Bordeaux

The region is part of Bordeaux in France, the name translates as „the land in the middle“. It is located on the triangular peninsula formed by the river delta formed by the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers on the one hand and the Atlantic ocean on the other, it forms a strip around 80 kilometres long and two to five kilometres wide. This is a large region, subdivided into two regional appellations (Bas-Médoc and Haut-Médoc), and into six communal appellations all located within the Haut-Medoc. The total vineyard area is 15.400 hectares. This ist he most famous part of Bordeaux, and is also one of the most important and best red wine producing regions in the owrld. Viticulture came to the area at quite a late stage. In the 17th century, swamps were drained, brooks regulated and the outline of the coast straightened under the guidance of Dutch dam-building and hydraulic engineering experts. For this reason, the area was known for a long time as „La Petite Hollande“. Later, many vineyards were established, and over time small plots were acquired and consolidated into large estates, among others by the famous Ségur family. The Médoc provides excellent conditions for viticulture, including a mild climate, the gravelly soils, which are poor and in some spots very deep, which forces the vines to extend their roots deep into the soil, as well as the good drainage. In spite of its proximity to the Atlantic ocean, the climate is not humid, as many pine forests form an effective protection against wind and rain coming from the west.

The Médoc is divided into the Bas-Médoc area in the north, with a vineyard area of 4.500 hectares, and the Haut-Médoc in the south, with 5.200 hectares (these figures refer to the two appellations as such, excluding the six communal appellations listed below). The border between the two areas runs close to Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, north of the commune of Saint-Estèphe. The Haut-Médoc starts at the southern Tipp of the commune of Blanquefort, which forms the northern border of the Graves region. Both regions are also entitled to an own appellation. They differ in that they have quite different soils. In Haut-Médoc, the wines are considered to be of a slightly higher quality, as a result of the gravelly soils, they tend to have more breeding and finesse. Six famous communes within the Haut-Médoc region have their own communal appellations. They are Margaux, Moulis, Listrac-Médoc, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien. All the wines that are not sourced from these communes beart he designation „Haut-Médoc“ as their appellation, those from the Bas-Medóc are usually labelled simply „Médoc“, and only in rare cases „Bas-Médoc“. They are produced from the typical grape varieties, which are used to create the so-called Bordeaux blends, with Merlot dominating in the Bás-Médoc area. The white wines are less important, and are made predominantly from Sauvignon Blanc. The estate buildings and manor houses are a special feature of the Médoc; nowhere else is there such a large number of splendid châteaux, that actually deserve the designation in architectural terms. However, this is not necessarily correlated with quality, as there are also many estates with simple buildings that are producing great wines.

The famous Bordeaux classification was carreid out in 1855 (see there for details). Of a total of some 4.000 châteaux resp. red wines, only 61 (this number is in modern terms – see below) were considered to be worthy of inclusion in the list of leading châreaux. With a single exception, Château Haut-Brion which is in the Graves region, all the châreaux are located in the Médoc region. The official presentation took place with great pomp and slendour on 18. April 1855. The châteaux were grouped into five classes. Within these groups, the estates were presented in descending order, depending on the market prices achieved fort he wines. Right at the top of the list was Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. The table below indicates the price-related ranking as it was stated at the time. Today, the actual classification is rarely stated on the label, in most cases, only the term „Grand Cru Classé“ is used. However, the less-known Deuxièmes point out their status quite frequently, to underline their prestige. Baron Rothschild, too, in 1973 could not resist to advertise his elevation into the first group with the famous words „Premier je suis, Second je fus, Mouton ne change“ (First I am, Second I was, Mouton will not change) on the label designed by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). Particularly the estates “only” classified in the fourth and fifth groups generally do not refer to their classification, so as not to draw attention to their “lowly” status.

