Thanks! I'm really glad to hear that. Bordeaux can be a beast with all of the different classifications. I'm hopeful the casts make it easier to process. Thanks for checking them out and taking the time to write in. Cheers!
Your videos are so great and informative. But I'm still confused on classifications of Bordeaux wines. First, how is a document from 1855 still determining the quality of current wineries and their wines? Secondly is the AOC a better classification system than a smaller region, district or village classification? How do even know which system gave the bottle it's "Grand Cru classes" or "Grand Vin" or whatever it's labeled as?
Hi. Thanks for the message. These are all great questions, so let me take a shot at them. First, you're not the only person to wonder about the continuing relevance of the 1855 classification. Never underestimate the power of a "best of" list or the power of name recognition. With reference to your second question, remember that the region, district/village or single vineyard classifications (not so relevant for Bordeaux) are all AOCs as well (my cast on French Wine Classification covers this in more detail). Generally speaking, the smaller the AOC the higher the expectation for quality (though, like most things in wine, this is controversial). Finally, the Grand Cru Classé and other designations are always tied to a specific classification, so if you see verbiage like that, the Chateau sporting it has some kind of classification to its name. Grand Vin, by contrast, is something any Chateau can put on its bottle, though the expectation is that this designates their best bottling. The bottom line is you do have to commit some things to memory if you want to make sense out of this stuff -- New World classifications are definitely easier to make sense out of. Hope all of this helps and thanks for the questions and for listening to the casts. Cheers!
Great job! As Bordeaux is so relevant I suggest an specific video for Haut Medoc, and others for Pomerol, St.-Émillion and Sauternes. Think carefully about this. And Thank You so much for sharing all these !
Thanks for the suggestion. I've thought about doing a break down of some French regions, and Bordeaux would be an ideal place to start. It's just a question of timing and balancing the different possible casts that I can do. Thanks for watching and for taking the time to make a suggestion. Cheers!
Thanks for the message. I have a cast on cellaring and storage that will have some information on aging. Let me think about how I might address a subject like decanting. Thanks again and cheers!
In Bordeaux, are the terms Premier Cru and Grand Cru interchangeable? What about in Burgundy? Also why weren't dry white wines classified in the 1855 classification?
Thank you for your helping many of us oenophiles. However, I am a little confused about 14 Chateaux in the Deuxiemes Crus for the sweet white wines. On the website ( www.bordeaux.com/us/Our-Terroir/Classifications/Grand-Cru-Classes-en-1855 ) and on various other sources I get it to be 15. I also understand that Chateaux Romer was divided to Romer & Romer-du-Hayot then sold. Did it returned to be only Romer or does both Romer and Romer-du-Hayot both exist?
So here is what I'm confused about its only in Grave.... smith Haut Lafite named only after the vineyard and smith who founded it is not a growth wine correct? However it still says "Grand Cru Classe" how does that make sense? Is it just the way they classify it because they didn't have a growth except Haut-Brion or is that Graves Cru Bourgois?
Grand Cru Classé is just the nomenclature that Graves uses in its classification. So, Haut-Brion is both a "Premier Grand Cru Classé" and a "Grand Cru Classé" because it's classified in two separate classification (the 1855 and the Graves 1953). So, a Chateau like Smith Haut Lafitte is a "growth wine" but it's a growth wine in a separate classification than the 61 chateaux that were classified in 1855. Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte is a classified growth, just not within the same classification as, say, Chateau Margaux or Chateau Lynch-Bages, while Haut Brion is classified in the same classification as Margaux and Lynch-Bages AS WELL AS in the same classification as Smith Haut Lafitte. Don't know if that made things any clearer or if I missed an aspect of your question. Let me know. Cheers!
The Unknown Winecaster you answered exactly my question it is a growth but not a growth under the 1855 I really understand the controversy now when you put into perspective that Haut Brion is both a CRU & Premier... thank you without saying to much appreciate you really helping me out this was hard to understand!
You have to wonder if the complexity of all the overlapping classification names was on purpose. If you really know your Bordeaux, you're good and if you don't, you probably won't ever realized you screwed up.
