The designation Cru Bourgeois for chateaux has existed in Médoc for many years. Various attempts to rank them, roughly in the style of the 1855 classification, have been made since the 1930s. More or less successful. It was previously a (semi-official) classification but is currently a private label. But from 2020, a serious attempt will be made again.
The Cru Bourgeois du Médoc association has received permission from the authorities to create a classification that will be updated every five years. Once again, a hierarchy of three groups will be introduced: Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. The list of chateaux that aspire to be included in the classification will be published in February 2020.
It is rather courageous to embark on a new classification in Bordeaux after the problems that the Saint Emilion classification has encountered. At the latest update in Saint Emilion, three chateaux were eliminated from the classification and subsequently these chateaux brought the whole procedure of the classification to court. It was many years ago now, but court proceedings are still going on. Maybe they are less hot-tempered in Médoc.
If this will bring any particular benefit to consumers is more uncertain.
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One Response
It’s an interesting idea, but with anti-social media (my new term) I don’t know that it makes much difference except to the producers. Most knowledgeable people in the wine business couldn’t tell you where most of the wineries are in the classification except for the First Growths, a few seconds and Lynch Bages.