Bordeaux Wine Guide: Cru Bourgeois Classification
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Matthias R WHT
Oct 14, 2009, 10:33:04 AM10/14/09
to Liquid Assets
A response to the hardship of the years following the Great War, the
first ever classification of the Cru Bourgeois properties of the Médoc
was drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of
Agriculture in 1932. Together they bestowed the accolade on 444
properties, and it graced the labels of these wines for more than six
decades, even though the system was never officially ratified by the
Agriculture Ministry.
As the end of the 20th Century neared, and the popularity and
reputation of a number of the Cru Bourgeois properties grew, it became
apparent that a more regulated classification was required. On
November 30th, 2000 a ministerial decree laid out the framework for a
new classification, and this was subsequently drawn up and ratified by
a subsequent decree on June 17th, 2003. Of 490 chateaux that submitted
to the new classification, however, only 247 were included, a
significant contraction of the original listing made in 1932. They
were divided into three tiers, led by the Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
(the best wines, with just nine chateaux on this rung), followed by
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur (87 properties) and then the standard Cru
Bourgeois estates (151 properties). Admirably, there was a plan to
review the ranking every 12 years.
This classification resulted in some controversy; as might be
expected, a number of proprietors were displeased to discover that
their property had not been included, or had been included at a lower
than expected level. The classification was based on an assessment of
the wines produced from 1994 to 1999 (as well as other nebulous
aspects such as terroir), so owners of recently purchased chateaux may
have received an unfair classification based on the performances of
their predecessors. In addition, some chateaux have been listed twice,
classified for both first and second wines, a strange anomaly.
In 2004 a regional court in Bordeaux sided with over 70 complainants
against the system, concluding that their rankings within the system
were void, but otherwise the court felt the new classification
remained valid. In 2005 the Administrative Tribunal in Bordeaux upheld
this decision. It was not until early 2007 that the Cru Bourgeois
applecart was truly upset. The Bordeaux magistrate, Jean-Pierre
Valeins, concluded in his court that the classification was tainted by
partiality, noting that four of the 18 members of the selection panel
had business dealings with a number of the classified properties. The
court went on to annul the whole classification, stripping the higher-
ranked properties (such as Ormes de Pez, right) of their new
Exceptionnel and Supérieur titles, leaving them all with their
unratified 1932 ranking, as plain Cru Bourgeois.
The Bordeaux viticulteurs clearly needed rescuing from this maelstrom
and the resolution came surprisingly swiftly, although it indicated
that the way forward would clearly not be an easy one. No-one could
have foreseen when the first plans for the revision were laid out in
2000 that the end result of the process would be use of the phrase
"cru bourgeois" on the label being declared illegal, but that was
exactly what happened. In July 2007 the annulment was confirmed as
permanent, and the French fraud office outlawed that very phrase -
although it was not clear to me whether this would begin with the 2007
vintage or to an earlier one. The Alliance des Crus Bourgeois held a
specially convened meeting that month, and a motion to introduce the
term Label Cru Bourgeois as a mark of quality rather than a
classification was introduced. So the term still exists, but now it
means something quite different. It should also be noted that there is
no internal ranking - as exceptionnel or supérieur - as there was in
2003.
The new designation will be awarded with the following basis:
Cru Bourgeois is a designation of quality only
The right to use the term is based on production methods, as judged by
a visit to the property, and results, determined by tasting of the
wine
It is an annual qualification, awarded by an independent organisation
The qualification may be obtained by any property in the Médoc
Further meetings of the Alliance in 2008 seemed to ratify the process
as above, with nearly 300 estates opting in to this new, annually-
awarded accolade. Any estate with at least 7 hectares in the Haut-
Médoc or 4 hectares in one of the communal appellations such as
Pauillac would eligible to apply. There were some doubts, especially
as the new award included stipulated barrel and vat capacities, which
meant that some estates would need to make new and significant
investments before qualifying. Nevertheless, on the whole, it appeared
that the producers were moving forward together in a very positive
fashion, and it was anticipated that this new seal of quality would
first appear with the 2007 vintage, the decisions as to which estates
- or rather which wines - had qualified to be released just before the
bottling in 2009. By mid-2009, however, this was looking less likely,
and it seems that the system will only be fully operational with the
2008 vintage, assessed by tasting panel in early 2010. We still have
to wait and see the end result of this most disastrous attempt at
reclassification.
