New Cru Bourgeois classification

Julian_Marshall · February 27, 2020, 9:16am

In case anyone is interested, the new classification is out. It’s different this time because there are three tiers - CB Exceptionnel, CB Supérieur and the normal Crus Bourgeois.

These are the CB Exceptionnels:

HAUT-MÉDOC |

CHÂTEAU D’AGASSAC
CHÂTEAU ARNAULD • CHÂTEAU BELLE-VUE
CHÂTEAU CAMBON LA PELOUSE • CHÂTEAU CHARMAIL
CHÂTEAU MALESCASSE • CHÂTEAU DE MALLERET
CHÂTEAU DU TAILLAN

LISTRAC-MÉDOC |

CHÂTEAU LESTAGE

MARGAUX |

CHÂTEAU D’ARSAC
CHÂTEAU PAVEIL DE LUZE

SAINT-ESTÈPHE |

CHÂTEAU LE BOSCQ
CHÂTEAU LE CROCK • CHÂTEAU LILIAN LADOUYS

Some of the names are a little unexpected, for example Lestage being classed ahead of its stablemate Fonréaud. If you are surprised not to see some of the more celebrated ones (eg Poujeaux, Chasse-Spleen) I imagine it is because they didn’t enter the contest. There are however some odd absentees from the whole list, again perhaps by choice, such as Citran and Rollan de By. Since the latter’s stablemate Greysac is also absent I would guess they boycotted it.

Whether one needs yet another classification is a moot point and I would imagine that as usual, there will be the usual flurry of lawsuits. Anyway, if you’re curious, this is the link:

https://www.crus-bourgeois.com/classement-2020/

Gerhard_P · February 27, 2020, 4:55pm

Strange - a lot of well-known names missing … and therefore quite useless imho …
Moulis is completely blank ???
Monbrison, Labegorce, Meyney, Haut-Marbuzet, Phelan-Segur, Potensac, La Tour de By, Pibran, La Bridane, Cissac, Soudars … ???

DougS · February 27, 2020, 5:00pm

How relevant do people think this is to the market?

Ruben_Augusto · February 27, 2020, 5:02pm

Julian_Marshall · February 27, 2020, 5:22pm

I think the relevance, or lack of it, is linked to the amount of missing names! Some are clearly higher than CB quality anyway, but the absence of other more humble names is harder to understand. Moreover, unless I missed it, there is no explanation as to how the classification was done, nor on what basis. But I would imagine that for some properties, this will enable them to charge another euro or two - which for wines selling at around 10€, in huge quantities, must be a great help.

Hank_Victor · February 27, 2020, 6:27pm

“The classification is based on a blind tasting of five vintages and overseen by an independent body. For the two higher levels, two extra criteria come into play: ‘the technical management of the vineyard and the marketing and promotion of the property”.

The above article is free and gives a quick explanation of the new classification.

James_Billy · February 28, 2020, 7:40am

The very best names are almost all absent.

Lots of other value plays are also missing, like Senejac.

CB used to be an easy way to get good value in the Medoc. It’s not so simple any more…

Julian_Marshall · February 28, 2020, 11:04am

I think the relevance, or lack of it, is linked to the amount of missing names! Some are clearly higher than CB quality anyway, but the absence of other more humble names is harder to understand. Moreover, unless I missed it, there is no explanation as to how the classification was done, nor on what basis. But I would imagine that for some properties, this will enable them to charge another euro or two - which for wines selling at around 10€, in huge quantities, must be a great help.

“The classification is based on a blind tasting of five vintages and overseen by an independent body. For the two higher levels, two extra criteria come into play: ‘the technical management of the vineyard and the marketing and promotion of the property”.

A brand new cru bourgeois classification | JancisRobinson.com

The above article is free and gives a quick explanation of the new classification.

Thanks Hank, that’s very interesting, especially the fact that it is now for five years, instead of only one. This means that the quite large number of châteaux who have clearly opted out have taken a big decision, joining the other higher quality wines in the sort of No Man’s Land between CBs and CCs. Some, like Sénéjac and Citran, made no mention of being Crus Bourgeois on their labels anyway, at least since 2015.

Arv_R · February 29, 2020, 4:57am

I’ve tasted most of the wines in the initial post, now dubbed Exceptionnel and they’re all pretty good. I don’t recalled trying du Taillan or Paveil du Luze though. I guess its nice they’re getting some recognition, and perhaps it will help with stateside availability, but I can’t really see this really moving market prices in any kind of seismic shift. And if too many estates were not submitting examples, it hurts the credibility of the classification scheme. (No Chasse Spleen?!)

GregT · February 29, 2020, 6:16pm

I can’t imagine it’s relevant in any way at all. These things may have mattered a hundred years ago when information travelled slowly and there weren’t so many markets competing, but these days the classifications seem like attempts to return to a time when the authorities would issue a decree and everyone was supposed to follow it. It’s pretty silly really, especially since they’re including the work done on promotion and marketing.

Were I making wine over there, I would simply ignore it entirely.

Then again, I have an acquaintance who doesn’t really know much but wants to collect wine. He didn’t drink it in China but since living in the US has developed an interest. I offered some Rauzan Segla. He said he never buys that wine. I asked why. He said because it was a second growth and he thought first growths would be better. He was quite earnest about it too. So maybe to some markets this stuff matters. In that case, I would get a few growers together and come up with a competing hierarchy. That would at least generate some publicity and confusion.