First Growth (french: Premier Cru) status is a classification of

wine Wine is an alcoholic drink typically made from fermented grapes. Yeast consumes the sugar in the grapes and converts it to ethanol and carbon dioxide, releasing heat in the process. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts are m ...

s primarily from the

Bordeaux Bordeaux ( , ; Gascon oc, Bordèu ; eu, Bordele; it, Bordò; es, Burdeos) is a port city on the river Garonne in the Gironde department, Southwestern France. It is the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, as well as the prefect ...

region of France. The best of the best wines were assigned the highest rank of Premier Cru; only five wines,

Château Lafite Rothschild Château Lafite Rothschild is a French wine estate of Bordeaux wine, located in Pauillac in France, owned by members of the Rothschild family since the 19th century, and rated as a First Growth under the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. Lafite ...

Château Latour Château Latour is a French wine estate, rated as a First Growth under the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, owned by Groupe Artemis. Latour lies at the very southeastern tip of the commune of Pauillac in the Médoc region to the north-west of Bord ...

Château Margaux Château Margaux (), archaically La Mothe de Margaux, is a wine estate of Bordeaux wine, and was one of four wines to achieve ''Premier cru'' (first growth) status in the Bordeaux Classification of 1855. The estate's best wines are very expens ...

Château Haut-Brion Château Haut-Brion () is a French wine, rated a ''Premier Grand Cru Classé'' ( First Great Growth), produced in Pessac just outside the city of Bordeaux. It differs from the other wines on the list in its geographic location in the north of ...

, and

Château Mouton Rothschild Château Mouton Rothschild is a wine estate located in the village of Pauillac in the Médoc region, 50 km (30 mi) north-west of the city of Bordeaux, France. Originally known as ''Château Brane-Mouton'', its red wine was renamed by ...

are rated First Growth.

History

Bordeaux reds

The need for a classification of the best Bordeaux wines arose from the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. The result was the

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 that were to be on display for visitors from ...

, a list of the top ranked wines, named the Grand Crus Classés (Great Classified Growths). With several thousand Chateaux producing their wines in Bordeaux, to be classified was to carry a mark of high prestige. Within the Grand Cru Classé list, wines were further ranked and placed in one of five divisions. The best of the best wines were assigned the highest rank of Premier Cru; only four wines,

and

were deemed worthy. Of all the 61 great classified wines, all but one came from the Médoc region. The exception was the premier cru Château Haut-Brion, produced in

Graves A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...

. The 1855 list remained unchanged for over a hundred years until finally Mouton Rothschild was promoted to Premier Cru status in 1973, after decades of relentless lobbying by its powerful owner, Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Of lesser importance, in 1988 the premier cru Château Haut-Brion was changed in appellation from Graves to Pessac-Leognan to represent apparent changes in soil structure caused by the urbanisation of areas surrounding Bordeaux.

Bordeaux sweet wines

Also in 1855, 21 of the best sweet wines from Bordeaux were classified as Grand Crus Classés in a separate list. In the original classification, nine wines (primarily from the Sauternes and Barsac regions) were classed as ''Premier Cru'', while 11 were assigned the lower (though still prestigious) rank of ''Deuxième Cru'' (Second Growth). One wine (

Château d'Yquem Château d'Yquem () is a '' Premier Cru Supérieur'' ( Fr: "Superior First Growth") wine from the Sauternes, Gironde region in the southern part of the Bordeaux vineyards known as Graves. In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, Ch ...

) was considered so great it was granted a special ''Premier Cru Supérieur'' classification.

Other classification schemes in Bordeaux

With the exception of Château Haut-Brion from Graves, the 1855 Classification did not include producers in the regions of

Saint-Émilion Saint-Émilion (; Gascon: ''Sent Milion'') is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. In 2016, it had a population of 1,938. In the heart of the country of ''Libournais'' (the area around Libourne), i ...

and

Pomerol Pomerol (; oc, Pomairòus) is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine near Bordeaux in southwestern France. Wine With only . Pomerol is the smallest wine producing area in the Bordeaux region. It is more a community where t ...

. For details on their own classification schemes, see their sections below.

Other classification schemes in France

Burgundy maintains its own classification scheme based on specific

appellations An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographical indication primarily used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown, although other types of food often have appellations as well. Restrictions other than geographical boun ...

. Although the terminology used is similar, the classification hierarchy is different and also attaches to the vineyards themselves. The most-highly rated vineyards are graded as

Grand Cru Cru is a wine term used to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards. It is a French word which is traditionally translated as "growth", as is the past participle of the verb "croître" (to grow); it literally means 'grown'. The ...

, while those at the next level are classified as

Premier Cru Cru is a wine term used to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards. It is a French word which is traditionally translated as "growth", as is the past participle of the verb "croître" (to grow); it literally means 'grown'. The t ...

First Growth wines today

Bordeaux reds

''Premier Grand Cru''

Médoc (

Pauillac Pauillac (; oc, Paulhac) is a municipality in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. The city is mid-way between Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave, along the Gironde, the largest estuary in western Europe. Populati ...

) *

Médoc ( Margaux) *

Médoc (Pauillac) *

Graves (Pessac-Leognan) *

Château Mouton-Rothschild A château (; plural: châteaux) is a manor house or residence of the lord of the manor, or a fine country house of nobility or gentry, with or without fortifications, originally, and still most frequently, in French-speaking regions. Nowaday ...

