Cru (wine)#Grand cru

The term Grand Cru (French, literally " large growth " ) is usually used for wine but also for chocolate and coffee, and also for some beers.

The different wine regions of France define Grand Cru different. In Germany is in some wine regions, the term Great Growth an equivalent for the highest classification level of wines from wineries that are members of the Association of German predicate and quality of wineries and Bernkasteler ring are.

Burgundy

In Burgundy Grand Cru refers to the situation. 1935 all the vineyards of the Côte- d'Or were classified officially. Grands Crus are the best locations. This does not automatically mean that from this principle comes the best wine - it comes in addition to much on the way of working and commitment of each winemaker. One of the most famous Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot documents is. The possession of this situation divide about 80 wineries, bring the wines of very different quality on the bottle. Other famous Grand Crus are Chambertin, Musigny, Richebourg, La Romanée, Romanée- Conti, La Tache and Corton Corton -Charlemagne and for red wine and white wine Montrachet.

Every Grand Cru Burgundy has its own appellation ( AOC ).

In second place in the hierarchy is the position classification Premier Cru. Then follow the communal appellations, where often the name of the most famous location is appended to the name of the community, such as Gevrey- Chambertin.

Bordeaux

In the vineyards of Bordeaux Grand Cru Cru Classé or is the property of a winery (Château ) and not a single location (see Burgundy or Alsace ). The reasons for this lie in the historical development of viticulture in Bordeaux: The leading Châteaux especially the Medoc were created only from the late 17th century systematically on the best locations. Since then, although many parcels have changed hands, the vineyards of the best goods has substantially but nothing changed. Therefore, position and Château always be identified with each other.

The majority of the leading freight from Bordeaux has joined in the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux. Membership to this exclusive club is not bound by the official rankings, but an equally plausible measurement of belonging to the wine-growing elite. The thousands of " less privileged" wineries classify since the 1930s as a Cru Bourgeois, " Civil plants".

See also Bordeaux classification.

Médoc

In the wine region of Bordeaux, the best goods were compiled in a list as a Grand Cru Classé already for the World Expo Paris 1855. These goods were subdivided into five classes with the French number words Premier, Deuxième etc. These approximately 65 wineries represented at that time ( and even today far partly ) the " nobility" of winemaking in Bordeaux is, precisely, the Médoc peninsula north-west of Bordeaux. As a criterion of the division was the average selling price of the wines at that epoch, viewed from the experience of several decades.

Since 1855 there has been only one change: Château Mouton -Rothschild was the Deuxieme Grand Cru was allowed to carry a " Premier of Seconds" (first of the Second ), promoted in 1973 to Premier Grand Cru. This long, elapsed time, almost without correction of the classification indirectly means that the old classification partially no longer meets today's quality conditions. So pretty she likes but no one touch to revise; this classification is considered in France as sacrosanct. Wine lovers have, depending on their personal preferences, anyway away from the Grand Cru ranks own estimates of what wines are particularly rewarding. Even the vintage differences are far more significant than the classification differences: A wine of a lower rank well from an excellent year is usually much better than the taste of a wine Grand Cru classified material in a moderate year. A glaring example of a failed hanging classification is the Château Lynch -Bages in Pauillac, formerly classified as a fifth growth. For a long time, however, the good works reliably on a par with the Deuxièmes, the Second goods. What is also reflected in the prices: under the Fifth goods is the wine of Château Lynch -Bages is by far the most expensive. Another example is the Château Palmer in Margaux, a Troisième Cru, which ranks just behind the Premier Cru goods for decades.

Also, there are now a number of initially not classified as Grand Cru goods - those with Cru Bourgeois classification, which has long been recognized to provide it to produce wines of the class of the Grand Crus. An outstanding example is the Château Sociando - Mallet in Saint -Seurin -de- Cadourne north of Saint- Estèphe, which works equivalent to the Second goods and can sell his wine as expensive.