To date, there have been only two changes to the list published in April 1855 (not just one change, as is frequently claimed). The best-known change is the re-classification of Château Mouton-Rothschild. Following a battle by Philippe de Rothschild (1902-1988) that lasted for 51 years, it was reclassified from being a Second Growth to a First Growth. The change that is much less famous is that of Château Cantemerle. This estate was not included at all in the list published in April 1855, and was only added later, in December (see there). There have been several changes in comparison with 1855. Most of the châteaux have experienced changes over time, both in terms of their vineyard size, with some estates growing significantly, and in terms of the varieties planted. There is occasionally some confusion as to the famous „61 classified châteaux“, as the original list includes only 59 estates. The reason for the differences compared to the current list can be found in estate divisions, and in the deletion of an estate. The former Chateau Léoville had actually already been divided into three parts in 1826, but was classified as a single estate in 1855. The two estates Pichon-Longueville and Batailley were only divided into two estates each after 1855, and are thus inlcuded in the list only once each. In addition, Château Dubignon no longer exist, the vineyards were incorporated in Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry, Château Margaux and Château Palmer. In addition, some of the names have changed over time. Today, the 60 châteaux have a combined total vineyard area of around 3.000 hectares, and account for around 20% of the production of the Médoc. Under „R“, the table shows the ranking in the original list, while „Designation 1855“ indicates the name in use at the time:
CURRENT NAME R DESIGNATION 1855 COMMUNE
Premier Cru Classé
Château Haut-Brion 4 Haut Brion Pessac-Léognan
Château Lafite-Rothschild 1 Lafite Pauillac
Château Latour 3 Latour Pauillac
Château Margaux 2 Margaux Margaux
Château Mouton-Rothschild - Mouton – was 1st of the Deux. Pauillac
Deuxième Cru Classé
Château Brane-Cantenac 8 Brane-Cantenac Cantenac-Margaux
Château Cos d´Estournel 11 Cos Destournel Saint-Estèphe
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou 10 Ducru Beau Caillou Saint-Julien
Château Durfort-Vivens 5 Durfort Margaux
Château Gruaud-Larose 6 Gruaud-Laroze (sic) Saint-Julien
Château Lascombes 7 Lascombe Margaux
Château Léoville-Barton 4 Léoville - als 1 WG bew. Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Las-Cases 4 Léoville – rated as 1 estate Saint-Julien
Château Léoville-Poyferré 4 Léoville – rated as 1 estate Saint-Julien
Château Montrose 12 Montrose Saint-Estèphe
Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 9 Pichon Longueville – was 1 Pauillac
Château Pichon-Longueville Comtesse 9 Pichon Longueville – was 1 Pauillac
Château Rauzan-Gassies 3 Rauzan-Gassies Margaux
Château Rauzan-Ségla 2 Rauzan-Ségla Margaux
Troisième Cru Classé
Château Boyd-Cantenac 7 Boyd-Cantenac Cantenac-Margaux
Château Calon-Ségur 12 Calon Saint-Estèphe
Château Cantenac Brown 7 Cantenac Brown Cantenac-Margaux
Château d´Issan 2 d´Issan Margaux
Château Desmirail 10 Desmirail Margaux
Château Ferrière 13 Ferrière Margaux
Château Giscours 5 Giscours Labarde-Margaux
Château Kirwan 1 Kirwan Cantenac-Margaux
Château Lagrange 3 Lagrange Saint-Julien
Château La Lagune 9 Lalagune Ludon
Château Langoa-Barton 4 Langoa Saint-Julien
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry 6 Saint-Exupéry Margaux
Château Marquis d´Alesme-Becker 14 Becker Soussans-Margaux
Château Palmer 8 Palmer Margaux
No longer exists 11 Dubignon Margaux
Quatrième Cru Classé
Château Beychevelle 9 Ch. de Beychevele (sic) Saint-Julien
Château Branaire (Duluc Ducru) 4 Branaire Saint-Julien
Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild 5 Duhart Pauillac
Château La Tour-Carnet 7 Carnet Saint-Laurent
Château Lafon-Rochet 8 Rochet Saint-Estèphe
Château Marquis-de-Terme 11 Marquis de Termes Margaux
Château Pouget 6 Pouget-Lassale Cantenac-Margaux
Château Prieuré-Lichine 10 Le Prieuré Cantenac-Margaux
Château Saint-Pierre 1 Saint-Pierre Saint-Julien
Château Talbot 2 Talbot Saint-Julien
Cinquième Cru Classé
Château Batailley 2 Batailley - now 2 estates Pauillac
Château Belgrave 12 Coutenceau Saint-Laurent
Château Cantemerle 17 Cantemerle – tail end Macau
Château Clerc Milon 15 Clerc Milon Pauillac
Château Cos Labory 14 Cos Labory Saint-Estèphe
Château Croizet-Bages 16 Croizet-Bages Pauillac
Château d´Armailhac 8 Darmailhac Pauillac
Château Dauzac 7 Dauzac Labarde-Margaux
Château de Camensac 13 Camensac Saint-Laurent
Château du Tertre 9 La Tertre Arsac-Margaux
Château Grand-Puy Ducasse 4 Artigues-Arnaud Pauillac
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste 3 Grand Puy Pauillac
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral 10 Haut Bages Pauillac
Château Haut-Batailley 2 Batailley – now 2 estates Pauillac
Château Lynch-Bages 5 Lynch Pauillac
Château Lynch-Moussas 6 Lynch Moussas Pauillac
Château Pédesclaux 11 Pédesclaux Pauillac
Château Pontet-Canet 1 Canet Pauillac


The unofficial term „Super Seconds“ is used to designate those Deuxièmes Châteaux that produce such good quality they would probably be classified as first growths if, hypothetically, a new classification were to be implemented today. While the experts are not unanimous in stating which estates these would be, the following are frequently mentioned in this context: Cos-d´Estournel, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Gruaud-Larose, Léoville-Las-Cases, Montrose, Pichon-Longueville Comtesse, Pichon-Longueville Baron and Rauzan-Ségla. Many experts also believe that the fifth growths Grand-Puy-Lacoste and Lynch-Bages, as well as the third growth Château Palmer deserve to be second growths.