Médoc (Pauillac)

Bordeaux sweet wines

''Premier Cru Supérieur''

(Sauternes)

''Premier Cru''

* 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 Château Rieussec is a sweet white wine ranked as Premier Cru Classé (French, “First Growth”) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. Belonging to the Sauternes appellation in Gironde, in the region of Graves, the ...

, Fargues (Sauternes) * Château Rabaud-Promis, Bommes (Sauternes) *

Château Sigalas-Rabaud Château Sigalas-Rabaud, previously also named Château Rabaud-Sigalas, is a Bordeaux wine producer in the Sauternes (wine), Sauternes Appellation d'origine contrôlée, appellation. Its sweet white wine ranked as First Growth, Premier Cru Class ...

, Bommes (Sauternes) The communes of Bommes, Fargues and Preignac were once separate communes but now fall into the single commune of Sauternes.

The Graves classification

After the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

the omission of wines of Graves from the official classification was having a negative effect on the price and desirability of wines from the region. To improve marketing the region announced in 1953 its own classification of red wines and one white wine, with more white wines added in 1959. Sixteen wines were given special classification. *

Château Bouscaut Château Bouscaut is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the ''Crus Classés'' for red and dry white wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of the city ...

(red & white) * Château Carbonnieux (red & white) * Château Couhins (white) * Château Couhins-Lurton (white) *

Domaine de Chevalier Domaine de Chevalier is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the ''Crus Classés'' for red and white wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of the city o ...

(red & white) * Château de Fieuzal (red) *

Château Haut-Bailly Château Haut-Bailly is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the ''Crus Classés'' for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of the city of Bordeaux ...

(red) *

Château La Mission Haut-Brion Château la Mission Haut-Brion is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, classed among the ''Crus Classés'' in the Graves classification of 1953. La Mission Haut-Brion is the sister property of the First Growth Château Haut ...

(red) * Château La Tour Haut-Brion (red) * Château Latour-Martillac (red & white) * Château Laville Haut-Brion (white) * Château Malartic-Lagravière (red & white) *

Château Olivier Château Olivier is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the ''Crus Classés de Graves'' for red and dry white wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of ...

(red & white) *

Château Pape Clément Château Pape Clément is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the ''Crus Classés'' for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1959. It is the oldest wine estate in Bordeaux, harvesting its 700th vintag ...

(red) *

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Château Smith Haut Lafitte is a Bordeaux wine from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, ranked among the ''Crus Classés'' for red wine in the Classification of Graves wine of 1953 and 1959. The winery and vineyards are located south of the city of B ...

(red)

The Saint-Émilion classification

Missing from the 1855 list, the Bordeaux region of

offered its own classification in 1955 to improve market demand and prices. The

Classification of Saint-Émilion wine In 1955, the wines of Saint-Émilion in the wine-growing region of Bordeaux were classified. Unlike the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 covering wines from the Médoc and Graves regions, the Saint-Émilion list is updated every 10 y ...

differs from the 1855 list in that it is updated approximately every ten years based on new assessments of quality. For each new release of the classification, wines may be promoted or demoted within the list. A wine may even be removed entirely, while other unclassified wines may be added. In 2006, for example, eleven wines were removed from the list, six new wines added, and two existing wines promoted to a higher division. The Saint-Émilion Classification currently labels 15 wines as First Growths. These ''Premiers Grands Crus Classés'', subdivided into two further classes : ''A'' (2 wines) and ''B'' (13 wines). A further 64 wines are currently classified as ''Grands Crus Classés''.

Premiers Grands Crus Classés A

Château Ausone Château Ausone is a Bordeaux wine from Saint-Émilion appellation, previously ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé (A) in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine but does not hold this rank after the 2022 reclassification. The winery is located ...

* Château Cheval Blanc *

Château Angélus Château Angélus, until 1990 known as Château L'Angélus, or simply L'Angélus, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, since 2012 ranked ''Premier grand cru classé (A)'' in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery ...

Château Pavie Château Pavie is a winery in Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux region of France. It lies on the plateau to the southeast of St. Emilion village. In 2012 it was classified in the first rank of the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine, as a Premier G ...

Premiers Grands Crus Classés B

Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) Château Beauséjour, formerly fully titled Château Beauséjour-Duffau-Lagarrosse, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked ''Premier grand cru classé B'' in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located ...

Château Beau-Séjour Bécot Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, formerly Château Beauséjour-Dr-Fagouet, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, ranked ''Premier grand cru classé B'' in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located in the Ri ...

* Château Bélair-Monange * Château Canon * Château Canon-la-Gaffelière * Château Figeac * Clos Fourtet * Château Larcis Ducasse * Château La Gaffelière * Château Magdelaine * Château Pavie-Macquin * Château Troplong Mondot * Château Trottevieille

Pomerol

has refused to create any sort of classification scheme but it has produced red wines that are among the most expensive in the world, such as Petrus.

References

{{wines Bordeaux wine Wine classification Wine terminology

History

Bordeaux reds

Bordeaux sweet wines

Other classification schemes in Bordeaux

Other classification schemes in France

First Growth wines today

Bordeaux reds

''Premier Grand Cru''

Bordeaux sweet wines

''Premier Cru Supérieur''

''Premier Cru''

The Graves classification

The Saint-Émilion classification

Premiers Grands Crus Classés A

Premiers Grands Crus Classés B

Pomerol

See also

References