconsistency across the wider region.

James Suckling, after tasting nearly 400 samples, also emphasised that only the best vineyards, wineries and winemakers truly excelled. He pointed to lower alcohol and higher acidity as defining markers of 2025 and stressed that the finest wines possess both ageability and drinkability, though élevage and bottle maturation will be important.

Pricing Outlook

Ultimately, however, the deciding factor in whether the 2025 en primeur campaign becomes a true success is price. Quality is stronger than 2024 and yields are materially lower, both of which may encourage producers to seek higher release prices. It is entirely plausible that many estates attempt increases of 5% to 8% over last year.

Yet the market remains cautious. Buyers today compare en primeur offers not only with the previous vintage but with physical back vintages already available in bottle. In a world of higher financing costs, economic uncertainty and broad consumer selectivity, release prices must still offer a compelling reason to commit capital two years in advance.

Ampel Global Strategy and Conclusion

As a result, this campaign will require careful selection across the board. Ampel Global will not simply offer wines because they are famous or scarce. We will focus only on the wines we genuinely believe offer quality relative to price, strong long-term desirability and real value in the context of the wider market.

The best 2025s are serious wines and in some cases potentially great wines. But in today's Bordeaux market, discernment matters as much as enthusiasm and as such if we do not offer a wine it is not because we don't love the Chateau or the wine, just that it does not work in context of physical vintages.

For example Pontet Canet's 2025 release price at £378 IB per 6, marks a 5% increase to the 2024 price and offers little incentive to buy on release. Mature vintages such as the 2019 and 2015, offer better value coming in at £300 IB per 6.

If you have any questions about the vintage or would like to arrange a call to discuss please let me know.