LeDomduVin: The 1955 Classification of Saint-Emilion Wines - Will They ever get it right?

The 1955 Classification of Saint-Emilion Wines

Will They ever get it right? 

I wrote this post following a conversation I had with two friends. ("D" is me, obviously... 😀👍🍷)

D: Prior to talking about the 1955 Classification, let's clarify a few important points about the classification of the wines of Saint-Emilion in general...

It is important to know that, since 1984, there have been only 2 "Appellations" in Saint-Emilion

1. AOC Saint-Emilion
2. AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru

The AOC Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is then divided as follows: 

1. Premiers Grands Crus Classés A
2. Premiers Grands Crus Classés B
3. Grands Crus Classés
4. Grands Crus

J: Wait a minute... How come there are "Grands Crus Classés" and "Grands Crus"? Are they not the same thing? 

D: I know it is confusing for most people, and that is why I wanted to clarify this point. 

A Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is not necessarily a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé. 

The request to be part of the classification is at the initiative of the Chateau owners/producers. 

To be part of the classification, they must file an official record for each vintage, and the vineyard conditions and management must respond to very specific and strict mandatory criteria fixed by the INAO. 

For example, to benefit the "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" appellation, the estate vineyard's yield must be 40 hl/ha, and the wine must be aged 12 months minimum. (If you understand and read French, you can find all the specific details of "Cahier des Charges des vins de "Saint-Emilion" here). 

As the classification ranking is reviewed every 10 years, producers must submit these official records for all the previously graded vintages. That way, new producers can submit their files to enter the classification, and existing producers can continue their efforts to maintain (or retain) their rank.

Also, to enter the classification, producers are also subject to a mandatory tasting of the last 10 or 15 vintages to determine the wine's quality, consistency, and evolution over time. Inconsistencies in taste and quality often lead to failure.

D: To help clarify, I made this Saint-Emilion Classification Pyramid (a visual is often better than words)... 

Saint-Emilion Classification Pyramide © LeDomduVin 2018

N: Ah, I see. It's definitely clearer now. So what about the 1955 classification? 

The first classification of Saint-Emilion Wines... and the following ones... 

The Classification of Saint-Emilion wines is a controversial and complicated subject that has been written about countless times by journalists, wine critics, and wine columnists since its creation back in 1955. 

N: Wait.. 1955? Are you sure? I thought it was created in 1954, wasn't it? 

J: Well, I thought it was 1958... so, not sure, but everybody refers to it as "The 1955 Classification" ... 

D: Well, guys, let me try to explain it to you in the most simple way and tell you what really happened to put an end to the polemics about when it was created... ok? 

N: Thanks, D, it would be good to know because it is quite confusing...

D: The history of this classification began in 1954... 

It all started when the "Syndicat de Défense de l’Appellation Saint-Émilion" (Syndicate of Defense of the Saint-Émilion Appellation) requested the "Institut National des Appellations d’Origine" (INAO) to proceed to the classification of the crus of this appellation, via the decree of October 7th, 1954. 

Created in 1935 and controlled by the government under the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, the role of the INAO is to ensure the recognition and protection of official signs identifying the quality and origin of agriculture, food, and forestry.

The INAO (nowadays called "The Institut National de l'Origine et de la Qualité") is the French organization in charge of regulating French agricultural products and implementing French policy on official signs of identification of the origin and quality of agricultural and food products, with Protected Designations of Origin such as: 

• AOC: Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée 
• AOP: Appellation d'Origine Protegée (PDO: Protected Designation of Origin), 
• IGP: Indication Géographique Protégée (PGI: Protected Geographical Indication), 
• STG: Spécialité Traditionnelle Garantie (TSG: Traditional Specialty Guaranteed), 
• LR: Label Rouge 
• AB: Agriculture Biologique (organic farming)

D: So, the INAO started the classification in 1954... 

N: Ah! You see J, I was right...

J: (sigh...)

D: Well, you were both right... As it started in 1954 and was officially recognized when it was first published in 1955, but it was not homologated until 1958... 

