Definition: Cru bourgeois

This was followed by various attempts by the Syndicat to establish a regulatory framework in line with EU regulations. Finally, a ministerial decree at the end of 2000 established the regulations governing the Médoc crus bourgeois, which are now grouped into a single category: crus bourgeois. In 2001, it brought together 337 brands from the 8 Médoc appellations, out of a total of 419, representing 50% of Médoc production. The Syndicat des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc no longer publishes a classification, but draws up an annual list of its members. In terms of quality, there is a very big difference between the best and worst of the crus bourgeois. The most renowned produce wines that are far superior and often more expensive than the least successful crus classés. On the other hand, the lower quality crus bourgeois are barely superior to a generic Bordeaux. The Moulis and Listrac appellations have the largest number of crus bourgeois.

The new classification of crus bourgeois came as a surprise when it was published at the opening of the 2003 Vinexpo trade fair in Bordeaux. Published in the Official Journal on Sunday 22 June and subject to review in 12 years' time, it replaces the 1932 classification. The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry had registered some 490 applications for inclusion in this new classification, which covers wines from the Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac, Margaux, Moulis, Pauillac, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien appellations. The wines were analysed from the 1994 to 1999 vintages, with the evaluation grid including criteria such as terroir and viticulture, analysis of bottling conditions and the general reputation of the estate. Some may be surprised not to find their favourite crus bourgeois among the nominees, foremost among which is the renowned Château Sociando Mallet. Neither this château, nor Château Gloria, nor Château Bel Air Marquis d'Alligre submitted an application... let's hope they will be in the running in 12 years' time!

The verdict of the new 2003 cru bourgeois classification retained only 247 (1992 = 258) châteaux (50%) out of 490 candidates and lists: 9 exceptional cru bourgeois, 87 superior cru bourgeois and 151 cru bourgeois. The 2003 classification is very different from the 1992 list: nearly a hundred châteaux have been eliminated, while, most surprisingly, 73 new classified growths have appeared.

We will only mention the exceptional crus bourgeois from the 2003 classification:

Château Labegorce Zédé (Soussans, Margaux)

Château Ormes-de-Pez (Les) (Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Estèphe)

Château Pez (de) (Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Estèphe)

Château Phélan Ségur (Saint-Estèphe, Saint-Estèphe)

Château Potensac (Ordonnac, Médoc)

Château Poujeaux (Moulis-en-Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc)

Château Siran (Labarde, Margaux)

(Excerpt from the Official Journal)

The rejected candidates, furious, formed a group led by Denis Hécquet, manager of Château Méric (Médoc). They voted against the dissolution of the union and blocked the formation of the new one. Owners dissatisfied with their place in the new classification joined their cause.

The members of the jury were dragged through the mud. They were accused of bias in the classification nominations, and in some cases of cronyism between wines. Unfortunately, the release of this new classification was marred by scandals and internal strife, and tensions rose! After a series of appeals (sixty in total) by those who had been rejected, the bureau of the syndicat des crus bourgeois was finally dissolved at a general meeting in early April 2004, almost a year after the official release of the classification.

Dominique Hessel, owner of Château Moulin à Vent, classified as a cru bourgeois supérieur, passed the torch to Thierry Gardinier, co-owner of Château Phélan-Ségur in Saint-Estèphe, classified as a cru bourgeois exceptionnel. In addition, the new syndicate changed its name to Alliance des Crus Bourgeois. This new alliance includes all classified wines (9 crus bourgeois exceptionnel, 87 crus bourgeois supérieur and 151 crus bourgeois). However, the alliance is faced with a request for a review of the files by the judge in summary proceedings.

The Chamber of Commerce will therefore have to re-examine a number of rejected applications with a jury that does not include any owners. If these applications are judged favourably, they should be reinstated in the 2003 classification and the new union. However, if too many appeals are lodged, the court could require the whole process to be started again from scratch!

This classification, which was fairly conservative compared to that of 1932, was nevertheless a first attempt, carried out by professionals from the Bordeaux wine world, most of whom were familiar with the typology of Médoc properties and the quality level of the entire production. It was a courageous effort, which still needs to be improved for the next edition, but above all validated by consumers over the next ten years.

In 2005, we learned that the 75 Médoc châteaux that contested the official classification of crus bourgeois established in 2003 had finally won their case in court. And the court threw out eighteen months of work. The judges disqualified the 2003 Classification on the grounds that some members of the jury were both judges and parties, as several members of the jury were directly affected by this new classification.

Médoc: 28.02.2007 the new classification of crus bourgeois cancelled:

The Bordeaux Administrative Court of Appeal annulled the latest Médoc cru bourgeois classification established in 2003. The ruling also annulled the classification of 87 cru bourgeois supérieurs and 9 cru bourgeois exceptionnels, two new categories that had been introduced in the new classification. The 1932 classification therefore applies once again, and some 200 excluded properties regain the right to use the prestigious cru bourgeois designation. The judges ruled in favour of the plaintiffs, considering that there was doubt about the impartiality of the 17-member jury responsible for selecting the crus, four of whom were affected by the classification.

The same scenario is likely to repeat itself for the brand new Saint-Émilion grands crus classés classification, as three of the owners excluded from the classification have just taken legal action, again citing the jury's lack of impartiality.

These two cases are unlikely to help restore the image of Bordeaux wines, either in France or internationally.

07.2007 - The term "cru bourgeois" banned in the Médoc - The DGCCRF (French consumer protection agency) has just announced this ban. It follows a ruling overturning the 2003 classification of Bordeaux wines.

What will become of the Médoc wine producers who were able to adorn their bottles with the "cru bourgeois" appellation in order to promote their wines to consumers and withstand competition? This is the question they now face since the use of this term has been banned by the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF).

This case, revealed by the daily newspaper Sud-Ouest, has been confirmed by the Competition Authority. The latter notified Bordeaux winegrowers of this in a letter dated 22 June 2007. "Cru bourgeois" wines account for half of Médoc production.

The "crus bourgeois" association is awaiting a "clearer position" from the administration regarding the effective date of the total ban on the term, according to its president, Thierry Gardinier. According to him, "logic" and "common sense" would dictate that the ban should apply from the 2007 vintage onwards, as for previous years, "the labels have already been printed". He adds: "it cannot be ruled out that the term 'cru bourgeois' will not be able to be used for several vintages".

The whole affair began in June 2003. That year, experts set about revising the classification of Bordeaux wines. The last, and also the first, classification was established in 1932. It classified 444 châteaux as crus bourgeois, crus bourgeois supérieurs and crus bourgeois supérieurs exceptionnels. At the time, no ministerial approval had been given to this classification. The June 2003 classification, after 18 months of work, retained the right for 247 of the 480 candidate châteaux to mention "crus bourgeois" on their labels, with 9 of them being declared "exceptional" and 87 "superior". A ministerial decree finally gave official validation to this classification.

Unfortunately, the 76 owners excluded from this classification filed a complaint. They considered the selection to be biased. Some Médoc owners were indeed members of the jury. In February 2007, the Bordeaux Administrative Court of Appeal, confirming a ruling by the Administrative Court, ruled in their favour and annulled the 2003 version of the classification.

See classified - cru.