What does Grand Cru mean? One term, four very different systems.

Burgundy: the vineyard

In Burgundy, Grand Cru is the top of a pyramid based on the land itself: regional wines, village wines, Premier Cru and finally Grand Cru. Only a small share of Burgundy’s production comes from Grand Cru vineyards, such as Chambertin, Romanée-Conti, Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet, plus Chablis Grand Cru in the north.

Because the rating belongs to the vineyard, a single Grand Cru can be shared by many owners. That is why the producer’s name matters as much as the vineyard.

Bordeaux: the château

In Bordeaux, classifications rank estates, not vineyards. The famous 1855 classification lists the top red wines of the Médoc (plus Haut-Brion) as Grands Crus Classés, from first to fifth growths, and ranks the sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, with Château d’Yquem alone as Premier Cru Supérieur.

Saint-Émilion has its own classification, revised regularly. Be careful: “Saint-Émilion Grand Cru” on its own is an appellation with stricter rules, not the same as a classified growth.

Champagne and Alsace

In Champagne, Grand Cru is a village rating. Seventeen villages, such as Aÿ, Bouzy, Cramant and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, are classified as Grand Cru. A Champagne made only from grapes from these villages can carry the term on its label.

Alsace has 51 Grand Cru vineyards, each with its own name on the label, mostly planted with Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat. Some producers prefer to use their own vineyard names instead.

Does Grand Cru always mean better?

A Grand Cru site has great potential, but the producer and the vintage still decide what is in the bottle. A brilliant Premier Cru from a top grower can be better than an ordinary Grand Cru. Use the term as a sign of potential, not a guarantee.

See the Grand Crus on location

In WineMasters Class Grand Cru, Susie Barrie MW and Andreas Larsson travel to the most famous Grand Cru areas of Bordeaux and Champagne, where leading merchants share the latest trends and top chefs create a pairing for every wine. In the free first episode they explore the noble sweet wines of Sauternes and Barsac, tasting Château d’Yquem, Rieussec, Guiraud and Coutet. See the full series.