Bordeaux Classifications and Hierarchy

Vineyard in Bordeaux/photo from Canva

In 1855 at the Paris Universal Exhibition, the Chamber of Commerce was asked to produce a list of the best red wines from the Médoc and best sweet wines from Sauternes. This list was developed and based on which chateaux were demanding more money for their wine on the market which in turn showed a higher level of quality. 

Sixty-one red wines were separated into five levels called crus, or growths. The highest level is premier cru. In 1855 four chateaux were selected for the highest ranking, premier cru, Châteaux Lafite Rothchild, Latour, Margaux. In 1973,  Mouton Rothschild was designated premier cru, making it the one change that has occurred since the initial classifications. 

During the 1885 Classifications, twenty-seven sweet wines of Sauternes were separated into three crus, with Château d’Yquem being the only one ranked premier cru. 

In 1932 to accommodate the remainder of the chateaux in Médoc, cru bourgeois was developed to rank the other estates left out of the 1855 Classification. There are three levels: Cru bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. This ranking system is reviewed every five years. 

The chateaux in Graves were classified in 1953 and then in 1959. These 16 wines are not ranked in crus, but are rather qualified as cru classé. 

Chateaux on the right bank of Bordeaux were left out of the original 1855 Classification, as they were initially deemed inferior quality. In 1954 St. Émilion’s formed a classification system within the appellation system. There is a separate AOC for St. Émilion Grand Cru AOC. Within this appellation, there are St. Émilion Grand Cru Classé ́, St. Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé. St. Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé is divided into two divisions St. Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A and St. Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B. The classifications are reviewed every ten years. Chateaux have the opportunity to be promoted, while others might be demoted.