Cru Bourgeois
Encyclopedia
The Cru Bourgeois classification lists some of the high quality wine
s from the Left Bank Bordeaux wine regions
that were not included in the 1855 Classification
of Classed Growths, or Grands Crus Classés. As the classification of Classed Growths had only one change since 1856, it came to be widely regarded as outdated, and many wine writers agree that there is considerable overlap in quality between the Classed Growths and the Cru Bourgeois.
The first Cru Bourgeois list was drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Agriculture in 1932, selecting 444 estates for the classification. A substantial revision of the classification, dividing it into three tiers, was initiated in 2000 and finalised in 2003. Following several legal turns, the 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification was annulled by the French government in 2007, resulting in a ban of all use of the term. In 2010, a significantly modified version of the Cru Bourgeois was reintroduced, consisting only of a single tier, and applied to the 2008 vintage.
(Total:9)
Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs
(Total:87)
Crus Bourgeois
(Total 151)
As with any such classification system, there was controversy over these rankings, and some very highly regarded wines outside the 1855 classification such as Château Gloria
and Château Sociando-Mallet
did not apply for classification.
. The classification was at that point reverted to the 1932 classification, with the tiers Exceptionnel and Supérieur removed, and the original 444 estates equally classified Cru Bourgeois.
In July of that year, the suspension was officially amended and all use of the term Cru Bourgeois became illegal. As the 2005 vintages were already bottled and with further anticipated delays, the ruling was expected to be enforced starting with the 2007 vintage. The ban applies to all wines, also extending to those wineries in Sauternes, Côtes-de-Bourg
and Blaye
who use the term.
The Alliance des Crus Bourgeois responded by taking a new motion to the government, to create a new certification adopting the term Label Cru Bourgeois from the 2007 vintage to be released in 2009, "not as a classification, but as a mark of quality" open to all Médoc
wines, based on production and quality standards.
Initially, the organisation L'Alliance des Cru Bourgeois du Médoc hoped to be able to reintroduce the classification in 2009, and apply it to the 2007 vintage, but this was not achieved. Instead, the new classification was unveiled in 2010, and applied to the 2008 vintage.
While the new Cru Bourgeois classification was being prepared, six out of nine of the former Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel decided to remain outside the new one-tier classification. Instead, they formed a group named Les Exceptionnels, primarily to stage common marketing events. Members of this group are Château Chasse Spleen, Château Les Ormes de Pez, Château de Pez
, Château Potensac
, Château Poujeaux
and Château Siran
.
appellation
, on the plateau south and west of the village.
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
s from the Left Bank Bordeaux wine regions
Bordeaux wine regions
The wine regions of Bordeaux are the area around the city of Bordeaux within the Gironde department of Aquitaine. The region is naturally divided by the Gironde River into a Left Bank area which includes the Médoc and the subregions of St-Estèphe, Pauillac, St.-Julien, and Margaux and a Right Bank...
that were not included in the 1855 Classification
Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855
The Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 resulted from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France's best Bordeaux wines which were to be on display for visitors from around the world...
of Classed Growths, or Grands Crus Classés. As the classification of Classed Growths had only one change since 1856, it came to be widely regarded as outdated, and many wine writers agree that there is considerable overlap in quality between the Classed Growths and the Cru Bourgeois.
The first Cru Bourgeois list was drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Agriculture in 1932, selecting 444 estates for the classification. A substantial revision of the classification, dividing it into three tiers, was initiated in 2000 and finalised in 2003. Following several legal turns, the 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification was annulled by the French government in 2007, resulting in a ban of all use of the term. In 2010, a significantly modified version of the Cru Bourgeois was reintroduced, consisting only of a single tier, and applied to the 2008 vintage.
