Cru (wine)

Last updated September 27, 2023

Cru is a wine term used to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards.^[1] It is a French word which was originally used to refer to anything grown in a region and that region but is now mostly used to refer to a vineyard and its wines. The term is often used within classifications of French wine. By implication, a wine that displays (or is allowed to display) the name of its cru on its wine label is supposed to exhibit the typical characteristics of this vineyard or group of vineyards. The terms premier cru and grand cru designate levels of presumed quality that are variously defined in different wine regions.

Premier cru

Premier cru is a French language wine term corresponding to "first growth" and which can be used to refer to classified vineyards, wineries and wines, with different meanings in different wine regions:^[2]

For Bordeaux wine, the term is applied to classified wineries:
- In the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, Premier cru or Premier cru classé is the highest level of five within the "Grand cru classé" designation for red wines from the Médoc and Graves, and the second-highest of three in Sauternes where the highest is Premier cru supérieur (superior first growth). These wines are often referred to as first growths in English.
- In the classification of Saint-Émilion wine, the highest level is Premier grand cru classé A and the second highest Premier grand cru classé B. The term Saint-Émilion grand cru refers to wineries or wines below the overall Grand cru classé level, and is integrated within the appellation rules.
For Burgundy wine, the term is applied to classified vineyards, with Premier cru being the second highest classification level, below that of grand cru and above the basic village AOCs. For Burgundy wines, the terms premier cru (abbreviated 1er cru) are usually kept rather than being translated into English.

Grand cru

Grand cru (French for 'great growth'^[3]) is a regional wine classification that designates a vineyard known for its favorable reputation in producing wine. Although often used to describe grapes, wine or cognac, the term is not technically a classification of wine quality per se, but is intended to indicate the potential of the vineyard or terroir. It is the highest level of classification of appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) wines from Burgundy or Alsace. The same term is applied to châteaux in Saint-Émilion although in that region, it has a different meaning and does not represent the top tier of classification.

History in Burgundy

Early Burgundian wine history is distinctly marked by the work of the Cistercians with the Catholic Church being the principal vineyard owner for most of the Middle Ages. Receiving land and vineyards as tithes, endowments and as exchanges for indulgences the monks were able to studiously observe the quality of wines from individual plots and, over time, began to isolate those areas that would consistently produce wine of similar aroma, body, color and vigor and designate them as crus.^[4]

Following the success of the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, Jules Lavalle developed an informal classification of vineyards of the Côte d'Or in his book History and Statistics of the Côte d'Or. In 1861, Lavalle's classification was formalized by the Beaune Committee of Agriculture.^[5] The designations of grand cru and premier cru were later developed and expanded on in the 1930s with the creation of the AOC system.^[6]

Related Research Articles

Burgundy wine is made in the Burgundy region of eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here, and those commonly referred to as "Burgundies," are dry red wines made from pinot noir grapes and white wines made from chardonnay grapes.

First Growth status is a classification of wines primarily from the Bordeaux region of France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graves (wine region)</span>

Graves is an important subregion of the Bordeaux wine region. Graves is situated on the left bank of the Garonne River, in the upstream part of the region, southeast of the city Bordeaux and stretches over 50 kilometres (31 mi). Graves is the only Bordeaux subregion which is famed for all three of Bordeaux' three main wine types—reds, dry whites and sweet wines—although red wines dominate the total production. Graves AOC is also the name of one Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) which covers most, but not all of the Graves subregion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clos de Vougeot</span> French wine

Clos de Vougeot, also known as Clos Vougeot, is a wall-enclosed vineyard, a clos, in the Burgundy wine region, and an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for red wine from this vineyard. It was named for the River Vouge, which is in fact only a stream separating the village Vougeot from Chambolle-Musigny. At 50.6 hectares, Clos de Vougeot is the largest single vineyard in Côte de Nuits entitled to the grand cru designation, while Corton in Côte de Beaune is the largest grand cru in Burgundy as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bordeaux wine</span> Wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France

Bordeaux wine is produced in the Bordeaux region of southwest France, around the city of Bordeaux, on the Garonne River. To the north of the city the Dordogne River joins the Garonne forming the broad estuary called the Gironde; the Gironde department, with a total vineyard area of 110,800 hectares, is the largest wine growing area in France.

The Côte de Nuits is a French wine region located in the northern part of the Côte d'Or, the limestone ridge that is at the heart of the Burgundy wine region. It extends from Dijon to just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, which gives its name to the district and is the regional center. Though some white and rosé wines are produced in the region, the Côte de Nuits is most famous for reds made from pinot noir. The Côte de Nuits covers fourteen communes. Six produce grand cru wines, in the central district between Gevrey-Chambertin and Nuits-Saint-Georges, with four lesser villages either side. The Grand Crus of the Côte de Nuits are some of the smallest appellations in France, less than a hectare in the case of La Romanée.

In 1955, the wines of Saint-Émilion in the wine-growing region of Bordeaux were classified. Unlike the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 covering wines from the Médoc and Graves regions, the Saint-Émilion list is updated every 10 years or so. Following the initial classification, the list was updated in 1969, 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2012. However the 2006 classification was declared invalid following a series of legal actions, and the 1996 version of the classification has been reinstated for the vintages from 2006 to 2009.

