Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2024: Best picks from a fresh and vibrant bunch

Gorgeous nose that's showing complexity already: orange peel, black pepper and dried herbs. With its fine tannins, it's light-bodied, neat and fresh. There are ripe red fruits on the palate and more detailed spices. This has the length that some lack in 2024, and is a very attractive wine. I would drink it young. Pure, whole-bunch Grenache, planted on sandy terroir.

The aromas show an attractive, lifted violet note at the heart of the blue and black fruits. It's pure, with a good weight of fruit. It has quite a firm tannic base, but the tannins are essentially ripe, not green. A longer finish than many 2024s. Sturdy but not massive, with quite strict tannins, so wait a while before opening. It's nonetheless an aerial, weightless style. Grown on sandy soils of lieux-dits La Guigasse and Pignan sud; matured mostly in demi-muids and some clay amphora. Just 6,000 bottles produced.

Baked blackberries and a touch of dark chocolate with a violet top note. It has a silky palate, only medium-bodied this year but lovely bright acidity on show. Not hugely concentrated, but there's a good sense of energy and clarity. Importantly, the tannins are smooth and ripe. A crisp, saline vintage of Beaucastel, drinkable young. Has a bit more Counoise this vintage – just over 10% – and only 5% Syrah.

Very dark in fruit expression, with damson, blackberry and dark-skinned plums. Full, generous, concentrated, long and deep, showing real intensity and bold, muscular tannins. One of the larger, punchier Châteauneufs this year. Grown on galets roulés and sand, partly destemmed, fermented with natural yeasts. Aged in foudres and demi-muids.

Damson and pomegranate scents, quite closed currently. Has more body and soft ripe fruit than most in 2024, sweet berry fruits gently coat the mouth, supported by lovely acidity and fine tannins. It's not hugely long, but it's fresh, precise and drinkable. A Châteauneuf that doesn't have huge power, just great precision, transparency and freshness. Whole-bunch Grenache grown on sandy terroir and aged in demi-muids.

Slightly darker fruit expression than their other wines, this has blackberry, plum and raspberry with a touch of menthol and thyme. Still only just medium-bodied, this has an inner fruit ripeness and slight silkiness on the palate that's balanced by bright acidity. Finishes with fine, gentle tannins, akin to fine tea. As it's so fresh, this will drink well young and into the medium term. Just the slightest touch of bitterness from the stems on the finish. Whole-bunch Grenache grown on sandy terroir and aged in demi-muids.

Vibrant plum, damson and blackberry make for an intensely vibrant bouquet. It's silky, fresh and precise, with very good acidity and fine tannins, in fact it's not hugely tannic, it's more based around acidity and fruit vibrancy. Much better concentration here than most. Will be approachable young, but age well too. Good saline edge. The alcohol is present but not excessive. Very well balanced. Three terraces on sandy soils. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Counoise, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Terret Noir, Vaccarèse, Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Picardan, with an average age of 75 years, all coplanted, cofermented.

Black cherry, blackberry and damson on the nose. It's just about full-bodied, and has good concentration and very fine tannins. There's moderate alcohol – only just enough in fact – which is unusual for a pure Châteauneuf Grenache. With its tapered finish, this is a delightful wine that is well balanced, fresh and delicious young. Intelligent winemaking. Grown on galets roulés, fermented in stainless steel, aged in demi-muids.

A very elegant expression of Châteauneuf, with delicately fine tannins and a satin texture. This has great purity, with focus and freshness. Everything is perfectly balanced, this will give immense pleasure when young and mature. Not a long or long-lived Safres as it's not hugely concentrated, but a very fine and bright one. Grown on sandy soils of lieu-dit Les Bédines. Grapes were co-fermented, and matured mostly in foudres. 14,000 bottles produced.

Good acidity, intensity and concentration of black fruits – damson, blackberry, pâtes de fruits. Has good weight for a 2024, and a marked saline note. Fresh, with balanced alcohol but will need time to harmonise; all feels embryonic for now. Partly destemmed, fermented in concrete, matured for 12 months in foudre and demi-muid.

Deep blackberry aromas, in a strong and punchy style. It's a concentrated style, with a strong tannic base. It has very dark in fruit for a 2024. Markedly different to Les Trois Sources this year, it's much darker, with more tannins that are a little more rugged than the Trois Sources. This will take longer to come round, and likely close up when young. Very long, good concentration and good acidity in a tense, mineral style. From three parcels close to the limestone plateau, some clay, relatively high altitude and late ripening, with less exposure to the sun.

Very darkly coloured. This has concentration, ripeness and thick, furry tannins. It's dense with black fruit flavour. Quite extracted and demonstrative, with firm, leathery tannins on the long finish. Fresh, moderate alcohol, and good acidity, it's hard to drink now though, but should be interesting in time. Grown on mixed soils, fermented in stainless steel, aged in stainless steel and old barriques.

Really quite ripe on the nose, this has deep succulent strawberry fruit. It's generous, fruity, very much about the sandy soils, and very elegant, with good length. More fruit and density than most 2024s. The tannins are ripe and juicy, and the alcohol is fairly generous too (but not excessive) which is welcome in this vintage.

Good concentration, more red-fruited than some, with sappy, tangy raspberry acidity. Fresh, pure and precise, with some spicy bay leaf notes bringing detail and interest. Lovely acidity, moderate alcohol, ripe tannins. It's well shaped and well balanced, but not hugely concentrated. Grown on the galets roulés and sandy soils of lieu-dit Les Cassanets; matured mostly in demi-muids, and some barriques. 9,000 bottles produced.