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The Official Bordeaux Classification
of 1855
A classification of 61 of the most
well known Médoc
Châteaux, 27 Sauternes Châteaux and 1 Graves Châteaux,
instigated by  Napoleon III for the 1855 “Exposition Universelle
de Paris”.
The Châteaux were classified mainly through the prices that the
respective wines were selling for and the classification was never intended
to be an official measure of quality. With the exception of the elevation
of Mouton Rothschild to Premier Cru Classé in 1973, the list
remains unchanged today.
There is no single comprehensive classification system
that ranks Bordeaux's 57 appellations and thousands of wines. But Médoc, Sauternes and
Barsac, Graves, and Saint-Èmilion districts do have their own
official internal classification systems.
For the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, the
World's Fair of the day, Napoléon III requested a classification system for Bordeaux
wines - France's best - which were to be on display. It was established
by brokers in the wine industry who ranked the wines according to a château's
reputation and trading price, which at that time was directly related
to quality. The result was the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification
of 1855. Red wines that made the list all came from the Médoc
region with the exception of the Château Haut-Brion from Graves
which was famous enough to be included. The wines were ranked descending
from first to fifth growths called "crus."
For white wines, only sweet whites from Sauternes
and Barsac were ranked from first great growth to second growth. Within
each category, châteaux
are ranked in order of quality. In the more than 100 years since the
1855 classification, there has been only one change, when Château
Mouton-Rothschild was elevated from a second growth to a first growth
vineyard in 1973. Today, many people critique the 1855 classification
for numerous reasons: some because the great châteaux of Pomerol
and Saint-Èmilion, among others, are not included; others because
châteaux ownership and vineyard holdings are always changing.
Médoc Wine: The Official
Classification Of 1855
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First Growths (Premiers Crus)
Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Margaux (Margaux)
Château Latour (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Brion Pessac (Graves)
Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)
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)
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)
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Fourth Growths (Quatrièmes Crus)
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)
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 D'Armailhac (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)
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Sauternes-Barsac: The Official Classification of 1855
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First Great Growth (Premier Cru Supérieur)
Château d'Yquem Sauternes
First Growths (Premiers Crus)
Château La Tour-Blanche (Bommes)
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey (Bommes)
Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey (Bommes)
Château de Rayne-Vigneau (Bommes)
Château Suduiraut (Preignac)
Château Coutet (Barsac)
Château Climens (Barsac)
Château Guiraud (Sauternes)
Château Rieussec (Fargues)
Château Rabaud-Promis (Bommes)
Château Sigalas-Rabaud (Bommes)
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Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus)
Château de Myrat (Barsac)
Château Doisy-Daëne (Barsac)
Château Doisy-Dubroca (Barsac)
Château Doisy-Védrines (Barsac)
Château d'Arche (Sauternes)
Château Filhot (Sauternes)
Château Broustet (Barsac)
Château Nairac (Barsac)
Château Caillou (Barsac)
Château Suau (Barsac)
Château de Malle (Preignac)
Château Romer-du-Hayot (Fargues)
Château Lamothe-Despujols (Sauternes)
Château Lamothe-Guignard (Sauternes)
Cru Bourgeois
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As of 2003 The Cru Bourgeois classification
has 247 Châteaux
all in the Médoc as follow:
Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel (9 Châteaux):
Chasse Spleen
Haut Marbuzet
Labegorce Zede
Ormes de Pez
Pez
Phelan Segur
Potensac
Poujeaux and Sira)
Cru Bourgeois Superieur (87 Châteaux)
Cru Bourgeois (151 Châteaux)
Quality is variable, with some Châteaux producing wine of Grand Cru Classé quality,
while others produce wines of little merit.
Out-performing Cru Bourgeois properties
include: Château Beaumont
Château Poujeaux
Château Phélan
Ségur.
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SAUTERNES-BARSAC
Premier Cru
Supérieur (Superior First Growth)
Château d'Yquem
Premier Crus Classés (First Growths)
Château Guiraud
Clos Haut-Peyraguey
Château La Tour Blanche
Château Coutet
Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey
Château Climens
Château de Rayne Vigneau
Château Suduiraut
Château Sigalas Rabaud
Château Rieussec
Château Rabaud-Promis
Deuxièmes Crus Classés
(Second Growths)
Château d'Arche
Château Suau
Château Filhot
Château Broustet
Château Lamothe Guignard
Château Caillou
Château de Myrat
Château Nairac
Château Doisy-Védrines
Château de Malle
Château Doisy-Daëne
Château Romer
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