1855 CLASSIFICATION OF MEDOC

Although there are several classifications within the Bordeaux region it is the 1855 classification that is by far the most famous. It was a request from Napleon III to create a ranking of the best wines of the region for the world exhibition in Paris that year.

The classification was made according to the price fetched for each wine at that time. It was made by the brokers in Bordeaux and the top 61 chateaux were divided into 5 levels. First growth to fifth growth (premiere grand cru classé to cinquieme grand cru classé). There are now five chateaux classified as First Growth: 1.Chateau Lafite Rothschild, 2. Chateau Latour, 3. Mouton Rothschild, 4.Chateau Margaux and 5. Haut Brion.

Originally there were only four chateaux awarded this level but after a great deal of lobbying the owner of Mouton Rothschild, Baron Philippe Rothschild, succeeded in entering this privileged group. This was done in 1973 and is the only official change that has taken place in the classification since 1855. It is interesting to note that despite the age, the classification it is still of high importance and some of the most expensive wines in the world indeed do belong to these First Growth vinyards.

The above mentioned 1855 classification only considered estates within the Medoc area (Apart from Haut Brion which is in Pessac Leognan (Graves.)) Other regions within Bordeaux, such as Saint Emilion and Graves were put into their own classifications at a later date.

THE SAINT EMILION CLASSIFICATION OF 1955 (REVISED EVERY TEN YEARS)

For this classification the estates are divided into four levels in descending order.

Première Grand Cru Classé A, , Grand Crus Classé and Grand Cru.

Only two chateaux are awarded the top level and that is Château Cheval Blanc and Château Ausone. Eleven estates are within the Première Grand Cru Classé B. Generally speaking the quality level of these wines are high, however, the Grand Crus Classe and the Grand Cru can, despite the prestigious words on the bottle be of varying quality.

THE GRAVES CLASSIFICATION OF GRAVES IN 1959 (PESSAC LEOGNAN)

There are 13 estates classified as Grand Crus Classe for red wines and 9 for white wines (for the two above classifications only red wines are considered). All the classified estates lie within Pessac Leognan AC. This is a region that was originally part of Graves but due to a better draining soil it was awarded its own AC in 1987. Some of the most famous producers from this region are Chateau Haut Brion, Chateau La Misson Haut Brion, Chateau Pape Clement and Domaine de Chevalier.

POMEROL

Despite being one of the finest regions in Bordeaux and home to the legendary Chateau Petrus, there is no official classification system in Pomerol. A list of the finest producers can be found here.

Full list of 1855 Medoc

FIRST GROWTHS (PREMIERS CRUS) COMMUNE

Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Margaux (Margaux)
Château Latour (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Brion Pessac (Graves)
Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac)

SECOND GROWTHS (DEUXIÈMES CRUS) COMMUNE

Château Rausan-Ségla (Margaux)
Château Rauzan-Gassies (Margaux)
Château Léoville-Las Cases (Saint-Julien)
Château Léoville-Poyferré (Saint-Julien)
Château Léoville-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Château Durfort-Vivens (Margaux)
Château Gruaud-Larose (Saint-Julien)
Château Lascombes (Margaux)
Château Brane-Cantenac Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron (Pauillac)
Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande (Pauillac)
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (Saint-Julien)
Château Cos d’Estournel (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Montrose (Saint-Estèphe)

THIRD GROWTHS (TROISIÈMES CRUS) COMMUNE

Château Kirwan Cantenac (Margaux)
Château d’Issan Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Lagrange (Saint-Julien)
Château Langoa-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Château Giscours Labarde (Margaux)
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry (Margaux)
Château Boyd-Cantenac Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Cantenac-Brown Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Palmer Cantenac (Margaux)
Château La Lagune Ludon (Haut-Médoc)
Château Desmirail (Margaux)
Château Calon-Ségur (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Ferrière (Margaux)
Château Marquis d’Alesme-Becker (Margaux)

FOURTH GROWTHS (QUATRIÈMES CRUS) COMMUNE

Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien)
Château Talbot (Saint-Julien)
Château Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien)
Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Pouget Cantenac (Margaux)
Château La Tour-Carnet Saint-Laurent (Haut Médoc)
Château Lafon-Rochet (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Beychevelle (Saint-Julien)
Château Prieuré-Lichine Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Marquis-de-Terme (Margaux)