Côte Chalonnaise is a subregion of the Burgundy wine region of France. Côte Chalonnaise lies to the south of the Côte d'Or continuing the same geology southward. It is still in the main area of Burgundy wine production but it includes no Grand cru vineyards. Like the Côte d'Or, it is at the western edge of the broad valley of the river Saône, on the rising ground overlooking the town of Chalon-sur-Saône which is about six kilometers out into the plain. To the north, across the River Dheune, lies the Côte de Beaune. To the south is the Mâconnais. The grapes of the region are predominantly Pinot noir and Chardonnay with some Aligoté and Gamay also grown in vineyards spread over a stretch of 25 kilometers long and 7 kilometers wide of undulating land in which vineyards are interspersed with orchards and other forms of farming.

The glossary of wine terms lists the definitions of many general terms used within the wine industry. For terms specific to viticulture, winemaking, grape varieties, and wine tasting, see the topic specific list in the "See also" section below.

Château Angélus, until 1990 known as Château L'Angélus, or simply L'Angélus, is a Bordeaux wine from the appellation Saint-Émilion, since 2012 ranked Premier grand cru classé (A) in the Classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The winery is located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region, in the commune of Saint-Émilion in the department Gironde.

The classification of wine is based on various criteria including place of origin or appellation, vinification method and style, sweetness and vintage, and the grape variety or varieties used. Practices vary in different countries and regions of origin, and many practices have varied over time. Some classifications enjoy official protection by being part of the wine law in their country of origin, while others have been created by, for example, growers' organizations without such protection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bordeaux wine regions</span> Wine growing areas in France

The wine regions of Bordeaux are a large number of wine growing areas, differing widely in size and sometimes overlapping, which lie within the overarching wine region of Bordeaux, centred on the city of Bordeaux and covering the whole area of the Gironde department of Aquitaine.

Chapelle-Chambertin is an Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) and Grand Cru vineyard for red wine in the Côte de Nuits subregion of Burgundy, with Pinot noir as the main grape variety. It is located in the southern part of the commune of Gevrey-Chambertin and on the lower hillside east of Chambertin-Clos de Bèze and north of Griotte-Chambertin. The AOC was created in 1937.

Lieu-dit is a French toponymic term for a small geographical area bearing a traditional name. The name usually refers to some characteristic of the place, its former use, a past event, etc. A lieu-dit may be uninhabited, which distinguishes it from an hameau (hamlet), which is inhabited. In Burgundy, the term climat is used interchangeably with lieu-dit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vosne-Romanée wine</span>

Vosne-Romanée wine is produced in the commune of Vosne-Romanée in Côte de Nuits of Burgundy as well as in the neighbouring commune of Flagey-Échezeaux. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) Vosne-Romanée may only be used for red wine with Pinot noir as the main grape. There are a total of 15 Premier Cru vineyards in the two communes, as well as six Grand Cru vineyards in Vosne-Romanée and two in Flagey-Échezeaux. These Grand Cru vineyards include Burgundy's most iconic, sought-after and expensive red wines, with Romanée-Conti of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti at the pinnacle: "There can be little doubt that in the firmament of the Cote de nuits, Vosne-Romanée is the brightest star."

Auxey-Duresses wine is produced in the commune of Auxey-Duresses in Côte de Beaune of Burgundy. The Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) Auxey-Duresses may be used for red and white wine with respectively Pinot noir and Chardonnay as the main grape variety. The production consists of around two-thirds red wine, and one-third white wine. There are no Grand Cru vineyards within Auxey-Duresses. The AOC Auxey-Duresses was created in 1970. Before the introduction of the appellation system in the 1930s, wines from this village were probably sold under the names of the more famous neighbors Volnay and Meursault. Later, the wines have been sold as Côte de Beaune-Villages, but it has progressively become more common to actually use the Auxey-Duresses AOC for the wines.

Saint-Émilion is an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne. As a cultural landscape demonstrating a long, living history of wine-making, Saint-Émilion was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

References

↑ "cru - definition of cru in English - Oxford Dictionaries". Archived from the original on October 6, 2012.
↑ J. Robinson (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition. p. 544. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
↑ "Definition of grand cru in English". Lexico. Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
↑ H. Johnson. Vintage: The Story of Wine. p. 131. Simon and Schuster, 1989. ISBN 0-671-68702-6.
↑ J. Robinson (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition. p. 175. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.
↑ J. Robinson (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition. p. 115. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.

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[1] "cru - definition of cru in English - Oxford Dictionaries". Archived from the original on October 6, 2012.

[Oxford_p_544-2] J. Robinson (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition. p. 544. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.

[3] "Definition of grand cru in English". Lexico. Oxford Dictionaries. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2021.

[Johnson_p_131-4] H. Johnson. Vintage: The Story of Wine. p. 131. Simon and Schuster, 1989. ISBN 0-671-68702-6.

[Oxford_p_175-5] J. Robinson (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition. p. 175. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.

[Oxford_p_115-6] J. Robinson (ed.). The Oxford Companion to Wine, Third Edition. p. 115. Oxford University Press, 2006. ISBN 0-19-860990-6.

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