5 Fast Facts: Bordeaux

The region is renowned for its classification system, established in 1855 under Napoleon III, which ranks Bordeaux wines into five prestigious tiers known as "growths."

1. First Growth (Premier Cru): This category includes the most prestigious and sought-after wines, such as Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, and Château Mouton Rothschild for a total of five.
2. Second Growth (Deuxième Cru): These wines are also highly esteemed and represent exceptional quality, including Château Leoville-Poyferre, Château Durort Vivens, and twelve others.
3. Third Growth (Troisième Cru): Also, 14 producers in this category are of excellent quality but may be slightly below the top-tier wines in terms of reputation and price. Examples include Château Palmer and Château Kirwan.
4. Fourth Growth (Quatrième Cru): This tier comprises wines of consistently good quality, though they may not command the same prices or prestige as the higher-ranked classifications. Examples include Château Beychevelle and Château Prieuré-Lichine along with 8 other producers.
5. Fifth Growth (Cinquième Cru): These wines are still of high quality but are generally more accessible in terms of price compared to the higher classifications. With 18 to choose from some notable examples include Château Lynch-Bages and Château Pontet-Canet.

Contributed by Blake Leland, Sommelier for Plume Ridge Bottle Shop.