J: Ah! You see... well, that makes us even now N...

N: (sigh...)

D: In fact, the Classification was homologated with the Order of August 7th, 1958, supplemented by the Order of October 18th, 1958, approving the classification of the wines within the "Saint-Emilion" appellation contrôlée (published in the Official Journal of August 20th, 1958 and the Official Journal of October 31, 1958)

D: the 1st Article of the Order says: 

"The classification of the wines of the Saint-Emilion appellation is approved in accordance with the provisions of the decree of October 7, 1954, as amended by the decree of 18 October 1958."

1955 Classification of Saint-Emilion Timeline by ©LeDomduVin2018

The first Classification of 1955 included the following (by Alphabetical order)

2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A

• Château Ausone
• Château Cheval Blanc

10 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B

• Château Beauséjour (Dufau)
• Château Beauséjour (Fagouet) 
• Château Belair 
• Château Canon 
• Château Figeac 
• Château La Gaffelière-Naudes 
• Château Magdelaine 
• Château Pavie 
• Château Trottevieille 
• Clos Fourtet

63 Grands Crus Classés

Château L’Arrosée, Château L’Angélus, Château Balestard la Tonnelle, Château Bellevue, Château Bergat, Château Cadet-Bon, Château Cadet Piola, Château Canon la Gaffelière, Château Cap de Mourlin, Château Chapelle de Madeleine, Château Chauvin, Château Corbin (Giraud), Château Corbin Michotte, Château Coutet, Château Croque Michotte, Château Curé Bon, Château Fonplégade, Château Fonroque, Château Franc Mayne, Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Fiegeac, Château Grand Corbin Despagne, Château Grand Corbin Pecresse, Château Grand Mayne, Château Grand Pontet, Château Grandes Murailles, Château Guadet Saint-Julien, Château Jean Faure, Château La Carte, Château La Clotte, Château La Clusière, Château La Couspaude, Château La Dominique, Château Larcis Ducasse, Château Lamarzelle, Château Larmande, Château Laroze, Château La Serre, Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Giraud), Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix), Château La Tour Figeac, Château Le Châtelet, Château Le Couvent, Château Le Prieuré, Château Mauvezin, Château Moulin du Cadet, Château Pavie-Decesse, Château Pavie-Macquin, Château Pavillon-Cadet, Château Petit Faurie de Souchard, Château Petit-Faurie-de-Soutard, Château Ripeau, Château Sansonnet, Château St-Georges-Côte-Pavie, Château Soutard, Château Tertre Daugay, Château Trimoulet, Château Trois Moulins, Château Troplong-Mondot, Château Villemaurine, Château Yon-Figeac, Clos des Jacobins, Clos La Madeleine, Clos Saint-Martin

D: And that's about it really... Is it clearer now? 

N: Yes, I better understand now, started in 1954, first published in 1955, homologated in 1958

D: that's right...

J: But this classification has been revised a few times since then, so what happened after the first classification

D: Well,... the 1954 decree stated that the INAO must revise the classification every 10 years. 

Six classifications have been established since 1954:

Saint-Emilion 6 Classifications Timeline by ©LeDomduVin2018

1955, First Classification  (refer to details above and/or check the full list of the classified Chateaux here)

1969, 2nd Classification (see the full list of the classified Chateaux here)

The 2nd Classification, homologated by the Order of November 17th, 1969, included 

• 2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A (Unchanged from 1955 - still Ausone and Cheval Blanc)

• 10 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B, including the following changes

• Promotion of Château Beauséjour (Héritier Duffau-Lagarrosse) (formerly a part of Beauséjour (Fagouet), split 50/50 between the 2 children of Chateau Beauséjour's Owner Pierre-Paulin Ducarpe.