In the meantime, while we await the results of this new process, I
present here for historical reasons if nothing else the 2003 version
of the classification.
The 2003 Classification (Annulled)
Nine properties led the classification at the exceptionnel level. Keen
eyed readers will note the absence of Sociando-Mallet, a favourite Cru
Bourgeois property with many, thanks to the supreme quality of its
wine. The proprietor, Jean Gautreau, did not consider his wine to need
any further classification to sell and thus he did not put Sociando-
Mallet forward for inclusion in the new classification. In view of the
furore that the doomed classification then engendered, he made a wise
decision, I think. There were some excellent properties included at
the supérieur level, but even on the lowest rung good value could be
found.
Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
Chateau Chasse-Spleen
Chateau Haut-Marbuzet
Chateau Labégorce-Zédé
Chateau Les Ormes de Pez
Chateau de Pez
Chateau Phélan-Ségur
Chateau Potensac
Chateau Poujeaux
Chateau Siran
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Chateau d'Agassac
Chateau d'Angludet
Chateau Anthonic
Chateau d'Arche
Chateau Arnauld
Chateau d'Arsac
Chateau Beaumont
Chateau Beau-Site
Chateau Biston-Brillette
Chateau Le Boscq
Chateau Bournac
Chateau Brillette
Chateau Cambon La Pelouse
Chateau Cap Léon Veyrin
Chateau La Cardonne
Chateau Caronne Ste-Gemme
Chateau Castera
Chateau Chambert-Marbuzet
Chateau Charmail
Chateau Cissac
Chateau Citran
Chateau Clarke
Chateau Clauzet
Chateau Clément Pichon
Chateau Colombier-Monpelou
Chateau Coufran
Chateau Le Crock
Chateau Dutruch Grand Poujeaux
Chateau d'Escurac
Chateau Fonbadet
Chateau Fonréaud
Chateau Fourcas Dupré
Chateau Fourcas Hosten
Chateau Fourcas Loubaney
Chateau du Glana
Chateau Les Grands Chênes
Chateau Gressier Grand Poujeaux
Chateau Greysac
Chateau La Gurgue
Chateau Hanteillanc
Chateau Haut-Bages Monpelou
Chateau La Haye
Chateau Labégorce
Chateau Lachesnaye
Chateau de Lamarque
Chateau Lamothe Bergeron
Chateau Lanessan
Chateau Larose Trintaudon
Chateau Lestage
Chateau Lestage Simon
Chateau Lilian Ladouys
Chateau Liversan
Chateau Loudenne
Chateau Malescasse
Chateau de Malleret
Chateau Maucaillou
Chateau Maucamps
Chateau Mayne Lalande
Chateau Meyney
Chateau Monbrison
Chateau Moulin à Vent
Chateau Moulin de la Rose
Chateau Les Ormes Sorbet
Chateau Paloumey
Chateau Patache d’Aux
Chateau Paveil de Luze
Chateau Petit Bocq
Chateau Pibran
Chateau Ramage La Batisse
Chateau Reysson
Chateau Rollan de By
Chateau Saransot-Dupré
Chateau Ségur
Chateau Sénéjac
Chateau Soudars
Chateau du Taillan
Chateau Terrey Gros Cailloux
Chateau La Tour de By
Chateau Tour de Marbuzet
Chateau La Tour de Mons
Chateau Tour de Pez
Chateau Tour du Haut Moulin
Chateau Tour Haut Caussan
Chateau Tronquoy-Lalande
Chateau Verdignan
Chateau Vieux Robin
Chateau de Villegeorge
Cru Bourgeois
Chateau Andron Blanquet
Chateau Aney
Chateau d'Arcins
Chateau L'Argenteyre
Chateau d'Aurilhac
Chateau Balac
Chateau Barateau
Chateau Bardis
Chateau Barreyres
Chateau Baudan
Chateau Beau-Site Haut-Vignoble
Chateau Bégadanet
Chateau Bel Air
Chateau Bel Air
