Under the Chalk and the Clouds: 2024 Champagne Reflections with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon and Champagne Louis Roederer

Photo Taken by Dan Rosnov.

On April 11th, 2025, I had the honor of attending the 2024 Vins Clairs tasting with Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, Chef de Cave at Louis Roederer, as part of the #CRPC. Each year, this experience deepens my appreciation for the artistry and challenge of crafting Champagne — and 2024 was no exception

.

A Difficult, Fragmented Vintage

Jean-Baptiste opened the session candidly: “It was a difficult year — physically, mentally, and mechanically.” 2024 brought a complicated growing season marked by relentless rainfall, particularly in the Aube, where some vineyards faced nearly 1200mm of rain — 30–40% more than average. While parts of the Montagne de Reims (like Mailly and Verzenay) fared better with about 900mm, overall, the vintage was fragmented and inconsistent across the region.

Yields varied dramatically: the average in Champagne was around 8,300 kilos per hectare, but some growers in the Aube harvested less than 3,000 kilos — and in certain cases, nothing at all. “Yes, it’s a wet year,” Lecaillon noted, “but it’s also a very different year from one place to another.”

Varietal Performances

One surprising highlight? Meunier. Traditionally more fragile and prone to dilution in wet years like 2017, 2021, and 2023, Meunier thrived in 2024. Its success, Jean-Baptiste explained, is tied to its love for steady, moderate weather — which the season delivered.

Chardonnay remained characteristically stable, provided growers had the patience to wait for full ripeness. Those who harvested too early were left disappointed.

Pinot Noir showed two personalities: while southern-facing slopes (Aÿ, Cumières, Bouzy) produced pleasant but less concentrated fruit, the north-facing grands crus of Verzy, Mailly, and Verzenay offered beautiful structure and freshness.

A Climate Change Vintage“This is not a classic year,” Lecaillon emphasized. 2024 is a climate change vintage — with low alcohol due to the rain, but with an important twist: phenolic ripeness arrived before sugar ripeness.As a result, wines have a rare balance: harmonious, integrated, and expressive, without the heaviness that sometimes comes with high sugar levels.

While the growing season was grueling for farmers, winemakers, in contrast, enjoyed what Lecaillon jokingly called a "lazy year." The vins clairs were so naturally balanced that blending was effortless. “It worked for everyone — winemakers think they’re all geniuses this year,” he laughed.Though he stops short of calling it a “fantastic” vintage, Jean-Baptiste is clear: 2024 was a good year — one that will yield beautiful Champagnes.

Refining the Red Wine Approach

Red wine production, however, remains a work in progress. Lecaillon was open about the challenges: “We’ve been too 'Champagne' in the vineyard — not ambitious enough.”He emphasized the need to shift from plot management to vine-by-vine attention, especially for red wines. Extraction methods, once modeled on Burgundy techniques, must be adapted to the cooler, chalkier conditions of Champagne.

Fermentations are currently done in stainless steel, though the team is exploring ceramic vessels to better manage temperature and phenolic expression. "Because we are in the north," he explained, "we don't have harmony vineyards — each vine is different."

Malo and Maturation

Most of the 2024 vins clairs will not undergo malolactic fermentation, similar to vintages like 2012 and 2016. Lecaillon prefers a natural approach: allowing malo only if it happens spontaneously, without interventions like sulfur or aggressive cooling.

Looking Ahead

While 2024 challenged Champagne’s farmers, it offered winemakers a rare, natural harmony. Jean-Baptiste’s insight, as always, reminds us that great wine is born not only from great fruit — but from constant questioning, adaptation, and deep respect for the land.

As we await the final expressions of this vintage, I am grateful to continue learning from one of Champagne’s greatest minds.