Margaux Classifications

The estates of Margaux have been subject to classifications many times, but it is the list drawn up for the Exposition Universelle de Paris in 1855 that has remained a permanent fixture. Despite being thoroughly outdated (there are too many under performing or over performing estates for their respective categories) it is still used as a reference point for many critics, though none consider it to have weight in terms of ranking the quality of wine.

Many estates on this list are raising their game and producing wine of quality, or else have been steadily doing so for years. It is these estates that should be considered when would-be cognoscenti talk airily of growths and rankings, for they make a mockery of this venerable classification. Palmer, Malescot St-Exupery, Giscours, du Tertre and Ferriere are all estates to watch out for; it is advisable to snap up their offerings whenever a good vintage presents itself, for market trends together with increasing recognition make for markedly less affordable wines.

Delving below the Cru Classé threshold (as the pompous are loathe to do), we have excellent Cru Bourgeois wines to pick from. Siran and Chateau d’Angludet are the rising stars, though La Gurgue is hot on their heels. All of these wines present the consumer with excellent wine, but without the hefty price tag that comes from classed growth estates.

Notable Chateaus in the Margaux region:

Premiers Crus, 1855 (First Growths)
• Chateau Margaux

Deuxièmes Crus, 1855 (Second Growths)
• Chateau Brane-Cantenac
• Chateau Durfort-Vivens
• Chateau Lascombes
• Chateau Rauzan-Ségla
• Chateau Rauzan-Gassies

Troisièmes Crus, 1855 (Third Growths)
• Chateau Boyd-Cantenac
• Chateau Cantenac-Brown
• Chateau Desmirail
• Chateau Ferrière
• Chateau Giscours
• Chateau d'Issan
• Chateau Kirwan
• Chateau Malescot St-Exupéry
• Chateau Marquis d'Alesme Becker
• Chateau Palmer

Quatrièmes Crus, 1855 (Fourth Growths)
• Chateau Marquis-de-Terme
• Chateau Pouget
• Chateau Prieuré-Lichine

Cinquièmes Crus, 1855 (Fifth Growths)
• Chateau Dauzac
• Chateau du Tertre

Cru Bourgeois
• Chateau d'Angludet
• Chateau La Gurgue
• Chateau Labégorce
• Chateau Labégorce-Zédé
• Chateau Siran