Bettane & Desseauve revise the classification of Saint-Emilion

Unlike the 1855, the classification of the wines of Saint Emilion has the merit of being challenged every ten years. But the latest edition, that of 2006, was challenged (and suspended) to justice. Before the next attempt (qui sera effective à compter du millésime 2012), Bettane & Desseauve emit a first judgment ...

The idea of ​​a wine classification of Saint-Emilion is relatively recent, only dates 1959, more than a century before that of the opposite bank. And, unlike, the hierarchy of immutable ranking 1855, that of Saint-Emilion was planning to challenge every ten years. Elle le fut en 1969 then 1986 (ten years had already risen to seventeen ...), 1996 and 2006. But the revision of 2006 was challenged in court by numerous castles (évidemment déclassés !). Bottom line, revision of 2006 has never been formalized and a new classification procedure will be launched on the basis of vintage 2012. Without waiting for it, the famous duo of French critics Bettane & Desseauve released his own record in the last "Special issue Wines" of The Express. Here are the main conclusions.

The first growths ranked "A"

Indisputable : the defending champions, Ausonius and White Horse, uncontested.

Challengers : B&D believe that only Pavia and Angelus could enter the "holy of holies". Adding however that these two castles are still far from the other two in terms of "making national and international wine", a criterion which accounts for more than a third of the final grade.

The first growths ranked "B"

Indisputable : Angelus and Pavie also already part of this elite, B&D validate unqualified current rank Beausejour-Becot, Pavia-Macquin, Figeac and Troplong Mondot, and, with some reservations, that of Closed-Fourtet, Cannon, Walkers Old, The Gaffelière and Belair-Monange (ex Bélair short). Ils y ajouteraient volontiers trois domaines : Canon-La-Gaffeliere, Valandraud and Mound-Roteboeuf

Challengers : B&D feel they have to watch the castles Beauséjour-Duffeau-Lagarossse, The Arrosée, Larcis-Ducasse and Pavia-Decesse

Déclassé : Castle The Magdalen, never live up to its huge potential.

The classified growths

Indisputable : most current classified, Bellefont-Belcier, Bergat, Berliquet, Chauvinistic, The-Clotte, Corbin, The Couspaude-, Dassault, Destieux, Dominica, Fleur Cardinale, Fonplégade, Fonroque, Franc-Mayne, Grand Corbin-Despagne, Grand-Mayne, Grand-Pontet, The-Big-Walls, Clos des Jacobins, Larmande, Laroze, Monbousquet, Clos-de-Oratory, The Priory, Clos Saint-Martin, The Greenhouse, Soutard, La-Tour-Figeac and Villemaurine. Among the unclassified, several areas are needed to move up a notch : Fombrauge, Faugères and his own brother Péby-Faugères, Bellevue, Moulin Saint-Georges (Ausonius same winemaker), Jean-Faure, Quinault, the Paddock, Small-Gravet-Elder, Clos-Saint-Julien, Pressac, Rol Valentin and Berliquet.

Challengers : Balestard-La-Tonnelle, Cap-de-Mourlin, Couvent des Jacobins, Corbin High, High Sarpe, Laniotte, Laroque, Faurie de Souchard, Lassegue, Yon-Figeac, Clos Badon, Ferrand, The Fleur-d'Arthus, The Marzelle, La-Tour-Figeac, Trianon and The Cross-Figeac

Downgraded : Cadet-Piola, Corbin-Michotte, Matrass, Moulin du Cadet, Ripeau vintages St. George Shore Pavia.

Read also

What you need to know about the rankings of Bordeaux (of September 2011)
Towards a new classification in Saint-Émilion (November 2010)
Saga of the ranking of St. Émilion : the epilogue ! (May 2009)
Classification of wines of St. Emilion, still a rebound (March 2009)
Classification of wines of St. Emilion : when the Senate against attack (of December 2008)
Areas promoted 2006 Strike against (October 2008)

Also read in the Blog iDealwine :
Futures : the (new) Parker's verdict on Bordeaux 2011
Interview : Jean-Luc Thunevin, the meteor Bordeaux
Château Grand Corbin-Despagne, a rising star in St. Emilion
Chinese actress Zhao Wei invests in Saint-Emilion

Consult Sales of Saint-Emilion on iDealwine

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