By Thomas Matthews
In 1855, Napoleon III, emperor of France, decided to throw a Universal Exposition in Paris, a kind of world's fair, and wanted all the country's wines represented. He invited Bordeaux's Chamber of Commerce to arrange an exhibit. The members of the chamber knew a hornet's nest when they saw one, so they passed the buck. They agreed, according to their records, to present "all our crus classés, up to the fifth growths," but asked the Syndicat of Courtiers, an organization of wine merchants, to draw up "an exact and complete list of all the red wines of the Gironde that specifies in which class they belong."
The courtiers hardly even paused to think; two weeks later, they turned in the famous list. It included 58 chateaux: four firsts, 12 seconds, 14 thirds, 11 fourths and 17 fifths. They expected controversy. "You know as well as we do, Sirs, that this classification is a delicate task and bound to raise questions; remember that we have not tried to create an official ranking, but only to offer you a sketch drawn from the very best sources."
Curiously, all of the courtiers' selections came from the Médoc, with the single exception of Haut-Brion (they also ranked the sweet white wines of Sauternes and Barsac). It's not that other wine regions weren't active; the Graves boasted a much longer history, and Cheval Blanc in St.-Emilion and Canon in Fronsac were highly regarded by the early 19th century. But the 18th century revolution in wine quality took hold first and most firmly in the M?doc.
Reaction to the classification was heated. The courtiers' original list ranked the chateaux by quality within each class, so, for example, Mouton-Rothschild appeared at the head of the seconds. But undoubtedly responding to criticism, they wrote the chamber in early September insisting that no such hierarchy had been intended, so the chamber rearranged the list of each class into alphabetical order.
Since 1855, many changes have occurred in the chateaux's names, owners, vineyards and wine quality, and because of divisions in the original estates, there are now 61 chateaux on the list. But if an estate can trace its lineage to the classification, it retains its claim to cru classé status. The only formal revision came in 1973, when after half a century of unceasing effort Baron Philippe de Rothschild succeeded in having Mouton elevated to first growth.
--Excerpted from an article by Thomas Matthews.
(Modern names are in parentheses)
Chateau:Lafite-Rothschild Pauillac
Chateau Latour Pauillac
Chateau Margaux Margaux
Chateau Haut-Brion Pessac, Graves (since 1986, Pessac-Leognan)
Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (became a first growth in 1973) Pauillac
Chateau Rausan-Segla (Rauzan-Segla) Margaux
Chateau Rauzan-Gassies Margaux
Chateau Leoville Las Cases St.-Julien
Chateau Leoville Poyferre St.-Julien
Chateau Leoville Barton St.-Julien
Chateau Durfort-Vivens Margaux
Chateau Gruaud-Larose St.-Julien
Chateau Lascombes Margaux
Chateau Brane-Cantenac Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Pichon-Longueville-Baron Pauillac
Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
(Pichon-Longueville-Lalande) Pauillac
Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou St.-Julien
Chateau Cos d'Estournel St.-Estephe
Chateau Montrose St.-Estephe
Chateau Kirwan Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau d'Issan Cantenac.Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Lagrange St.-Julien
Chateau Langoa Barton St.-Julien
Chateau Giscours Labarde-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Malescot St. Exupery Margaux
Chateau Cantenac-Brown Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Boyd-Cantenac Margaux
Chateau Palmer Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau La Lagune Ludon (Haut-Medoc)
Chateau Desmirail Margaux
Chateau Calon-Segur St.-Estephe
Chateau Ferriere Margaux
Chateau Marquis d'Alesme Becker Margaux
Chateau St.-Pierre St.-Julien
Chateau Talbot St.-Julien
Chateau Branaire-Ducru St.-Julien
Chateau Duhart-Milon-Rothschild Pauillac
Chateau Pouget Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau La Tour Carnet St.-Laurent (Haut-Medoc)
Chateau Lafon-Rochet St.-Estephe
Chateau Beychevelle St.-Julien
Chateau Prieure-Lichine Cantenac-Margaux (Margaux)
Chateau Marquis de Terme Margaux
Chateau Pontet-Canet Pauillac
Chateau Batailley Pauillac
Chateau Haut-Batailley Pauillac
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste Pauillac
Chateau Grand-Puy-Ducasse Pauillac
Chateau Lynch-Bages Pauillac
Chateau Lynch-Moussas Pauillac
Chateau Dauzac Labarde (Margaux)
Chateau Mouton-Baronne-Philippe (Chateau d'Armailhac after 1989) Pauillac
Chateau du Tertre Arsac (Margaux)
Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal Pauillac
Chateau Pedesclaux Pauillac
Chateau Belgrave St.-Laurent (Haut-Medoc)
Chateau Camensac (Chateau de Camensac) St.-Laurent (Haut-Medoc)
Chateau Cos Labory St.-Estephe
Chateau Clerc-Milon Pauillac
Chateau Croizet Bages Pauillac
Chateau Cantemerle Macau (Haut-Medoc)
(Modern names are in parentheses)
Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes
Chateau La Tour Blanche Bommes (Sauternes)
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey Bommes (Sauternes)
Clos Haut-Peyraguey (Chateau Clos Haut-Peyraguey) Bommes (Sauternes)
Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau Bommes (Sauternes)
Chateau Suduiraut Preignac (Sauternes)
Chateau Coutet Barsac
Chateau Climens Barsac
Chateau Guiraud Sauternes
Chateau Rieussec Fargues (Sauternes)
Chateau Rabaud-Promis Bommes (Sauternes)
Chateau Sigalas-Rabaud Bommes (Sauternes)
Chateau Myrat (Chateau de Myrat) Barsac
Chateau Doisy Daene Barsac
Chateau Doisy-Dubroca Barsac
Chateau Doisy-Vedrines Barsac
Chateau D'Arche Sauternes
Chateau Filhot Sauternes
Chateau Broustet Barsac
Chateau Nairac Barsac
Chateau Caillou Barsac
Chateau Suau Barsac
Chateau de Malle Preignac (Sauternes)
Chateau Romer (Chateau Romer du Hayot) Fargues (Sauternes)
Chateau Lamothe Sauternes
© 2007 Tasters Guild Orlando