• 72 Grands Crus Classés, including the following changes (compared to the 1955 Classification)

• Promotion of Château Baleau, Château Dassault, Château Faurie de Souchard, Château Haut Corbin, Château Haut Sarpe, Château Laniote, Château Matras, Château l’Oratoire, Couvent des Jacobins

• Division of Château Cap de Mourlin in 2 estates: Château Cap de Mourlin (R) and Château Cap de Mourlin (J)

• Division of Château Corbin in 2 estates Château Corbin (Giraud) and Château Corbin (Michotte)

• Division of Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix) with Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Bélivier)

• Demotion of Château Petit-Faurie-de-Soutard

1986, 3rd Classification (see the full list of the classified Chateaux here)

The 3rd Classification, homologated by the Decree of May 23rd, 1986 (approving the classification of the crus of the wines of appellation contrôlée "Saint-Emilion Grand Cru" and repealing the provisions of the Decree of 17 November 1969 (Official Journal of 27 May 1986)), included

• 2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A (Unchanged from 1955 - still Ausone and Cheval Blanc)

• 9 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B, including the following changes

• Demotion of Château Beauséjour (Fagouet) renamed Château Beau-Séjour Bécot

• Château La Gaffelière-Naudes changed the name to Château La Gaffelière 

• 63 Grands Crus Classés, including the following changes (compared to 1969 Classification)

• Promotion of  Château Beau-Séjour Bécot (previously named Château Beauséjour (Fagouet)

• Promotion of Château Berliquet, Clos de L'Oratoire

• Château Cap de Mourlin (J) and (R) changed its name to Château Cap de Mourlin

• Château Curé Bon changed its name to Château Curé Bon la Madeleine

• Château Grand Corbin Pecresse changed its name to Château Grand Corbin

• Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Bélivier) changed name to Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Giraud-Bélivier)

• Demotion of Château Baleau, Château Cadet-Bon, Château Chapelle de Madeleine, Château Coutet, Château Grandes Murailles, Château Jean Faure, Château l’Oratoire, Château La Carte, Château La Couspaude, Château Trois Moulins

1996, 4th Classification (see the full list of Chateaux here)

The 4th Classification, homologated by the decree of November 8th, 1996, included

• 2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A (Unchanged from 1955 - still Ausone and Cheval Blanc)

• 11 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B, including the following changes

• Promotion of Château Angélus and Château Beau-Séjour Bécot 

• 55 Grands Crus Classés, including the following changes (compared to 1986 Classification)

• Promotion of Château Cadet Bon, Château La Couspaude, Château Laroque, Château Les Grandes Murailles

• Château Curé Bon la Madeleine change its name to Château Curé Bon

• Château Lamarzelle and Château Grand Barrail Lamarzelle Figeac become Château La Marzelle

• Demotion of Château Croque Michotte, Château Grand Corbin, Château Grand Corbin Despagne, Château Le Châtelet, Château Mauvezin, Château Pavillon Cadet, Château Sansonnet, Château Trimoulet and Clos La Madeleine

2006, 5th Classification (see the full list of Chateaux here)

In September 2006, the fifth classification was announced but was challenged by producers that had been demoted from "Grand Cru Classé" to "Grand Cru" only:  Château La Tour du Pin Figeac, Château Cadet Bon, Château Guadet and Château de la Marzelle. 

Legal actions were taken to dispute the 2006 Classification, and in the end, it was declared invalid. The classification of 1996 was reinstated between 2006 and 2009, and a new classification was made after that, but it took another 3 years of back and forths (indecision, delay, dispute, disagreement, etc..) prior to the Classification of 2012.   

It included:

• 2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A (Unchanged from 1955 - still Ausone and Cheval Blanc)

• 13 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B, including the following changes

• Promotion of Château Pavie-Macquin and Château Troplong-Mondot

• 46 Grands Crus Classés, including the following changes (compared to 1996 Classification)

• Promotion of Château Bellefont-Belcier, Château Destieux, Château Fleur-Cardinale, Château Grand Corbin, Château Grand Corbin-Despagne, Château Monbousquet

• Demotion of Château Bellevue, Château Cadet Bon, Château Curé Bon, Château Faurie de Souchard, Château Guadet Saint-Julien, Château La Clusière, Château La Marzelle, Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Giraud-Bélivier), Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (J.M. Moueix), Château Petit Faurie de Soutard, Château Tertre Daugay, Château Villemaurine, Château Yon Figeac

2012, the 6th and latest Classification (see the full list of Chateaux here) 

The 6th Classification took much longer than expected to be finalized due to legal wrangling. It was published on September 6, 2012, and was homologated by the order of October 29th, 2012. It resulted from a new procedure, entirely under the authority of the INAO, with the assistance of the Ministries of Agriculture and Food.

