What you need to Know about wine

Classification

- 1855

This classification only concerns the wines of the Médoc and of Sauternes. 1855 is the year of the World Fair held in Paris as desired by Napoleon III. The latter had then requested that each important wine producing region should, on that occasion, present its best products in a contest so that they might be classified.
The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce opposed the idea preferring to establish its own classification based on the quality of the wines and of the vineyard from which they originate. This classification has until today remained unchanged except for Château Mouton Rothschild which was promoted first growth in 1973.

- Classement des vins de Graves
Effected in 1959 by the INAO

- The Saint-Emilion Classification
A l’origine en 1954, le classement fut revu en 1969, 1984 et récemment en 1996. La remise en jeu régulière de ce classement est un gage de recherche de la qualité pour l’ensemble de ces crus.
On note à ce jour : 13 premiers et 55 Crus Classés.

- The Cru Bourgeois classification
This classification, which dates back to 1932, concerns 50 % of the vineyards of the Medoc.
A radical reform of this classification is presently under way so that the label “ Cru Bourgeois “
may be looked upon as an unquestionable label of quality.

- Map of Bordeaux Wines – List of the Grands Crus Classés of the Médoc, Graves and Sauternes – List of the Grands Crus Classés of Saint-Emilion – List of the wine-estates members of the Union des Grands Crus. – L’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, 2003 classification – List of the different appellations of the region.

- Saint-Emilion A very old tale
In the VIIth century, a Breton monk, native of Vannes, left his family and settled on what was to become
the future site of Saint-Emilion. His name was Emilian. At first a bursar in a convent of Benedictines,
he became a hermit and devoted his time to God. He performed miracles and died in 767.

To contact the Tourist Information Centre of Saint-Emilion : www.vins-saint-emilion.com

- Saint-Emilion vintages from 1978 to 1998 – Restaurants
You will find nothing else here but a few places that we particularly like.
Our choice has been motivated by no other criterion.