Chateau Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande
Chateau Bel-Air Lagrave
Chateau des Belles Graves
Chateau Bessan Ségur
Chateau Bibian
Chateau Blaignan
Chateau Le Boscq
Chateau Le Bourdieu
Chateau Le Bourdieu Vertheuil
Chateau de Braude
Chateau du Breuil
Chateau La Bridane
Chateau des Brousteras
Chateau des Cabans
Chateau Cap de Haut
Chateau Capbern Gasqueton
Chateau Chantelys
Chateau La Clare
Chateau La Commanderie
Chateau Le Coteau
Chateau Coutelin Merville
Chateau de la Croix
Chateau Dasvin-Bel-Air
Chateau David
Chateau Devise d’Ardilley
Chateau Deyrem Valentin
Chateau Dillon
Chateau Domeyne
Chateau Donissan
Chateau Ducluzeau
Chateau Duplessis
Chateau Duplessis Fabre
Chateau Duthil
Chateau L'Ermitage
Chateau d'Escot
Chateau La Fleur Milon
Chateau La Fleur Peyrabon
Chateau La Fon du Berger
Chateau Fontesteau
Chateau Fontis
Chateau La Galiane
Chateau de Gironville
Chateau La Gorce
Chateau La Gorre
Chateau Grand Clapeau Olivier
Chateau Grandis
Chateau Granins Grand Poujeaux
Chateau Grivière
Chateau Haut-Beauséjour
Chateau Haut-Bellevue
Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudière
Chateau Haut-Canteloup
Chateau Haut-Madrac
Chateau Haut-Maurac
Chateau Houissant
Chateau Hourbanon
Chateau Hourtin-Ducasse
Chateau Labadie
Chateau Ladouys
Chateau Laffitte Carcasset
Chateau Laffitte Laujac
Chateau Lafon
Chateau Lalande
Chateau Lalande
Chateau Lamothe-Cissac
Chateau Larose Perganson
Chateau Larrivaux
Chateau Larruau
Chateau Laujac
Chateau La Lauzette-Declercq
Chateau Leyssac
Chateau Lieujean
Chateau Liouner
Chateau Lousteauneuf
Chateau Magnol
Chateau de Marbuzet
Chateau Marsac Séguineau
Chateau Martinens
Chateau Maurac
Chateau Mazails
Chateau Le Meynieu
Chateau Meyre
Chateau Les Moines
Chateau Mongravey
Chateau Le Monteil d’Arsac
Chateau Morin
Chateau du Moulin Rouge
Chateau La Mouline
Chateau Muret
Chateau Noaillac
Chateau du Perier
Chateau Le Pey
Chateau Peyrabon
Chateau Peyredon Lagravette
Chateau Peyre-Lebade
Chateau Picard
Chateau Plantey
Chateau Poitevin
Chateau Pomys
Chateau Pontac Lynch
Chateau Pontey
Chateau Pontoise Cabarrus
Chateau Puy Castéra
Chateau Ramafort
Chateau du Raux
Chateau La Raze Beauvallet
Chateau du Retout
Chateau Reverdi
Chateau Roquegrave
Chateau Rousseau de Sipian
Chateau St Ahon
Chateau St Aubin
Chateau St-Christophe
Chateau St Estèphe
Chateau St-Hilaire
Chateau St-Paul
Chateau Segue Longue
Chateau Ségur de Cabanac
Chateau Semeillan Mazeau
Chateau Senilhac
Chateau Tayac
Chateau Le Temple
Chateau Teynac
Chateau La Tonnelle
Chateau Tour Blanche
Chateau La Tour de Bessan
Chateau Tour des Termes
Chateau Tour-du-Roc
Chateau Tour Prignac
Chateau Tour St Bonnet
Chateau Tour St-Fort
Chateau Tour St Joseph
Chateau Trois Moulins
Chateau Les Tuileries
Chateau Vernous
Vieux Chateau Landon
Chateau de Villambis
- Wine Doctor.
first ever classification of the Cru Bourgeois properties of the Médoc
was drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of
Agriculture in 1932. Together they bestowed the accolade on 444
properties, and it graced the labels of these wines for more than six
decades, even though the system was never officially ratified by the
Agriculture Ministry.