It includes: 

• 4 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A (including 2 promotions)

• Château Angélus (promoted in 2012)
• Château Ausone
• Château Cheval Blanc
• Château Pavie (promoted in 2012)

• 14 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B (including 5 promotions)

• Château Beauséjour (héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse)
• Château Beau Séjour-Bécot
• Château Bel Air-Monange (including Château Magdelaine) (*)
• Château Canon
• Château Canon la Gaffelière
• Château Figeac
• Clos Fourtet
• Château la Gaffelière
• Château Larcis Ducasse (promoted in 2012)
• La Mondotte (promoted in 2012)
• Château Pavie Macquin (promoted in 2006, then 2012)
• Château Troplong Mondot (promoted in 2006, then 2012)
• Château Trottevieille
• Château Valandraud (promoted in 2012)

(*) Classified B since the first classification in 1955, Château Magdelaine was confirmed again and classified as Grand Cru Classé B, in 2012, by the INAO. However, the estate, acquired in 1952 by Mr. Jean-Pierre Moueix (a Bordeaux Négociant and wine merchant, founder of the Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix in Libourne), was merged with Château Bel Air-Monange, the other first contiguous Grand Cru Classé B, acquired by the Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix in 2008.

• 64 Grands Crus Classés, including the following changes (compared to the 2006 Classification)

• Promotion of Château Barde-Haut, Château Bellevue, Château Cadet-Bon, Château Clos de Sarpe, Château Côte de Baleau, Château de Ferrand, Château de Pressac, Château Faugères, Château Faurie de Souchard, Château Fleur Cardinale, Château Fombrauge, Château Guadet, Château Jean Faure, Château la Commanderie, Château La Fleur Morange Mathilde, Château la Marzelle, Château le Chatelet, Château Peby Faugères, Château Petit Faurie de Soutard, Château Quinault l’Enclos, Château Rochebelle, Château Sansonnet, Château Tertre Daugay, Château Villemaurine, Château Yon-Figeac, Clos la Madeleine

• Demotion of Château Bergat, Château Cadet Piola, Château Corbin Michotte, Château Haut Corbin, Château Larcis Ducasse, Château Matras, 

• Unchanged: Château Balestard la Tonnelle, Château Bellefont Belcier, Château Berliquet, Château Cap de Mourlin, Château Chauvin, Château Corbin, Château Dassault, Château Destieux, Château Fonplégade, Château Fonroque, Château Franc Mayne, Château Grand Corbin, Château Grand Corbin Despagne, Château Grand Mayne, Château Grand-Pontet, Château Haut-Sarpe, Château l’Arrosée, Château la Clotte, Château la Couspaude, Château la Dominique, Château la Serre, Château la Tour Figeac, Château Laniote, Château Larmande, Château Laroque, Château Laroze , Château Le Prieuré, Château les Grandes Murailles, Château Monbousquet, Château Moulin du Cadet, Château Pavie Decesse, Château Ripeau, Château Saint-Georges-Cote-Pavie, Château Soutard, Clos de l’Oratoire, Clos des Jacobins, Clos Saint-Martin, and Couvent des Jacobins

That's all, folks! For today... I hope you enjoyed this post, and I also hope the Saint-Emilion classifications feel clearer now (at least for some of you).... if you enjoyed reading it, then stay tuned for posts like this one in the near future. 

Cheers! Santé!

Dominique Noël a.k.a. LeDomduVin 

Most info taken or partly taken from "Les Vins de Saint-Emilion" website at https://en.vins-saint-emilion.com/   and thank you to Mr. Franck Binard, General Director of "Les Vins de Saint-Emilion", for his cooperation (he will understand what I mean). 

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