Definition: Saint-Émilion classification confirmed by the courts in December 2015

The Saint-Émilion classification confirmed by the courts in December 2015... but for how long?

On 17 December 2015, the Bordeaux Administrative Court rejected the request to cancel the 2012 classification of Saint-Émilion wines. But barely confirmed by the courts, this classification will once again be challenged with the plaintiffs' appeal.

The ten-yearly classification of Saint-Émilion wines, created in 1955, is revised every ten years by the National Institute for Origin and Quality (INAO), which reports directly to the Ministry of Agriculture. During its sixth revision (in 2012), which was established following a review of the specifications, the ranking was immediately contested by three châteaux in the appellation that were dissatisfied with their results. This classification, which represents significant commercial and financial stakes, had already caused problems in its previous edition (eight downgraded properties took legal action) and was finally cancelled in 2006.

In the 2012 edition, 96 estates submitted applications and 82 were selected. Following this revision of the classification, three downgraded châteaux decided to take the matter to court: Croque-Michotte, Corbin-Michotte and La Tour du Pin Figeac.

The Bordeaux court has just handed down its decision: the 2012 Saint-Émilion classification and its specifications are deemed valid. The ruling also emphasised "the legality of the procedure for drawing up the classification regulations and the quality of the work carried out by the classification commission. " This decision came as a relief to the INAO and the Saint-Émilion Wine Council. Jean-François Galhaud, president of the appellation's syndicate, reaffirmed the relevance of this classification: "The 1955 classification is an image of Saint-Émilion and we like it to endure, but it is also progress in motion, a questioning in the quest for excellence (the Saint-Émilion classification is in fact revised every 10 years). An excellence to which candidates must aspire. "What we like when we read this judgement is the spirit of the classification, even if nothing is perfect, the spirit of logic and fairness."

But the matter does not end there: two owners have decided to appeal the decision. They are Château Croque-Michotte and Château Corbin-Michotte. "We are still confident that we are in the right and we will fight. We will appeal, especially when we see the decision, there is plenty to do," says Lucile Carle of Château Croque-Michotte. Jean-Noël Boidron, owner of Corbin-Michotte, was also outraged by the verdict: "It's so shameful that we will appeal! It's a flagrant injustice. Our arguments have been dismissed out of hand." They essentially contest the criteria for this classification, in particular the requirement to have a reception room on the estate and multilingual reception staff, as the tasting score is not the main criterion.

The legal twists and turns surrounding the Saint-Émilion classification are seriously damaging to the image of the appellation and undermine the legitimacy of the work carried out to establish a hierarchy. And yet, this classification at least has the merit of not being set in stone; it is supposed to evolve in line with the properties and the quality of their wines. If this classification were to be cancelled, as was the case in 2006, it would be difficult to imagine establishing new specifications to re-establish a hierarchy. Is the Saint-Émilion appellation doomed to live without an official classification, like Pomerol? This would not be good news either for the wines included in the classification or for those who contest it. Or would it have been better to freeze the hierarchy permanently, as was done for the wines of Médoc and Sauternes in 1855, or those of Graves in 1959? To be continued, on appeal...