2003 Classification
The 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification (annulled in 2007) proposed a system of 247 wines classified in three tiers:| Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnels | Appellation |
|---|---|
| Château Chasse-Spleen Château Chasse-Spleen Château Chasse-Spleen is a winery in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation of the Bordeaux region of France, just north-west of Margaux. Château Chasse-Spleen was selected as one of six Crus Exceptionnels in the Cru Bourgeois classification of 1932, and through later revisions until the annulment of the... |
(Moulis-en-Médoc) |
| Château Haut-Marbuzet Château Haut-Marbuzet Château Haut-Marbuzet is a Bordeaux wine estate in the Saint-Estèphe appellation area of the Haut-Médoc.Although its origins go back to the 18th century, the estate only emerged as a leading quality producer from 1952 after Hervé Duboscq acquired it.... |
(Saint-Estèphe) |
| Château Labégorce Zédé Château Labégorce Zédé The winery of Château Labégorce Margaux and Château Labégorce Zédé lies in the commune of Margaux in the Médoc region in the département of Gironde.... |
(Margaux) |
| Château Les Ormes-de-Pez Château Les Ormes-de-Pez Château Les Ormes-de-Pez, or Château Ormes de Pez, is a winery in the Saint-Estèphe appellation of the Bordeaux wine region of France, near the hamlet of Pez. The wine produced here was classified as one of 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels in the 2003 listing... |
(Saint-Estèphe) |
| Château de Pez Château de Pez Château de Pez is a vineyard located across the road from Château Calon-Ségur, in the northern parts of Saint Estèphe. Traditionally one of the leading Bourgeois Supérieur wines of the Médoc, it is believed by some to deserve higher classification. In a 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification revision,... |
(Saint-Estèphe) |
| Château Phélan Ségur Château Phélan Ségur Château Phélan Ségur lies in the commune of Saint-Estèphe in the Bordeaux region of France, neighbouring vineyards Château Calon-Ségur and Château Montrose. In a 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification revision, it was listed as one of 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels.A second wine is produced since 1986,... |
(Saint-Estèphe) |
| Château Potensac Château Potensac Château Potensac is a winery in the Médoc appellation of the Bordeaux wine region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels as of the 2003 listing. The classification was eventually banned from use in 2007.... |
(Médoc) |
| Château Poujeaux Château Poujeaux Château Poujeaux lies in the wine-producing district of Moulis-en-Médoc in the Bordeaux region of France. It is one of the most highly regarded wines within Moulis, alongside Château Chasse-Spleen... |
(Moulis-en-Médoc) |
| Château Siran Château Siran Château Siran is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels as of the 2003 listing. The Chateau owns planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. A second wine is... |
(Margaux) |
(Total:9)
| Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs | Appellation |
|---|---|
| Château d’Agassac | (Haut Medoc) |
| Château Anthonic | (Moulis-en-Medoc) |
| Château d’Arche | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Arnauld | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château d’Arsac | (Margaux) |
| Château Beaumont | (Haut Medoc) |
| Château Beau-Site | (Haut Médoc) |
| Château Brillette Château Brillette Château Brillette is a winery in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation of the Bordeaux region of France, just north-west of Margaux. Château Brillette was selected as Crus Bourgeois Supérieur in the Cru Bourgeois classification of 1932, and through later revisions until the annulment the classification... |
(Moulis-en-Médoc) |
| Château Le Boscq | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Bournac | (Medoc) |
| Château Brillette Château Brillette Château Brillette is a winery in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation of the Bordeaux region of France, just north-west of Margaux. Château Brillette was selected as Crus Bourgeois Supérieur in the Cru Bourgeois classification of 1932, and through later revisions until the annulment the classification... |
(Moulis-en-Medoc) |
| Château Cambon La Pelouse | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Cap-Léon-Veyrin | (Listrac) |
| Château Cardonne | (Medoc) |
| Château Caronne Sainte-Gemme | (Haut Medoc) |
| Château Castera Saint-Germain-d’Esteuil | (Médoc) |
| Château Chambert-Marbuzet Château Chambert-Marbuzet Château Chambert-Marbuzet is a Bordeaux wine estate of 5 hectares located in the St.-Estèphe appellation area. It belongs to the family of Henri Duboscq.... |
(Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Charmail Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Cissac Château Cissac Château Cissac is a winery in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation of the Bordeaux wine region of France. Cissac produces long-lived red wines and is classified as a Cru Bourgeois. The Château is owned by the Vialard family.- External links :*... |
(Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Citran Château Citran Château Citran is a Bourdeaux wine from the appellation Haut-Médoc rated Cru Bourgeois. The winery is located on the Left Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine region in the commune of Avensan.The estate also produces a second wine named Moulins de Citran.... |
(Haut Medoc) |
| Château Clarke Château Clarke Château Clarke is a wine property of Bordeaux of based in the Listrac-Médoc AOC and classified as Cru Bourgeois.-History:In the 12th century, the Cistercian monks of the Vertheuil Abbey established the first grapevine. The estate would permanently bear Tobie Clarke’s name in 1818, when the knight... |
(Listrac) |
| Château Clauzet | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Clément Pichon | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Colombier-Ponpelou | (Pauillac) |
| Château Coufran Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne | (Haut Medoc) |
| Château Le Crock | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Dutruch Grand Poujeaux | (Moulis) |
| Château d’Escurac | (Medoc) |
| Château Fonbadet | (Pauillac) |
| Château Fonréaud | (Listrac) |
| Château Fourcas Dupré | (Listrac) |
| Château Fourcas Hosten | (Listrac) |
| Château Furcas Loubaney | (Listrac) |
| Château du-Giana | (Saint-Julien) |
| Château Les Grands Chênes | (Medoc) |
| Château Gressier Grand Poujeaux | (Moulis) |
| Château Greysac | (Medoc) |
| Château La Gurgue | (Margaux) |
| Château Hanteillan | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Haut-Bages Monpelou | (Pauillac) |
| Château La-Haye | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Labegorce | (Margaux) |
| Château de Lamarque | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Lamothe Bergeron | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Lanessan Château Lanessan Château Lanessan is a Bordeaux wine estate in the Haut-Médoc appellation, located on the Left Bank of France’s Bordeaux wine regions in the commune of Cussac near Fort Médoc. The estate held a rating of Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, until this specific classification was annulled... |
(Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Larose Trintaudon | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Lestage | (Listrac) |
| Château Lestage Simon | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Lilian Ladouys | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Liversan | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Lilian Ladouys | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Loudenne | (Medoc) |
| Château Malescasse | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château de Malleret Château de Malleret Château de Malleret is a château in Gironde, Aquitane, France.... |
(Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Maucaillou | (Moulis) |
| Château Maucamps | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Mayne-Lalande | (Listrac) |
| Château Meyney | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Monbrison | (Margaux) |
| Château Moulin à Vent | (Moulis) |
| Château Moulin de La Rose | (Saint-Julien) |
| Château Les Ormes Sorbet | (Medoc) |
| Château Paloumey | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Patache d'Aux | (Medoc) |
| Château Paveil de Luze | (Margaux) |
| Château Petit Bocq | (Saint-Estephe) |
| Château Pibran | (Pauillac) |
| Château Ramage La Batisse | (Haut-Medoc) |
| Château Reysson | (Haut-Medoc) |
Crus Bourgeois Supérieurs
(Total:87)
Crus Bourgeois
(Total 151)
As with any such classification system, there was controversy over these rankings, and some very highly regarded wines outside the 1855 classification such as Château Gloria
Château Gloria
Château Gloria is an unclassed Bordeaux wine from the Saint-Julien appellation. The winery is located in the central part of France’s Bordeaux wine region Haut-Médoc, in the commune of Saint-Julien-Beychevelle....
and Château Sociando-Mallet
Château Sociando-Mallet
Château Sociando-Mallet is an unclassed Bordeaux wine producer from the appellation Haut-Médoc. The winery is located on the Left Bank of the Bordeaux wine regions, in the commune of Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne north of Saint-Estèphe, France...
did not apply for classification.
Annulment
In February 2007, the French courts overturned the 2003 revision based on an appeal by dissatisfied producers. In essence the court ruled that four of the panel had conflicting interests, as owners of relevant wineries, and could not be seen as independent. Additionally, some vineyards were listed with both its Grand vin and second wineSecond wine
Second wine is a term commonly associated with Bordeaux wine to refer to a second label wine made from cuvee not selected for use in the Grand vin or first label...
