Classification

The Classification of Saint-Émilion

Made 7 times between 1955 and 2022, annulled once by a court, and the only classification of crus classés in Bordeaux that an estate can be thrown out of.

What it is

The décret of October 7, 1954 recognized the appellation Saint-Émilion Grand Cru and put a classification under public authority, to be rebuilt about every 10 years. The first list followed on June 16, 1955. Since 1984 the ranks are not appellations but mentions, carried on the label by estates that hold them, and since 2012 the whole exercise runs under the INAO.

How it moves

Every 10 years, and it really moves. An estate can rise, fall, be thrown out, or be let back in. Beau-Séjour Bécot was demoted in 1986 and reinstated in 1996. Corbin Michotte was thrown out in 2012 and reinstated in 2022. 10 estates were dropped in 1986 and 10 more in 1996. That is the difference between this list and 1855: here the rank is renewed, and a renewal that can be lost is a judgment rather than an inheritance.

What it has cost

The 2006 classification was annulled by the courts and the result was 3 years of legislation to keep anyone from losing a rank they had printed on bottles already sold. The 2012 classification produced a criminal conviction: the president of the classification commission, who owned an estate promoted to the top rank, was convicted in 2021 of taking an interest in a matter he oversaw, and fined. By 2022, 3 of the 4 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A, Ausone, Cheval Blanc and Angélus, had declined to apply, and La Gaffelière, a Premier Grand Cru Classé, applied and then withdrew after the commission’s first opinion.

Every edition

9

  1. 1955 Décret of June 16, 1955

    The first classification

    Published in the Journal Officiel on June 24, 1955 and completed by the arrêtés of August 7 and October 18, 1958. It is the October arrêté that created the A and B distinction inside the premier tier, with Ausone and Cheval Blanc as the 2 A.

    12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés, of which 2 A, and 63 Grands Crus Classés. 75 in all.

  2. 1969 November 17, 1969

    The second classification

    The premier tier does not move at all. The lower tier grows from 63 names to 72, and Cap de Mourlin appears 2 times, once for each of the 2 proprietors then holding a share of it.

    12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés and 72 Grands Crus Classés. 84 in all.

    • In Château Baleau, Château Dassault, Château Haut Corbin, Château Haut Sarpe, Château Laniote, Château Matras, Château l’Oratoire, Couvent des JacobinsGrand Cru Classé, 8 new names

  3. 1984 Décret of January 1984

    The ranks stop being appellations

    The appellations Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé and Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé are abolished, because they no longer fitted the European definition of an appellation. Only Saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru survive, and the classified ranks become mentions, awarded for 10 years at a time. The same text orders a new classification within 1 year, capped at 90 estates.

  4. 1986 May 23, 1986

    The third classification, and the first demotion

    Beau-Séjour Bécot, a premier since 1955, is sent down to Grand Cru Classé. It had taken in 2 other vineyards in 1979, La Carte and Trois Moulins, raising its area by 85% without applying for the amalgamation. The estate argued that the tastings showed no loss of quality. 10 more estates leave the list entirely, 2 of them the vineyards Beau-Séjour Bécot had absorbed.

    11 Premiers Grands Crus Classés and 63 Grands Crus Classés. 74 in all.

    • Down Château Beau-Séjour BécotPremier Grand Cru Classé to Grand Cru Classé
    • In Château BerliquetGrand Cru Classé
    • Out Château Baleau, Château Cadet-Bon, Château Chapelle de Madeleine, Château Coutet, Château Grandes Murailles, Château Jean Faure, Château La Carte, Château La Couspaude, Château Le Couvent, Château Trois MoulinsOut of the classification

  5. 1996 Arrêté of November 8, 1996

    The fourth classification

    Angélus rises to the premier tier and Beau-Séjour Bécot is reinstated, 10 years after its demotion. 10 estates go out. 4 come in, 3 of them returning after the cut of 1986.

    13 Premiers Grands Crus Classés, of which 2 A, and 55 Grands Crus Classés. 68 in all.

    • Up Château AngélusGrand Cru Classé to Premier Grand Cru Classé
    • Up Château Beau-Séjour BécotReinstated as Premier Grand Cru Classé
    • In Château Cadet Bon, Château La Couspaude, Château Les Grandes Murailles, Château LaroqueGrand Cru Classé
    • Out Château Croque Michotte, Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac, Château Grand Corbin, Château Grand Corbin Despagne, Château Le Châtelet, Château Mauvezin, Château Pavillon Cadet, Château Sansonnet, Château Trimoulet, Clos La MadeleineOut of the classification

  6. 2006 Arrêté of December 12, 2006, annulled

    The fifth classification, and the courts

    Pavie Macquin and Troplong Mondot rise to the premier tier, 6 estates come in and 10 are removed. 4 of the demoted go to law. The tribunal administratif de Bordeaux annuls the whole classification on July 1, 2008, holding that organizing the tastings by category rather than at random broke the equality of treatment between incumbents and candidates. The Bordeaux court of appeal confirms on March 12, 2009 and the Conseil d’État on December 23, 2011.