• The class Premier Cru include: Château Lafite -Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour and Château Haut -Brion is the only winery in the area Graves. Subsequently, on 21 June 1973 was promoted Château Mouton -Rothschild from the Deuxieme for Premier Cru.
• The class Deuxième Cru include: Château Rausan - Ségla, Château Rauzan - Gassies, Chateau Leoville -las- Cases, Chateau Leoville - Barton, Chateau Leoville - Poyferré, Château Durfort- Vivens, Château Gruaud - Larose, Château Lascombes Château Brane Cantenac -, Château Pichon Longueville -Baron, Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande -, Château Ducru - Beaucaillou, Château Cos d' Estournel, Château Montrose.
• The class Troisième Cru include: Château Boyd Cantenac -, Château Calon Ségur -, Château Cantenac -Brown, Château Desmirail, Château Ferrière, Château Giscours, Château d' Issan, Château Kirwan, Château Lagrange, Château La Lagune, Chateau Langoa - Barton, Château Malescot Saint -Exupery, Château Marquis d' Alesme -Becker, Château Palmer.
• The class Quatrième Cru include: Château Beychevelle, Château Branaire - Ducru, Château Duhart -Milon -Rothschild, Château Lafon - Rochet, Château Marquis de Terme, Château Pouget, Château Prieuré - Lichine, Chateau Saint- Pierre, Château Talbot, Château La Tour Carnet.
• The class Cinquième Cru include: Château d' Armailhac, Château Batailley, Chateau Belgrave, Chateau Camensac, Château Cantemerle, Château Clerc -Milon -Rothschild, Château Cos Labory, Château Croizet -Bages, Château Dauzac, Château Grand -Puy- Ducasse, Chateau Grand -Puy- Lacoste, Chateau Haut -Bages - Libéral, Château Haut- Batailley, Château Lynch -Bages, Château Lynch - Moussa, Château Pedesclaux, Château Pontet - Canet, Château du Tertre.

Saint- Émilion

In the growing area of Saint- Émilion is, the quality pyramid:

• Saint- Émilion
• Saint- Émilion Grand Cru
• Saint -Emilion Grand Cru Classé, divided into: Grand Cru Classé
• Premier Grand Cru Classe, Classe B
• Premier Grand Cru Classé, Classe A

All Grands Crus, with or without the " classé ", form their own AOC, which is newly awarded annually. Because now account for over 60 % of production on " Grand Cru ", does not have this extra here the same value as is standard in Bordeaux. The classification is revised approximately every 10 years, the goods may also lose their rank. The last update was in 2006. General, the enterprises must apply for classification.

Graves

The classification of Graves wines, founded in 1953 and was last updated in 1959. Here are the only binned dry white wines of Bordeaux to find. A hierarchy within the classified wines does not exist; a revision of the classification is not provided. The French name of the wines is Cru Classé of Graves.

Pomerol

The most expensive Bordeaux, Château Pétrus Pomerol from the growing area, is not a Grand Cru, although he need fear no comparison with the wines of the Medoc. The " Nobel appellation " Pomerol has no official classification.

Sauterne

Also in 1855 was the classification of fine sweet white wines of Sauternes and Barsac from the communities.

• The class of Premier Cru Supérieur Château d' Yquem is one of only
• The class Premier Cru include: Château Clos Haut- Peyraguey, Château La Tour Blanche, Château Lafaurie - Peyraguey, Château de Rayne Vigneau -, Château Suduiraut, Château Coutet, Château Climens, Château Guiraud, Chateau Rieussec, Chateau Rabaud -list celebrities, Château Sigalas - Rabaud.
• The class Deuxième Cru include: Château Myrat, Château Doisy Daëne, Château Doisy - Dubroca, Château Doisy - Védrines, Château d' Arche, Château Filhot, Château Broustet, Château Nairac, Château Caillou, Château Suau, Château de Malle, Château Romer du Hayot, Château Lamothe, Château Lamothe Guignard.

Champagne

In the Champagne vineyards are neither goods nor classified, but the wine-growing villages. The income from wine growers for their champagne grapes price provided the basis of a 80 % to 100 % reaching scale. The communities whose grapes achieved the maximum price of 100 % may, use the designation Grand Cru. The same is true for a champagne, which was made ​​exclusively from grapes from Grand Cru communities. However, since it is mostly blends of different layers, Grand Crus are very rare. In addition, with champagne, the brand name of the house is in the foreground. Therefore also lead the top cuvees of the great Champagne houses, the de facto often pure Grand Crus are, this title is not on their label.

The most famous of the 17 Grand Cru sites are Ambonnay, Avize, Ay, Bouzy, Cramant, Le Mesnil -sur- Oger, Oger, Verzenay and Verzy.

Alsace

In 1975, the situation Schlossberg as the first Grand Cru terroir of Alsace was recognized. In two stages followed by 50 other top sites. Each of these Grand Cru has its own appellation. Authorised varietals are Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat ( Muscat and Muscat Ottonel ). Best-known locations are the brats, the Kastel mountain and the Schlossberg. See also Alsace Grand Cru.