Cru Bourgeois: The New Classification of 2020

Pictures: Christian and Annette Schiller with a Magnum 2006 Chateau Le Crock in Pauillac. Château Le Crock is one of the 14 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel in the New Classification. Château Le Crock is Owned by the Cuvelier family. See also: Château Léoville-Poyferré, Château Le Crock, Didier Cuvelier in Bordeaux and the Cuvelier Los Andes Wines in Argentina

The Alliance des Cru Bourgeois du Médoc announced in February 2020 a new Cru Bourgeois Classification System. It is an effort to revive the almost 100 years old classification system that had run into problems in recent years.

3 points are noteworthy.

First, the Cru Bourgeois Classification System has returned to a three-tier ranking.

Second, Cru Bourgeois Classification System has moved away from annual reviews. The new classification will be updated every 5 years.

Third, the 2020 list does not include any of the 9 estates that were in the Bourgeois Exceptionnel group in the classification of 2003, such as Château Poujeaux, Château Chasse Spleen, Château Sociando-Mallet, Château Potensac, Château Ormes-de-Pez, Château Phelan Ségur or Château Gloria. These and other estates opted to stay out of the system. "We hope to see them with us in 2025" says Olivier Cuvelier, President of the Alliance des Cru Bourgeois du Médoc.

The 2020 ranking contains 249 châteaux, including:

14 Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel
56 Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
179 Cru Bourgeois

Here are the 14 ‘Exceptionnel’ estates:

Haut-Médoc

Château d’Agassac
Château Arnauld
Château Belle-Vue
Château Cambon la Pelouse
Château Charmail
Château Males Casse
Château de Malleret
Château du Taillan

Listrac-Médoc

Château Lestage

Margaux

Château d’Arsac
Château Paveil de Luze

St-Estèphe

Château le Boscq
Château le Crock
Château Lilian Ladouys

Pictures: Not in the 2020 Classification: Château Phélan Ségur. See: Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Phélan-Ségur, with General Manager Véronique Dausse and Winemaker Fabrice Bacquey - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2019, France

History

The Beginning: The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 1932

From 1932 to 2003, the Cru Bourgeois du Médoc system was a one-tier classification system set in stone.

The first Cru Bourgeois list was drawn up by the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Chamber of Agriculture in 1932, selecting 444 estates from the Médoc for the classification. These were wines that were not included in the 1855 Classification of Crus Classes, but still of high quality.

There were no Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel nor Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, all 444 estates were Cru Bourgeois. There were no reviews or adjustments. Once in, always in, always a Cru Bourgeois du Médoc.

The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 2003

The first major reform effort of the Cru Bourgeois du Médoc system took place in 2003. But it did not last long. In February 2007, the 2003 system was annulled. At this point, the 1932 classification was briefly reinstated, with its single-tier and 444 estates.

Of the 490 châteaux that applied to be included in the classification of 2003, only 247 were included, a significant contraction of the original listing made in 1932 (444 estates).

Also, the 2003 Cru Bourgeois system classified the 247 properties in three tiers: Exceptionnel (9 properties), Supérieur (87 properties) and straight Bourgeois (151 properties).

As the system of 1932, the classification of 2003 did not foresee any reviews.

The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 2010 to 2019

In the following years, the Cru Bourgeois du Médoc system went back to a single-tier system and introduced annual classifications. Any property in the Médoc could apply. The first vintage that came under the annual classification system was the 2008 vintage, announced in 2010. The estates selected varied from year to year. The total ranged from 220 to 280 estates during this period. In the system of 2010, an estate was awarded the Cru Bourgeois du Médoc in one year and not in the next year.

2017 was the 10th and last vintage to undergo the single-tier annual assessment, announced in September 2019. There were 226 Crus Bourgeois making up the new 2017 Official Selection, representing 19 million bottles, which is approximately 23% of the Médoc’s production.

See:

The 271 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2015 Vintage Announced, France
The 278 Crus Bourgeois du Medoc of the 2014 Vintage Announced, France
The 251 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2013 Vintage Announced, France
The 267 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2012 Vintage Announced, France
The 256 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2011 Vintage Announced, France
The 260 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc of the 2010 Vintage, France

The Cru Bourgeois Classification of 2020

Under the new system of 2020, the hierarchical levels of Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel were re-introduced and the estates are assessed every five years.

The first announcement of the new five-year list of Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur and Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel was in February 2020.

The new classification in 2020 brought an end to the yearly assessments run since 2008. The category assigned to an estate from now on will stand for five years. Châteaux can apply to be ‘Cru Bourgeois’ or they can apply for the ‘Supérieur’ and ‘Exceptionnel’ categories where, in addition to passing a qualitative tasting test, they must pass other criteria including their agricultural and environmental practices, property management and promotion of their wine.