By Julie Carpentier
Classifications are first recorded in the 18th century in the Médoc. They were essentially the gathering by price of the best-known wines. At that time, it consists of 4 categories and such lists were raised by brokers, merchants and also by wine-enthusiasts.
The well-known 1855 Classification of Bordeaux emerged when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system for France’s best Bordeaux wines which were to be exhibited at the “Exposition Universelle de Paris” in 1855. The aim of this exhibition was to present the best of all that was France, and brokers from the wine industry ranked the wines according to a château’s reputation and trading price. In their view, the market (which was mainly British at that time) had already determined which Bordeaux wines were best, and the classifications needed to reflect the market’s judgement. The resulting ranking was the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.
The wines were ranked in importance from 1st to 5th growths. All of the red wines that appeared on the list came from the Médoc region except for one – Château Haut-Brion from Graves. The white wines were limited to the sweet varieties of Sauternes and Barsac and were ranked only from superior 1st growth to 2nd growth.
Since 1855, many changes have occurred in the châteaux’ names, owners, vineyards and wine quality, and because of divisions in the original estates, there are now 61 châteaux on the list. The sole formal revision came in 1973, when after 50 years of endless efforts Baron Philippe de Rothschild succeeded in having Mouton elevated to 1st growth.
The 1855 Classification
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Red wines
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PREMIERS CRUS
Château Haut-Brion, Pessac, AOC Pessac-Léognan
Château Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Latour, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Margaux, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
DEUXIÈMES CRUS
Château Brane-Cantenac, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Cos-d’Estournel, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Durfort-Vivens, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Gruaud-Larose, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Lascombes, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Léoville-Barton, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Las-Cases, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Poyferré, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Montrose, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron-de-Pichon, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse-de-Lalande, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Rauzan-Gassies, Margaux, AOC Margaux
TROISIÈMES CRUS
Château Boyd-Cantenac, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Calon-Ségur, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Cantenac-Brown, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Desmirail, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Ferrière, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Giscours, Labarde, AOC Margaux
Château d’Issan, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Kirwan, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Lagrange, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château La Lagune, Ludon, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Langoa-Barton, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Marquis-d’Alesme, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Palmer, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
QUATRIÈMES CRUS
Château Beychevelle, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Branaire-Ducru, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Duhart-Milon, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Lafon-Rochet, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Marquis-de-Terme, Margaux, AOC Margaux
Château Pouget, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Prieuré-Lichine, Cantenac, AOC Margaux
Château Saint-Pierre, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château Talbot, Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, AOC Saint-Julien
Château La Tour-Carnet, Saint-Laurent-de-Médoc, AOC Haut-Médoc
CINQUIÈMES CRUS
Château d’Armailhac, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Batailley, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Belgrave, Saint-Laurent-de-Médoc, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Camensac, Saint-Laurent-de-Médoc, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Cantemerle, Macau, AOC Haut-Médoc
Château Clerc-Milon, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Cos-Labory, Saint-Estèphe, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Croizet-Bages, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Dauzac, Labarde, AOC Margaux
Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Haut-Batailley, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Lynch-Moussas, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Pédesclaux, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château Pontet-Canet, Pauillac, AOC Pauillac
Château du Tertre, Arsac, AOC Margaux
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Sweet white wines
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PREMIER CRU SUPÉRIEUR
Château d’Yquem, Sauternes, AOC Sauternes
PREMIERS CRUS
Château Climens, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Clos Haut-Peyraguey, Bommes, AOC Sauternes
Château Coutet, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Guiraud, Sauternes, AOC Sauternes
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Bommes, AOC Sauternes
Château Rabaud-Promis, Bommes, AOC Sauternes
Château Rayne-Vigneau, Bommes, AOC Sauternes
Château Rieussec, Fargues-de-Langon, AOC Sauternes
Château Sigalas-Rabaud, Bommes, AOC Sauternes
Château Suduiraut, Preignac, AOC Sauternes
Château La Tour-Blanche, Bommes, AOC Sauternes
DEUXIÈMES CRUS
Château d’Arche, Sauternes, AOC Sauternes
Château Broustet, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Caillou, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Doisy-Daëne, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Doisy-Dubroca, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Doisy-Védrines, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Filhot, Sauternes, AOC Sauternes
Château Lamothe (Despujols), Sauternes, AOC Sauternes
Château Lamothe-Guignard, Sauternes, AOC Sauternes
Château de Malle, Preignac, AOC Sauternes
Château de Myrat, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Nairac, Barsac, AOC Barsac
Château Romer-du-Hayot, Fargues-de-Langon, AOC Sauternes
Château Romer, Fargues-de-Langon, AOC Sauternes
Château Suau, Barsac, AOC Barsac
“Under the Vine” wine o’clock
Tuesday 15th of May at 2pm
