The terms Grand Cru and Premier Cru, often seen on high-priced French wine labels, represent a classification of vineyard and wine quality. The term ‘cru’ signifies ‘growth’, referring to a specific vineyard. Similar systems exist in most European nations. While one may assume that Premier Cru equates to the highest standard, it’s actually the Grand Cru that holds the top ranking.
Burgundy embraces an age-old quality hierarchy. On the lower end, you have generic Bourgogne Rouge or Blanc, the origin of which can be any part of the region. Then come ‘villages’, wines sourced from areas nearby particular towns or villages. Some individual vineyards within these villages, acknowledged for their superior wine quality, attain the title of ‘Premier Cru’. At the apex of the pyramid are 33 vineyards granted the ‘Grand Cru’ status, recognised throughout history to yield supremely exquisite wines.
Bourgogne labels might include classifications such as:
– Bourgogne Rouge, the basic level but could potentially offer great value from a top producer.
– Gevrey-Chambertin, wine originating from vineyards around Gevrey-Chambertin village.
– Gevery-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Saint-Jacques, a high-quality wine from the Clos Saint-Jacques vineyard.
– Le Chambertin Grand Cru, a wine produced from grapes of Burgundy’s finest vineyard.
Bordeaux has diverse rating systems dependent on location. The best-rated Grands Crus are in Médoc, where 88 top-end wines are ranked from Premier Grand Cru to Cinquième Cru. The Premier Crus includes recognisable Château Lafite-Rothschild. Bordeaux’s other regions like Saint-Émilion utilise varying or no ranking systems.
In contrast, in the Champagne region, the status of entire villages is marked by two terms which affects sale price of the growers’ grapes. Titled as Grand Cru, seventeen villages possess the rights to label their wines accordingly, despite the common occurrence of blending various ones from Grands and Premiers Crus. French territories such as Alsace, and even countries like Germany, have established similar systems.
The puzzling question that arises is whether this is worth our attention or merely another complex method devised by wine connoisseurs to make the field appear impenetrable. Certain regions in France, such as the Rhône and the Loire, lack this grading structure, yet it does not impede wine enthusiasts in determining the finest wine makers. When employed effectively, these categories can assist in pinpointing the region’s top wines. However, this is contingent on the competence of the wine-producing team; the existence of subpar and pricey Premiers and Grands Crus proves this point.