As the end of the 20th Century neared, and the popularity and
reputation of a number of the Cru Bourgeois properties grew, it became
apparent that a more regulated classification was required. On
November 30th, 2000 a ministerial decree laid out the framework for a
new classification, and this was subsequently drawn up and ratified by
a subsequent decree on June 17th, 2003. Of 490 chateaux that submitted
to the new classification, however, only 247 were included, a
significant contraction of the original listing made in 1932. They
were divided into three tiers, led by the Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
(the best wines, with just nine chateaux on this rung), followed by
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur (87 properties) and then the standard Cru
Bourgeois estates (151 properties). Admirably, there was a plan to
review the ranking every 12 years.
This classification resulted in some controversy; as might be
expected, a number of proprietors were displeased to discover that
their property had not been included, or had been included at a lower
than expected level. The classification was based on an assessment of
the wines produced from 1994 to 1999 (as well as other nebulous
aspects such as terroir), so owners of recently purchased chateaux may
have received an unfair classification based on the performances of
their predecessors. In addition, some chateaux have been listed twice,
classified for both first and second wines, a strange anomaly.
In 2004 a regional court in Bordeaux sided with over 70 complainants
against the system, concluding that their rankings within the system
were void, but otherwise the court felt the new classification
remained valid. In 2005 the Administrative Tribunal in Bordeaux upheld
this decision. It was not until early 2007 that the Cru Bourgeois
applecart was truly upset. The Bordeaux magistrate, Jean-Pierre
Valeins, concluded in his court that the classification was tainted by
partiality, noting that four of the 18 members of the selection panel
had business dealings with a number of the classified properties. The
court went on to annul the whole classification, stripping the higher-
ranked properties (such as Ormes de Pez, right) of their new
Exceptionnel and Supérieur titles, leaving them all with their
unratified 1932 ranking, as plain Cru Bourgeois.
The Bordeaux viticulteurs clearly needed rescuing from this maelstrom
and the resolution came surprisingly swiftly, although it indicated
that the way forward would clearly not be an easy one. No-one could
have foreseen when the first plans for the revision were laid out in
2000 that the end result of the process would be use of the phrase
"cru bourgeois" on the label being declared illegal, but that was
exactly what happened. In July 2007 the annulment was confirmed as
permanent, and the French fraud office outlawed that very phrase -
although it was not clear to me whether this would begin with the 2007
vintage or to an earlier one. The Alliance des Crus Bourgeois held a
specially convened meeting that month, and a motion to introduce the
term Label Cru Bourgeois as a mark of quality rather than a
classification was introduced. So the term still exists, but now it
means something quite different. It should also be noted that there is
no internal ranking - as exceptionnel or supérieur - as there was in
2003.
The new designation will be awarded with the following basis:
Cru Bourgeois is a designation of quality only
The right to use the term is based on production methods, as judged by
a visit to the property, and results, determined by tasting of the
wine
It is an annual qualification, awarded by an independent organisation
The qualification may be obtained by any property in the Médoc
Further meetings of the Alliance in 2008 seemed to ratify the process
as above, with nearly 300 estates opting in to this new, annually-
awarded accolade. Any estate with at least 7 hectares in the Haut-
Médoc or 4 hectares in one of the communal appellations such as
Pauillac would eligible to apply. There were some doubts, especially
as the new award included stipulated barrel and vat capacities, which
meant that some estates would need to make new and significant
investments before qualifying. Nevertheless, on the whole, it appeared
that the producers were moving forward together in a very positive
fashion, and it was anticipated that this new seal of quality would
first appear with the 2007 vintage, the decisions as to which estates
- or rather which wines - had qualified to be released just before the
bottling in 2009. By mid-2009, however, this was looking less likely,
and it seems that the system will only be fully operational with the
2008 vintage, assessed by tasting panel in early 2010. We still have
to wait and see the end result of this most disastrous attempt at
reclassification.