    15 Premiers Grands Crus Classés and 46 Grands Crus Classés. 61 in all.

    • Up Château Pavie Macquin, Château Troplong MondotGrand Cru Classé to Premier Grand Cru Classé
    • In Château Bellefont-Belcier, Château Destieux, Château Fleur Cardinale, Château Grand Corbin, Château Grand Corbin-Despagne, Château MonbousquetGrand Cru Classé
    • Out Château Bellevue, Château Cadet Bon, Château Faurie de Souchard, Château Guadet Saint-Julien, Château La Marzelle, Château La Tour du Pin Figeac, Château Petit Faurie de Soutard, Château Tertre Daugay, Château Villemaurine, Château Yon FigeacOut of the classification

  7. 2009 Law of May 12, 2009, article 65

    Parliament keeps 2 lists alive at once

    The law of August 4, 2008 had extended the 1996 classification, which protected the estates classified in 1996 and nobody else, leaving the 8 estates promoted in 2006 with bottles on the market carrying a rank the courts had erased. Article 65 of the law of May 12, 2009 let both sets use their mention until the 2011 harvest. The 8 were Bellefont-Belcier, Destieux, Fleur Cardinale, Grand Corbin, Grand Corbin-Despagne and Monbousquet as Grands Crus Classés, and Pavie Macquin and Troplong Mondot as Premiers.

  8. 2012 Arrêté of October 29, 2012

    The sixth classification, and a criminal case

    The A tier doubles from 2 to 4: Angélus and Pavie join Ausone and Cheval Blanc. La Mondotte and Valandraud go straight into the premier tier without ever having been Grands Crus Classés. Corbin Michotte, classified at every edition since 1955, is thrown out. 3 declassified estates lodged a criminal complaint, and on October 25, 2021 the tribunal judiciaire de Bordeaux convicted Hubert de Boüard, co-owner of Angélus and president of the classification commission, of prise illégale d’intérêts, the offense of a public official taking an interest in a matter he oversees. He was fined 60,000 euros, of which 20,000 suspended. Philippe Castéja of TrotteVieille was acquitted. De Boüard did not appeal.

    18 Premiers Grands Crus Classés, of which 4 A, and 64 Grands Crus Classés. 82 in all, from 96 candidates.

    • Up Château Angélus, Château PaviePremier Grand Cru Classé B to A
    • Up Château Canon La Gaffelière, Château Larcis DucasseGrand Cru Classé to Premier Grand Cru Classé
    • In La Mondotte, Château ValandraudStraight to Premier Grand Cru Classé
    • In Château Bellevue, Château Cadet-Bon, Château Faurie de Souchard, Château Guadet, Château La Marzelle, Château Petit Faurie de Soutard, Château Tertre Daugay, Château Villemaurine, Château Yon-FigeacBack as Grand Cru Classé, after the list of 2006 had struck them off
    • In Château Barde-Haut, Château Le Châtelet, Château Clos de Sarpe, Château La Commanderie, Château Côte de Baleau, Château Faugères, Château de Ferrand, Château La Fleur Morange, Château Fombrauge, Château Jean Faure, Clos La Madeleine, Château Péby Faugères, Château de Pressac, Château Quinault l’Enclos, Château Rochebelle, Château SansonnetGrand Cru Classé
    • Out Château Corbin Michotte, Château La Tour du Pin FigeacOut of the classification
    • Merged Château Magdelaine, Château Cadet-Piola, Château Bergat, Château Haut-Corbin, Château MatrasLeft the list through merger or absorption

  9. 2022 Arrêté of December 15, 2022

    The seventh classification, and 5 estates walk away

    Figeac rises to A, where it stands beside Pavie and nothing else. Ausone and Cheval Blanc announced in July 2021 that they would not apply; Angélus followed on January 5, 2022, and Quinault L’Enclos, which belongs to the owners of Cheval Blanc, stayed out with it. La Gaffelière, which had applied, withdrew its file on June 1, 2022, after the commission’s first opinion on it. Pauline Vauthier of Ausone put the objection plainly: marketing and wine tourism are very nice things, but the measure of great wine comes down to terroir, viticulture and time. Angélus said the classification had become a vehicle for antagonism and instability. 16 estates come in, among them Corbin Michotte, back after 10 years out.

    2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A, 12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B and 71 Grands Crus Classés. 85 in all, valid for the 2022 to 2031 harvests.

    • Up Château FigeacPremier Grand Cru Classé B to A
    • Withdrew Château Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Angélus, Château Quinault L’EnclosDid not apply
    • Withdrew Château La GaffelièreApplied, then withdrew on June 1, 2022
    • In Château Badette, Château Boutisse, Château Corbin Michotte, Château Croix de Labrie, Château La Confession, Château La Croizille, Château Mangot, Château Montlabert, Château Montlisse, Château Rol Valentin, Château Tour Baladoz, Château Tour Saint Christophe, Clos Badon Thunevin, Clos Dubreuil, Clos Saint-Julien, LassègueGrand Cru Classé, 16 new names
    • Merged Château l’Arrosée, Château Grand-Pontet, Château Tertre Daugay, Château Pavie Decesse, Château Les Grandes MuraillesLeft the list through merger, into Quintus, Pavie and Clos Fourtet

The list today

85

Premier Grand Cru Classé A 2

Premier Grand Cru Classé B 12

Grand Cru Classé 71

See this classification on the map

Sources

Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion, the 2022 classification press kit · Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion, the 1969 classification · Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion, the 1986 classification · Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion, the 1996 classification · INAO, the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru classification for the next decade · Decanter, the new Saint-Émilion classification of 2006 · Decanter, only one château demoted in the 2012 classification · Decanter, Cheval Blanc and Ausone leave the classification · Decanter, Angélus withdraws from the next classification · Decanter, La Gaffelière withdraws from the next classification · The Drinks Business, why La Gaffelière is leaving the classification · Cour administrative d’appel de Bordeaux, the 2019 ruling on standing · France Bleu, the judgment of October 25, 2021

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