What Is a First Growth? The 1855 Bordeaux Classification

To understand what is a First Growth, you must look to the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855. This ranking system originated from a request by Emperor Napoleon III for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. It aimed to showcase France's finest Bordeaux wines to a global audience. Brokers from the wine industry compiled the classification, basing it on a château's reputation and trading price. The wines were categorized into five levels of importance, from first to fifth growths, also known as crus. All red wines on this list, except for Château Haut-Brion from Graves, originated from the Médoc region. The white wines included were sweet varieties from Sauternes and Barsac, ranked from superior first growth to second growth. The five châteaux designated as First Growths for red wines are Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, and Château Mouton Rothschild. Mouton Rothschild was elevated to this status in 1973.

What is the origin of the 1855 Classification?

Emperor Napoleon III requested the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. The Emperor sought a system to classify France's best Bordeaux wines for visitors worldwide. Wine industry brokers took on the ranking, using a château's reputation and trading price as their criteria. This resulted in a hierarchy of importance, from first to fifth growths, or crus. The classification predominantly featured red wines from the Médoc region, with the notable exception of Château Haut-Brion from Graves. For white wines, the classification covered only sweet varieties from Sauternes and Barsac. These ran from superior first growth to second growth.

Which châteaux are First Growths?

The 1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification initially identified four red wine First Growths, with a fifth added later. These prestigious châteaux are:

• Château Lafite Rothschild, located in Pauillac.
• Château Latour, also from Pauillac.
• Château Margaux, situated in Margaux.
• Château Haut-Brion, the sole classified estate from Graves rather than Médoc.
• Château Mouton Rothschild, from Pauillac. It was originally listed as a Second Growth in 1855, then elevated to First Growth status in 1973.

For white wines, the classification included a Superior First Growth:

• Château d'Yquem, from Sauternes.

Additionally, nine First Growths (Premier Crus) were identified for sweet white wines from Sauternes and Barsac. They include Château La Tour Blanche and Château Suduiraut.

How has the classification changed since 1855?

The 1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification has seen only two significant changes since its inception. The first occurred in 1856 when Cantemerle was added as a fifth growth. The second, and more notable, change took place in 1973, when Château Mouton Rothschild was elevated from a second growth to a first growth vineyard. This elevation followed decades of intense lobbying by Philippe de Rothschild. A less known "change" involved the removal of Château Dubignon, a third growth from Margaux. The estate Château Malescot St. Exupéry absorbed it. Superficial changes include the widespread adoption of "château" in estate names, a practice only five estates used in 1855.

Despite these few official changes, many wine critics argue the 1855 Classification is outdated and does not accurately reflect the quality of wines produced today. Alexis Lichine, a member of a 1960 revision panel, campaigned for changes for over thirty years. He cited Château Lynch-Bages, a Pauillac Fifth Growth, as an example of a wine worthy of a much higher classification. The reason was good management and the collection of quality parcels. Conversely, poor management can lead to a decline in quality. Château Margaux's wines in the 1960s and 1970s demonstrate that. Robert Parker regarded them as "far below what's expected of a First Growth" prior to 1978. Other critics, including Robert Parker, Clive Coates, and David Peppercorn, have also made efforts to propose revisions or publish their own classifications. However, no official revisions have materialized. We attribute this partly to the potential negative impact on prices for downgraded châteaux and to the political influence of the 1855 establishment. In March 2009, the British wine exchange Liv-ex released The Liv-ex Bordeaux Classification, a modern recalculation applying the original method to the contemporary economic context.

How does the Bordeaux classification compare to Burgundy?

Bordeaux and Burgundy are both famous French wine regions with classification systems. Their approaches differ significantly. Burgundy's classification is geographically focused. Immense attention is paid to the area of origin and the specific soil types where grapes are grown. In Bordeaux, classifications are producer-driven and awarded to individual châteaux. Burgundy classifications, by contrast, attach to specific vineyards or regions, irrespective of the producer. This emphasis is evident on Burgundy wine labels, where appellations are prominent. Producer names often appear in smaller text at the bottom.

Burgundy has a higher number of appellations d'origine contrôlée (AOCs) than any other French region. Its practice of delineating vineyards by terroir dates back to medieval times. Monasteries played a key role in its development. The main levels in the Burgundy classifications, in descending order of quality, are Grand Crus, Premier Crus, village appellations, and regional appellations.

Here is a comparison of the two classification systems:

Feature	Bordeaux 1855 Classification	Burgundy Classification
What carries the ranking	Producer driven, awarded to individual châteaux	Geographically focused; a specific vineyard or region bears the classification regardless of the producer
Basis of the ranking	A château's reputation and trading price	The area of origin and the soil type in which the grapes are grown
Main levels	First to fifth growths, or crus	Grand Crus, Premier Crus, village appellations and regional appellations, in descending order of quality

Burgundy pays immense attention to the area of origin, and to which of the region's 400 types of soil a wine's grapes are grown in.

For a closer look at the producer ranking, promotion history and collector implications, see our full guide to the Bordeaux 1855 classification.