Wine Classification FAQs

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On a label, what does Grand Cru or Premier Cru Classé mean?

Classifications like these are a way of grading vineyards or properties in terms of quality. Terms such as ‘Grand Cru’ mean different things depending on which region the wine comes from. See the questions below for more information. The information on wine labels can give you clues to what the wine will taste like, in addition to the alcohol content, vintage, name of the vineyard or name of the grape variety.

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How is wine categorized?

European Table and Quality Wine Categories

France

Vin de Table
Vin de Pays
Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure (VDQG)
Appelation d’Origine Contróllée (AOC/AC)

Italy

Vino da Tavola
Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT)

Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC)

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG)

Spain

Vino de Mesa

Vino de la Tierra

Denominacion de Origen (DO)

Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOCa)

Portugal

Vinho de Mesa

Vinho Regional

Indicaçâo de Proveniencia Regulamentada (IPR)

Denominaçâo de Origem Controlada (DOC)

Germany

Deutscher Tafelwein

Deutscher Landwein

Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA)

Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP)

Kabinett

Spätlese

Auslese

Beerenauslese

Eiswein

Trockenbeeren-auslese

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What is the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux?

In 1855, Napoleon III, Emperor of France, decided to throw a Universal Exposition in Paris, a kind of World’s Fair, and wanted all the country’s wines represented. He invited Bordeaux’s Chamber of Commerce to arrange an exhibit. The members of the Chamber knew a hornet’s nest when they saw one, so passed the buck. They agreed, according to their records, to present “all our crus classés, up to the fifth growths,” but asked the Syndicat of Courtiers, an organization of wine merchants, to draw up “an exact and complete list of all the red wines of the Gironde that specifies in which class they belong.”

The Courtiers hardly even paused to think; two weeks later, they turned in the famous list. It included 58 chateaux: 4 firsts, 12 seconds, 11 fourths and 17 fifths. They expected controversy. “You know as well as we do, Sirs, that this classification is a delicate task and bound to raise questions; remember that we have not tried to create an official ranking, but only to offer you a sketch drawn from the very best sources.”

Curiously, all of the Courtiers’ selections came from the Médoc; with the single exception of Haut-Brion (they also ranked the sweet white wines of Sauternes and Barsac). It’s not that other wine regions weren’t active; the Graves boasted a much longer history, and Cheval Blanc in Saint-Émilion and Canon in Fronsac were highly regarded by the early 19^th century. But the 18^th century revolution in wine quality took hold first and most firmly in the Médoc.

Reaction to the classification was heated. The Courtiers’ original list ranked the chateaux by quality within each class, so, for example, Mouton-Rothschild appeared at the head of the seconds. But, undoubtedly responding to criticism, they wrote the Chamber in early September insisting that no such hierarchy had been intended, so the Chamber rearranged the list of each class into alphabetical order.

Since 1855, many changes have occurred in the names of the chateaux, owners, vineyards and wine quality, and because of divisions in the original estates, there are now 61 chateaux on the list. But if an estate can trace its lineage to the classification, it retains its claim to cru classé status. The only formal revision came in 1973, when after half a century of unceasing effort, Baron Philippe de Rothschild succeeded in having Mouton elevated to first growth.

-Excerpted from a Wine Spectator article by Thomas Matthews.

The Classification of 1855

Chateaux are listed with their commune (village), and their AOC in parenthesis,

if different from the commune.

First Growths (Premiers or 1er Crus)

Château Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac, Haut-Médoc

Château Latour, Pauillac, Haut-Médoc

Château Margaux, Margaux

Château Haut-Brion, Pessac, Graves

Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Haut-Médoc (reclassified from Second Growth in 1973)

Second Growths (Seconds Crus, or Deuxièmes Crus)

Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux

Château Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux

Château Léoville-Las Cases, St.-Julien

Château Léoville-Poyferré, St.-Julien

Château Léoville Barton, St.-Julien

Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux

Château Gruaud-Larose, St.-Julien

Château Lascombes, Margaux

Château Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)

Château Pichon Longueville Baron, Pauillac

Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac

Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, St.-Julien

Château Cos d'Estournel, St.-Estèphe

Château Montrose, St.-Estèphe

Third Growths (Troisièmes Crus)

Château Kirwan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)

Château d'Issan, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)

Château Lagrange, St.-Julien

Château Langoa Barton, St.-Julien

Château Giscours, Labarde-Margaux (Margaux)

Château Malescot St. Exupéry, Margaux

Château Cantenac-Brown, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)

Château Boyd-Cantenac, Margaux

Château Palmer, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)

Château La Lagune, Ludon (Haut-Medoc)

Château Desmirail, Margaux

Château Calon-Ségur, St.-Estèphe

Château Ferrière, Margaux

Château Marquis d'Alesme Becker, Margaux

Fourth Growths (Quatrièmes Crus)

Château Saint-Pierre, St.-Julien Château Talbot, St.-Julien

Château Branaire-Ducru, St.-Julien

Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild, Pauillac

Château Pouget, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)

Château La Tour Carnet, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)

Château Lafon-Rochet, St.-Estèphe

Château Beychevelle, St.-Julien

Château Prieuré-Lichine, Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Château Marquis de Terme, Margaux

Fifth Growths (Cinquièmes Crus)

Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac

Château Batailley, Pauillac

Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac

Château Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pauillac

Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac

Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Pauillac

Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac

Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac

Château Dauzac, Labarde (Margaux)

Château d'Armailhac, Pauillac

Château du Tertre, Arsac (Margaux)

Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac

Château Belgrave, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)

Château de Camensac, St.-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)

Château Cos Labory, St.-Estèphe

Château Clerc-Milon, Pauillac

Château Croizet Bages, Pauillac

Château Cantemerle, Macau (Haut-Médoc)

Sauternes and Barsac

Great First Growth (Grand Premier Cru)

Château d'Yquem, Sauternes

First Growths (Premiers Crus)

Château La Tour Blanche, Bommes (Sauternes)

Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Bommes (Sauternes)

Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Bommes (Sauternes)

Château de Rayne-Vigneau, Bommes (Sauternes)

Château Suduiraut, Preignac (Sauternes)

Château Coutet, Barsac

Château Climens, Barsac

Château Guiraud, Sauternes

Château Rieussec, Fargues (Sauternes)

Château Rabaud-Promis, Bommes (Sauternes)

Château Sigalas-Rabaud, Bommes (Sauternes)

Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)

Château de Myrat, Barsac

Château Doisy Daëne, Barsac

Château Doisy-Dubroca, Barsac

Château Doisy-Védrines, Barsac

Château d'Arche, Sauternes

Château Filhot, Sauternes

Château Broustet Barsac

Château Nairac, Barsac

Château Caillou, Barsac

Château Suau, Barsac

Château de Malle, Preignac (Sauternes)

Château Romer, Fargues (Sauternes)

Château Romer du Hayot, Fargues (Sauternes)

Château Lamothe, Sauternes

Château Lamothe-Guignard, Sauternes

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