Editing First Growth (section)

== History ==

===Bordeaux reds===
The need for a classification of the best Bordeaux wines arose from the [[Exposition Universelle (1855)|1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris]]. The result was the [[Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855]], a list of the top ranked wines, named the Grand Crus Classés (Great Classified Growths). With several thousand Chateaux producing their wines in Bordeaux, to be classified was to carry a mark of high prestige.

Within the Grand Cru Classé list, wines were further ranked and placed in one of five divisions. The best of the best wines were assigned the highest rank of Premier Cru; only four wines, [[Château Latour]], [[Château Lafite Rothschild]], [[Château Margaux]] and [[Château Haut-Brion]] were deemed worthy. Of all the 61 great classified wines, all but one came from the [[Médoc]] region. The exception was the premier cru Château Haut-Brion, produced in [[Graves (wine region)|Graves]].

The 1855 list remained unchanged for over a hundred years until finally [[Château Mouton Rothschild|Mouton Rothschild]] was promoted to Premier Cru status in 1973, after decades of relentless lobbying by its powerful owner, [[Philippe de Rothschild|Baron Philippe de Rothschild]]. Of lesser importance, in 1988 the premier cru Château Haut-Brion was changed in appellation from Graves to [[Pessac-Leognan]] to represent apparent changes in soil structure caused by the urbanisation of areas surrounding Bordeaux.

===Bordeaux sweet wines===
Also in 1855, 21 of the best sweet wines from Bordeaux were classified as Grand Crus Classés in a separate list. In the original classification, nine wines (primarily from the [[Graves (wine region)#Sauternes AOC and Barsac AOC|Sauternes and Barsac]] regions) were classed as ''Premier Cru'', while 11 were assigned the lower (though still prestigious) rank of ''Deuxième Cru'' (Second Growth). One wine ([[Château d'Yquem]]) was considered so great it was granted a special ''Premier Cru Supérieur'' classification.

===Other classification schemes in Bordeaux===
With the exception of Château Haut-Brion from Graves, the 1855 Classification did not include producers in the regions of [[Graves (wine region)|Graves]], [[Saint-Émilion AOC|Saint-Émilion]] and [[Pomerol]]. For details on their own classification schemes, see their sections below.

===Other classification schemes in France===

[[Burgundy wine|Burgundy]] maintains its own classification scheme based on specific [[Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée|appellations]]. Although the terminology used is similar, the classification hierarchy is different and also attaches to the vineyards themselves. The most-highly rated vineyards are graded as [[List of Burgundy Grand Crus|Grand Cru]], while those at the next level are classified as [[Premier Cru]].