Bordeaux Wine Classifications
There isn’t one simple overriding classification for wine in Bordeaux, but instead several systems which aim to define the region’s diverse terroir. Bordeaux’s wine classification ranks the top estates based on their quality, history, and price, with the 1855 Médoc classification hailed as the most famous of these classifications.
Introduced back in 1855, under Napoleon III, the classification has since become a global benchmark for quality and prestige. However, it’s worth noting that the absence of a classification does not prevent an appellation or an estate from producing world-class wines.
The 1855 Classification of Bordeaux Wine
The 1855 Grand Cru Classé originated during the Paris Universal Exhibition. Napoleon wished to showcase the very best of France’s vineyards and asked Bordeaux’s brokers to produce a clear classification of their finest wines. The assessment criteria was based on the reputation of each estate and the market prices of their most recent vintages. It focuses exclusively on the red wines of the Médoc (and one from Graves), and the sweet white wines of Sauternes and Barsac.
There are 61 ‘classified growths’ in the main 1855 Bordeaux Classification, which includes 60 Médoc estates and one from Graves (Château Haut-Brion). For sweet wines, the 1855 classification includes 27 Sauternes and Barsac châteaux.
The classification is divided into:
- 5 levels for red wines: Premier Cru, Second Cru, Troisième Cru, Quatrième Cru, Cinquième Cru. These are also known as First Growths, Second Growths, Third Growths, Fourth Growths, and Fifth Growths.
- 3 levels for white wines: Premier Cru Supérieur, Premier Cru, Second Cru.
The 5 First-Growth (Premier Cru) Châteaux include:
- Château Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac), Château Margaux (Margaux), Château Latour (Pauillac), Château Haut-Brion (since 1986, Pessac-Léognan), and Château Mouton Rothschild.
This classification is rarely updated, unlike other classifications which change over time, and the only major change was elevating Château Mouton Rothschild to First Growth in 1973. For this reason, some feel that the classification is outdated and there are many châteaux producing wine well above their classified level.
The Saint‑Émilion Classification
Unlike the 1855 classification of the Médoc, Saint‑Émilion’s classification is revised and updated every decade or so, with the most recent version announced in 2022. The classification groups the best wines into four distinct levels:
- Premier Grand Cru Classé A
- Premier Grand Cru Classé B (more typically referred to as simply Premier Grand Cru Classé)
- Grand Cru Classé
- Grand Cru
This classification takes a comprehensive approach to assessment, through blind-tastings of the wines and a review of each château’s reputation, its terroir and its winegrowing practices. Tastings form the backbone of the classification, with experts from outside the Bordeaux wine industry judging the taste, which is then overseen by a certifying body to maintain objectivity.
Other Classifications
- Graves Classification (1959): Ranks red and white wines from the Graves region, as ‘Grand Cru Classé de Graves’. This classification comprises just 14 rigorously selected châteaux.
- Crus Bourgeois du Médoc: Established to recognise quality in Médoc producers not included in the 1855 classification, this system was reinstated in 2010 and is revised every five years. It features tiers, including Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel.
- Cru Artisan Classification (Médoc): This recognises small, family-owned estates, and is updated every 10 years. The wines must belong to one of the eight Protected Designation of Origins (PDOs) of the Médoc region (Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Moulis, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe).
Pomerol: While the appellation doesn’t follow a formal hierarchy, Pomerol is famous for producing highly sought-after wines, such as Château Pétrus.
