Gigondas 2024: The Birth of a Modern Classic

BY NICOLAS GREINACHER | NOVEMBER 4, 2025

Gigondas continues to assert its place among the Southern Rhône’s most dynamic appellations. This report delves into the 2024 vintage, a year defined by a return to wines of classic proportions, alongside the approachable and fruit-driven 2023s.

After a wetter-than-usual spring in 2024 brought increased downy mildew pressure to the region, moderate summer temperatures paved the way for well-balanced wines without the powerful, riper fruit character seen in some recent vintages such as 2022 or 2023. Those vintages experienced several days exceeding 40°C (104°F) during the summer, which 2024 did not. While July and August were relatively dry, they were not excessively so, and the absence of extreme heat contributed to a noteworthy equilibrium in the resulting wines.

Gigondas vines awaken under the luminous morning sun in September 2025.

“Fungal disease pressure was present in spring 2024 but not to an extreme degree,” recalled Louis Barruol of Château de Saint-Cosme. “Some treatments against downy mildew were required due to intermittent rainfall, but they remained within a reasonable range for organic viticulture, around eight in total. By contrast, 2021 often required 12 or more treatments due to heavier rainfall.”

Harvest conditions were ideal in 2024. Although picking began around the same time as in 2021, it generally concluded earlier because of more stable weather, with only a few light rain showers. “We brought in the last grapes during the first week of October,” said Benjamin Gras of Domaine Santa Duc. Julien Bréchet of Domaine des Bosquets pointed to excellent fruit quality in both Syrah and Mourvèdre, noting “fantastic maturity of both skins and stems.” Unlike 2021, when persistent rain delayed picking, 2024 allowed for a smoother harvest without major interruptions. Across the appellation, yields averaged 27.7 hl/ha, essentially matching 2021 and roughly 10% below those of 2022 (30.5 hl/ha) and 2023 (30.8 hl/ha).

After tasting 77 samples of red Gigondas from 2024, I can conclude that the vintage is on track to deliver classic results in the style of the 2000s. Across the board, the wines display elevated finesse, excellent balance and lifting freshness. The 2024s are slightly more concentrated than the 2021s and generally about one degree lower in alcohol than the 2022s and 2023s. This reduction in alcohol further contributes to the wines’ overall elegance, avoiding the opulence and heaviness typical of warmer growing seasons.

Large-format bottles of mature vintages collect dust at Domaine Les Pallières.

As for Gigondas Blanc, 2024 is shaping up to be a fresh and expressive vintage, though not necessarily superior in quality to 2023. Overall, 2024 stands out as a vintage of refinement, defined by even ripening and moderate climatic conditions. 

At this early stage, the most promising red wines are those from Château de Saint Cosme, Domaine des Bosquets, Domaine du Gour de Chaulé and Domaine Saint-Damien. For Gigondas Blanc, special mention goes to Château de Saint Cosme for the Le Poste and to Domaine Santa Duc for the Clos des Hospices.

The Final Verdict on 2023

The 2023 vintage in Gigondas carries wines of broad appeal thanks to their inviting, fruit-led character and early accessibility. The reds offer abundant ripe red and dark fruit, gentle spice and pleasing richness supported by fine, understated structures. These are wines of depth and personality, generally without heaviness. Plentiful yields played an important role, preventing excessive concentration and helping to preserve freshness. In general, 2023 gave rise to wines that are approachable in their youth, but the best examples have the potential for extended aging.

Louis Barruol shows off pristine Clairette Blanche clusters at Château de Saint-Cosme.

Unlike 2022, where Château de Saint-Cosme, Domaine des Bosquets and Domaine du Gour de Chaulé each produced at least one wine that reached dizzying heights, 2023 saw one clear standout: the Gigondas Le Regard Loin from Domaine des Bosquets. It displays a level of depth, refinement and intensity unmatched by any other Gigondas of the vintage. The two wines that came closest to the Le Regard Loin were the stunning Gigondas Numéro 8 from Gour de Chaulé and the Hominis Fides from Château de Saint-Cosme. I already look forward to revisiting these singular wines in a few years to see whether today’s hierarchy still holds.

The village of Gigondas.

I tasted all of the wines in this report in Gigondas in early September 2025.

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