. The classification was at that point reverted to the 1932 classification, with the tiers Exceptionnel and Supérieur removed, and the original 444 estates equally classified Cru Bourgeois.
In July of that year, the suspension was officially amended and all use of the term Cru Bourgeois became illegal. As the 2005 vintages were already bottled and with further anticipated delays, the ruling was expected to be enforced starting with the 2007 vintage. The ban applies to all wines, also extending to those wineries in Sauternes, Côtes-de-Bourg
Bourg, Gironde
Bourg, also less formally known as Bourg-sur-Gironde, is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-See also:*French wine*Bordeaux wine*Bordeaux wine regions*Communes of the Gironde department...
and Blaye
Blaye
Blaye is a commune and subprefecture in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:Its inhabitants are called Blayais or the Blayaises.-Geography:...
who use the term.
The Alliance des Crus Bourgeois responded by taking a new motion to the government, to create a new certification adopting the term Label Cru Bourgeois from the 2007 vintage to be released in 2009, "not as a classification, but as a mark of quality" open to all Médoc
Médoc
The Médoc is a region of France, well known as a wine growing region, located in the département of Gironde, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of Bordeaux. Its name comes from Medullicus, or "country of the Medulli", the local Celtic tribe...
wines, based on production and quality standards.
2010 reintroduction
In February 2008, a format for the classification to be reintroduced was agreed by 180 estates from the defunct 2003 ranking, along with 95 new entrants. The revision demanded that estates adhere to a new set of production rules and independent quality testing in order to remain in the classification, and initially the terms Cru Bourgeois Supérieur or Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel would no longer be used.Initially, the organisation L'Alliance des Cru Bourgeois du Médoc hoped to be able to reintroduce the classification in 2009, and apply it to the 2007 vintage, but this was not achieved. Instead, the new classification was unveiled in 2010, and applied to the 2008 vintage.
While the new Cru Bourgeois classification was being prepared, six out of nine of the former Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel decided to remain outside the new one-tier classification. Instead, they formed a group named Les Exceptionnels, primarily to stage common marketing events. Members of this group are Château Chasse Spleen, Château Les Ormes de Pez, Château de Pez
Château de Pez
Château de Pez is a vineyard located across the road from Château Calon-Ségur, in the northern parts of Saint Estèphe. Traditionally one of the leading Bourgeois Supérieur wines of the Médoc, it is believed by some to deserve higher classification. In a 2003 Cru Bourgeois classification revision,...
, Château Potensac
Château Potensac
Château Potensac is a winery in the Médoc appellation of the Bordeaux wine region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels as of the 2003 listing. The classification was eventually banned from use in 2007....
, Château Poujeaux
Château Poujeaux
Château Poujeaux lies in the wine-producing district of Moulis-en-Médoc in the Bordeaux region of France. It is one of the most highly regarded wines within Moulis, alongside Château Chasse-Spleen...
and Château Siran
Château Siran
Château Siran is a winery in the Margaux appellation of the Bordeaux region of France. The wine produced here was classified as one of 9 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnels as of the 2003 listing. The Chateau owns planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. A second wine is...
.
Regions
Crus Bourgeois wineries can be found across the Médoc, but there is a particularly high concentration in the Saint-EstèpheSaint-Estèphe
Saint-Estèphe is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-Wine:Saint-Estèphe is best known as the northernmost, and one of the four major wine-growing appellations of the Médoc...
appellation
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
, on the plateau south and west of the village.
See also
- Regional wine classification
- Bordeaux wine regionsBordeaux wine regionsThe wine regions of Bordeaux are the area around the city of Bordeaux within the Gironde department of Aquitaine. The region is naturally divided by the Gironde River into a Left Bank area which includes the Médoc and the subregions of St-Estèphe, Pauillac, St.-Julien, and Margaux and a Right Bank...
- History of Bordeaux wineHistory of Bordeaux wineThe history of Bordeaux wine spans almost 2000 years to Roman times when the first vineyards were planted. In the Middle Ages, the marriage of Henry Plantagenet and Eleanor of Aquitaine opened the Bordeaux region to the English market and eventually to the world's stage...