In the meantime, while we await the results of this new process, I
present here for historical reasons if nothing else the 2003 version
of the classification.
The 2003 Classification (Annulled)
Nine properties led the classification at the exceptionnel level. Keen
eyed readers will note the absence of Sociando-Mallet, a favourite Cru
Bourgeois property with many, thanks to the supreme quality of its
wine. The proprietor, Jean Gautreau, did not consider his wine to need
any further classification to sell and thus he did not put Sociando-
Mallet forward for inclusion in the new classification. In view of the
furore that the doomed classification then engendered, he made a wise
decision, I think. There were some excellent properties included at
the supérieur level, but even on the lowest rung good value could be
found.
Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
Chateau Chasse-Spleen
Chateau Haut-Marbuzet
Chateau Labégorce-Zédé
Chateau Les Ormes de Pez
Chateau de Pez
Chateau Phélan-Ségur
Chateau Potensac
Chateau Poujeaux
Chateau Siran
Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Chateau d'Agassac
Chateau d'Angludet
Chateau Anthonic
Chateau d'Arche
Chateau Arnauld
Chateau d'Arsac
Chateau Beaumont
Chateau Beau-Site
Chateau Biston-Brillette
Chateau Le Boscq
Chateau Bournac
Chateau Brillette
Chateau Cambon La Pelouse
Chateau Cap Léon Veyrin
Chateau La Cardonne
Chateau Caronne Ste-Gemme
Chateau Castera
Chateau Chambert-Marbuzet
Chateau Charmail
Chateau Cissac
Chateau Citran
Chateau Clarke
Chateau Clauzet
Chateau Clément Pichon
Chateau Colombier-Monpelou
Chateau Coufran
Chateau Le Crock
Chateau Dutruch Grand Poujeaux
Chateau d'Escurac
Chateau Fonbadet
Chateau Fonréaud
Chateau Fourcas Dupré
Chateau Fourcas Hosten
Chateau Fourcas Loubaney
Chateau du Glana
Chateau Les Grands Chênes
Chateau Gressier Grand Poujeaux
Chateau Greysac
Chateau La Gurgue
Chateau Hanteillanc
Chateau Haut-Bages Monpelou
Chateau La Haye
Chateau Labégorce
Chateau Lachesnaye
Chateau de Lamarque
Chateau Lamothe Bergeron
Chateau Lanessan
Chateau Larose Trintaudon
Chateau Lestage
Chateau Lestage Simon
Chateau Lilian Ladouys
Chateau Liversan
Chateau Loudenne
Chateau Malescasse
Chateau de Malleret
Chateau Maucaillou
Chateau Maucamps
Chateau Mayne Lalande
Chateau Meyney
Chateau Monbrison
Chateau Moulin à Vent
Chateau Moulin de la Rose
Chateau Les Ormes Sorbet
Chateau Paloumey
Chateau Patache d’Aux
Chateau Paveil de Luze
Chateau Petit Bocq
Chateau Pibran
Chateau Ramage La Batisse
Chateau Reysson
Chateau Rollan de By
Chateau Saransot-Dupré
Chateau Ségur
Chateau Sénéjac
Chateau Soudars
Chateau du Taillan
Chateau Terrey Gros Cailloux
Chateau La Tour de By
Chateau Tour de Marbuzet
Chateau La Tour de Mons
Chateau Tour de Pez
Chateau Tour du Haut Moulin
Chateau Tour Haut Caussan
Chateau Tronquoy-Lalande
Chateau Verdignan
Chateau Vieux Robin
Chateau de Villegeorge
Cru Bourgeois
Chateau Andron Blanquet
Chateau Aney
Chateau d'Arcins
Chateau L'Argenteyre
Chateau d'Aurilhac