FIFTH GROWTHS (CINQUIÈMES CRUS) COMMUNE

Château Pontet-Canet (Pauillac)
Château Batailley (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Batailley (Pauillac)
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac)
Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse (Pauillac)
Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
Château Lynch-Moussas (Pauillac)
Château Dauzac Labarde (Margaux)
Château Mouton-Baronne-Philippe (Pauillac)
Château du Tertre Arsac (Margaux)
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral (Pauillac)
Château Pédesclaux (Pauillac)
Château Belgrave Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château de Camensac Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château Cos-Labory (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Clerc-Milon (Pauillac)
Château Croizet-Bages (Pauillac)
Château Cantemerle Macau (Haut-Médoc)

The 1959 Official Classification of the GRAVES

Château Bouscaut (Cadaujac)
Château Haut-Bailly (Léognan)
Château Carbonnieux (Léognan)
Domaine de Chevalier (Léognan)
Château de Fieuzal (Léognan)
Château d’Olivier (Léognan)
Château Malartic-Lagravière (Léognan)
Château La Tour-Martillac (Martillac)
Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte (Martillac)
Château Haut-Brion (Pessac)
Château La Mission-Haut-Brion (Talence)
Château Pape-Clément (Pessac)
Château Latour-Haut-Brion (Talence)

CLASSIFIED WHITE WINES OF GRAVES COMMUNE

Château Bouscaut (Cadaujac)
Château Carbonnieux (Léognan)
Château Domaine de Chevalier (Léognan)
Château d’Olivier (Léognan)
Château Malartic Lagravière (Léognan)
Château La Tour-Martillac (Martillac)
Château Laville-Haut-Brion (Talence)
Château Couhins-Lurton (Villenave d’Ornan)
Château Couhins (Villenave d’Ornan)
Château Haut-Brion (Pessac) (added in 1960)

Saint Emilion

PREMIER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ A

Château Ausone
Château Cheval Blanc

PREMIER GRAND CRU CLASSÉ B

Château Angelus
Château Beau-Séjour-Bécot
Château Beausejour (Duffau-Lagarrosse)
Château Belair
Château Canon
Château Figeac
Château La Gaffeliere
Château Magdelaine
Château Pavie
Château Pavie-Macquin
Château Troplong Mondot
Château Trottevieille
Clos Fourtet

GRAND CRU CLASSÉ

Château Balestard la Tonnelle
Château Bellefont-Belcier
Château Bellevue
Château Bergat
Château Berliquet
Château Cadet-Bon
Château Cadet-Piolat
Château Canon la Gaffeliere
Château Cap de Mourlin
Château Chauvin
Château Corbin
Château Corbin-Michotte
Château Dassault
Château Destieux
Château Faurie-de-Souchard
Château Fleur-Cardinale
Château Fonplegade
Château Fonroque
Château Franc-Mayne
Château Grand Corbin
Château Grand Corbin Despanges
Château Grand Mayne
Château Grand Pontet
Château Guadet St-Julien
Château Haut Corbin
Château Haut Sarpe
Château L’Arrosée
Château La Clotte
Château La Couspaude
Château La Dominique
Château La Marzelle
Château La Serre
Château La Tour-du-Pin-Figeac (Giraud-Bélivier)
Château La Tour-du-Pin-Figeac (Moueix)
Château La Tour Figeac
Château Laniote
Château Larcis-Ducasse
Château Larmande
Château Laroque
Château Laroze
Château Le Prieure
Château Les Grandes Murailles
Château Matras
Château Monbousquet
Château Moulin du Cadet
Château Pavie-Decesse
Château Petit-Faurie-de-Soutard
Château Ripeau
Château Saint-Georges Côte Pavie
Château Soutard
Château Terte-Daugay
Château Villemaurine
Château Yon-Figeac
Clos de l’Oratoire
Clos des Jacobins
Clos Saint-Martin
Couvent des Jacobins

POMEROL’S FINEST PRODUCERS

Château Beauregard
Château Certan-de-May
Château Clinet
Château Clos l’Église
Château Gazin
Château Lafleur
Château Lafleur-Pétrus
Château la Grave à Pomerol
Château La Pointe
Château Latour-à-Pomerol
Château Le Bon-Pasteur
Château La Conseillante
Château La Croix-de-Gay
Château l’Église-Clinet
Château l’Enclos
Château l’Évangile
Château Le Gay
Château Le Pin
Château Mazeyres
Château Nenin
Château Petit Village
Château Pétrus
Château Taillefer
Château Trotanoy
Domaine de l’Église
Vieux Château Certan