The Official Bordeaux Classification of 1855

The Official Classification of 1855

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

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)


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)

Sauternes-Barsac: The Official Classification of 1855

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)

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)

Graves: 1959 Official Classification

The red and white wines of the Graves region were first classified in 1953, but the classification only became official with the 1959 ranking. Within each category, the châteaux are not ordered by quality.


Classified Red Wines of Graves
Château Bouscaut (Cadaujac)
Château Haut-Bailly (Léognan)
Château Carbonnieux (Léognan)
Domaine de Chevalier (Léognan)
Château de Fieuzal (Léognan)
Château d'Olivier (Léognan)
Château Malartic-Lagravière (Léognan)
Château La Tour-Martillac (Martillac)
Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte (Martillac)
Château Haut-Brion (Pessac)
Château La Mission-Haut-Brion (Talence)
Château Pape-Clément (Pessac)
Château Latour-Haut-Brion (Talence)

Classified White Wines of Graves
Château Bouscaut (Cadaujac)
Château Carbonnieux (Léognan)
Château Domaine de Chevalier (Léognan)
Château d'Olivier (Léognan)
Château Malartic Lagravière (Léognan)
Château La Tour-Martillac (Martillac)
Château Laville-Haut-Brion (Talence)
Château Couhins-Lurton (Villenave d'Ornan)
Château Couhins (Villenave d'Ornan)
Château Haut-Brion (Pessac) (added in 1960)

The Saint-Emilion Classification

In 1954, further to a request from the "Syndicat de Défense des Vins de Saint-Emilion", the INAO (Institut National des Appellations d'Origine) established a classification of wines from this appellation.

The law stipulates that every ten years the INAO should revise this classification which attaches great importance to the high quality of the terroir.

Only wines from the Saint-Emilion Grand Cru appellation are eligible top become an official Grand Cru Classé or Premier Grand Cru Classé.The 1969, 1979, 1984 and 1996 revisions slightly altered the original classification.

The current classification includes 13 Premier Grand Crus Classés and 55 Grand Crus Classés, with a combined area of 860 hectares (2,124 acres) under wine.

First Great Growth category A
Château AUSONE
Château CHEVAL BLANC

First Great Growth category B
Château ANGÉLUS
Château BEAU-SÉJOUR BÉCOT
Château BEAUSÉJOUR (DUFFAU-LAGAROSSE)
Château BELAIR
Château CANON
Château FIGEAC
Château LA GAFFELIERE
Château MAGDELAINE
Château PAVIE
Château TROTTEVIEILLE
Clos FOURTET

Great Growths
Château BALESTARD LA TONELLE
Château BELLEVUE
Château BERGAT
Château BERLIQUET
Château CADET BON
Château CADET-PIOLA
Château CANON LA GAFFELIERE
Château CAP DE MOURLIN
Château CHAUVIN
Château CLOS DES JACOBINS
Château CORBIN
Château CORBIN-MICHOTTE
Château CURÉ BON
Château DASSAULT
Château FAURIE-DE-SAUCHARD
Château FONPLÉGADE
Château FONROQUE
Château FRANC MAYNE
Château GRAND MAYNE
Château GRAND PONTET
Château GUADET SAINT-JULIEN
Château HAUT CORBIN
Château HAUT SARPE Saint-Christophe des Bardes
Château L'ARROSÉE
Château LA CLOTTE
Château LA CLUSIERE
Château LA COUSPAUDE
Château LA DOMINIQUE
Château LA SERRE
Château LA TOUR DU PIN-FIGEAC (Giraud-Belivier)
Château LA TOUR DU PIN-FIGEAC (J.M. Moueix)
Château LA TOUR FIGEAC
Château LAMARZELLE
Château LANIOTE
Château LARCIS DUCASSE Saint-Laurent des Combes
Château LARMANDE
Château LAROQUE Saint-Christophe des Bardes
Château LAROZE
Château LE PRIEURÉ
Château LES GRANDES MURAILLES
Château MATRAS
Château MOULIN DU CADET
Château PAVIE DECESSE
Château PAVIE MACQUIN
Château PETITE FAURIE DE SOUTARD
Château RIPEAU
Château SAINT-GEORGE CÔTE PAVIE
Château SOUTARD
Château TERTRE DAUGAY
Château TROPLONG-MONDOT
Château VILLEMAURINE
Château YON-FIGEAC
Clos DE l'ORATOIRE
Clos SAINT-MARTIN
Couvent DES JACOBINS