Chateau Balac
Chateau Barateau
Chateau Bardis
Chateau Barreyres
Chateau Baudan
Chateau Beau-Site Haut-Vignoble
Chateau Bégadanet
Chateau Bel Air
Chateau Bel Air
Chateau Bel Orme Tronquoy de Lalande
Chateau Bel-Air Lagrave
Chateau des Belles Graves
Chateau Bessan Ségur
Chateau Bibian
Chateau Blaignan
Chateau Le Boscq
Chateau Le Bourdieu
Chateau Le Bourdieu Vertheuil
Chateau de Braude
Chateau du Breuil
Chateau La Bridane
Chateau des Brousteras
Chateau des Cabans
Chateau Cap de Haut
Chateau Capbern Gasqueton
Chateau Chantelys
Chateau La Clare
Chateau La Commanderie
Chateau Le Coteau
Chateau Coutelin Merville
Chateau de la Croix
Chateau Dasvin-Bel-Air
Chateau David
Chateau Devise d’Ardilley
Chateau Deyrem Valentin
Chateau Dillon
Chateau Domeyne
Chateau Donissan
Chateau Ducluzeau
Chateau Duplessis
Chateau Duplessis Fabre
Chateau Duthil
Chateau L'Ermitage
Chateau d'Escot
Chateau La Fleur Milon
Chateau La Fleur Peyrabon
Chateau La Fon du Berger
Chateau Fontesteau
Chateau Fontis
Chateau La Galiane
Chateau de Gironville
Chateau La Gorce
Chateau La Gorre
Chateau Grand Clapeau Olivier
Chateau Grandis
Chateau Granins Grand Poujeaux
Chateau Grivière
Chateau Haut-Beauséjour
Chateau Haut-Bellevue
Chateau Haut Breton Larigaudière
Chateau Haut-Canteloup
Chateau Haut-Madrac
Chateau Haut-Maurac
Chateau Houissant
Chateau Hourbanon
Chateau Hourtin-Ducasse
Chateau Labadie
Chateau Ladouys
Chateau Laffitte Carcasset
Chateau Laffitte Laujac
Chateau Lafon
Chateau Lalande
Chateau Lalande
Chateau Lamothe-Cissac
Chateau Larose Perganson
Chateau Larrivaux
Chateau Larruau
Chateau Laujac
Chateau La Lauzette-Declercq
Chateau Leyssac
Chateau Lieujean
Chateau Liouner
Chateau Lousteauneuf
Chateau Magnol
Chateau de Marbuzet
Chateau Marsac Séguineau
Chateau Martinens
Chateau Maurac
Chateau Mazails
Chateau Le Meynieu
Chateau Meyre
Chateau Les Moines
Chateau Mongravey
Chateau Le Monteil d’Arsac
Chateau Morin
Chateau du Moulin Rouge
Chateau La Mouline
Chateau Muret
Chateau Noaillac
Chateau du Perier
Chateau Le Pey
Chateau Peyrabon
Chateau Peyredon Lagravette
Chateau Peyre-Lebade
Chateau Picard
Chateau Plantey
Chateau Poitevin
Chateau Pomys
Chateau Pontac Lynch
Chateau Pontey
Chateau Pontoise Cabarrus
Chateau Puy Castéra
Chateau Ramafort
Chateau du Raux
Chateau La Raze Beauvallet
Chateau du Retout
Chateau Reverdi
Chateau Roquegrave
Chateau Rousseau de Sipian
Chateau St Ahon
Chateau St Aubin
Chateau St-Christophe
Chateau St Estèphe
Chateau St-Hilaire
Chateau St-Paul
Chateau Segue Longue
Chateau Ségur de Cabanac
Chateau Semeillan Mazeau
Chateau Senilhac
Chateau Tayac
Chateau Le Temple
Chateau Teynac
Chateau La Tonnelle
Chateau Tour Blanche
Chateau La Tour de Bessan
Chateau Tour des Termes
Chateau Tour-du-Roc
Chateau Tour Prignac
Chateau Tour St Bonnet
Chateau Tour St-Fort
Chateau Tour St Joseph
Chateau Trois Moulins
Chateau Les Tuileries
Chateau Vernous
Vieux Chateau Landon
Chateau de Villambis
- Wine Doctor.
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