Cru Bourgeois Wines of the Medoc Region

So, the holidays are over, and it’s back to reality. Perhaps you have gotten an early start on that dreaded annual chore, your tax returns, and are not feeling flush with cash these days. Not to worry – it’s time to talk about some bargains in quality Bordeaux wines. There is no reason to spend a fortune to enjoy excellent wine. It’s just a matter of knowing where to look. The Medoc region north of Bordeaux, a narrow peninsula some 50 miles long, lies between the Gironde River and the Atlantic Ocean. It is the site of probably the world’s most famous wine classification, that of 1855, which still flourishes today. That listing dominates perceptions as well, so that when wine lovers think of the Medoc, the 60 famous wines of that classification (61, including Haut Brion of the neighboring Graves) are usually what come to mind. And yet, those famous wines do not constitute the entire Medoc wine production. They are not even, at 24% of the total, a majority of the wines produced there.
 

The majority of wines of the Medoc are crus bourgeois. They are produced in each of the eight appellations of the region. Usually they are far less expensive than their classified growth neighbors, and the best of them in good years can rival a number of those more more expensive bottles.
In June, 2003 the Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie announced a reclassification of the cru bourgeois wines of the Medoc  As before, eight areas or appellations of the Medoc are recognized. From north to south, they are Medoc, Haut Medoc, St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien, Listrac-en-Medoc, Moulis-en-Medoc, and Margaux. Formerly, 341 chateau wines had been entitled to the classification. According to the reclassification, the number was cut rather sharply, to 242. Those left out immediately began protesting. They cited their Syndicat des Crs Bourgeois, whose rules allowed a grace time to meet new standards when a reclassification was planned in 1999.

According to the 2003 announcement, three grades of cru bourgeois are recognized. The highest, cru bourgeois exceptionnel, was awarded to just nine chateaux. There are now 83 cru bourgeois superieurs, and 150 crus bourgeois. I was interested to note the reclassification of several old favorites. Chateau Vieux Robin went from cru bourgeois to cru bourgeois superieur, while Chateau Meyney was downgraded from cru bourgeois exceptionnel to cru bourgeois superieur. Meanwhile, the well-regarded Chateau Siran jumped to the highest classification, cru bourgeois exceptionnel.

The nine chateaux that achieved the highest rank in the reclassification are Chateau Chasse-Spleen (Moulis-en-Medoc), Chateau Haut Marbuzet (St. Estephe), Chateau Labegorce Zede (Margaux), Chateau Les Ormes de Pez (St. Estephe), Chateau de Pez (St. Estephe), Chateau Phelan Segur (St. Estephe), Chateau Potensac (Medoc), Chateau Poujeaux (Moulis-en-Medoc), and Chateau Siran (Margaux).

I was initiated into the regional wine society, the Commanderie du Bontemps du Medoc et des Graves, by Henri Martin, the owner of Chateau Gloria, perhaps the most celebrated producer of a cru bourgeois wine in the region. Then I learned that these wines, not part of the celebrated 1855 classification, can be tasty and excellent. Also, they are far less costly than classified growths. Let me introduce you to a few good ones.

The crus bourgeois were first grouped in 1932. However, the effects of the Depression and the First World War meant that many of the first list didn’t survive long. In 1962, a Federation of Medoc Crus Bourgeois was formed. Over the years, production and quality standards for these wines have continued to rise, as the wines have been reclassified from time to time, notably in 1978. The term cru bourgeois is now registered under French law, and as we have seen, the latest reclassification, in June, 2003, has attempted to raise the bar even further, setting standards for the wine, and differentiating amongst the best wines. This is more good news for the consumer.

So the next time you find yourself at your wine retail store, and find a Medoc wine that is not a cru classé, check to see if it may be a cru bourgeois. For $10-$25, you have a treat in store. The cru bourgeois label is already an indication of recognized quality.

There are eight appellations in the Medoc. Let’s list them, in roughly north-south order, and I’ll suggest one cru bourgeois that I like from each area.
The first two are regional appelations, Medoc and Haut Medoc. These are large areas, as you might suspect. The Medoc appellation, which has no classified growths, produces over 30 million bottles a year, over 30% of the wine production for the entire region. Before the 2003 reclassification, 103 different crus bourgeois produced over half of the total wine output for the Medoc appellation. In neighboring Haut Medoc, with only 5 classified growths, over 25 million bottles of wine are produced annually, 70% of them crus bourgeois.
I mention these numbers not to inundate you with facts and figures. Far from it. There will be no pop quiz.

The point I want to make is that there are many hundreds of fine wines, and you shouldn’t be limited in your choices. My Medoc appellation choice is a wine we’ve tasted before, Chateau Greysac, a cru bourgeois superieur. Rich and brimful of flavor, it goes perfectly with lamb dishes. My Haut Medoc appellation choice is another favorite, Chateau Lamarque, also a cru bourgeois superieur. Owned by the d’Evry family, the wine is produced on the grounds of a medieval castle, which is pictured on the label of the wine. The castle’s dungeon, now their wine cellar, has given its name to the second wine produced here. I am pleased to note that the d’Evry family is now also producing a rose wine, “Noblesse Oblige,” and would welcome tasting notes.
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he other six appellations are called communal appellations, and they will perhaps be more familiar. St. Estephe, the largest, is the farthest north. It tends to produce robust, somewhat austere wines, that reward cellaring. My choice here is a personal favorite, Chateau Marbuzet, formerly owned by the Prats family of the classified growth, Cos d’Estournel. This cru bourgeois is a flavorful wine, and the chateau is well worth seeking out, for Americans on a driving tour of the region. It is situated with a fine view over the Gironde River, and you’ll pinch yourself, for you are looking at the North Portico of the White House!

As Bruno Prats told me, many French are convinced that the White House was inspired by a castle in the Dordogne region, the Chateau de Rastgnac. (They have a case, but certainly not a conclusive one. Both the Chateau de Rastignac and the White House are from roughly the same era. Probably both architects were inspired from a common source.) Anyway, Chateau Marbuzet was inspired by the Chateau de Rastignac. You can see the amazing North Portico resemblance on the wine label.
 

Pauillac, of course, is one of the most famous wine appellations in the world. There, the 18 classified growths are in the vast majority, at 84% total production. Still, the 16 Pauillac crus bourgeois are worth seeking out. I’d recommend the cru bourgeois Chateau La Fleur Milon.

Saint Julien is perhaps my favorite appellation of the Medoc region. It contains no first growths (Pauillac has three), but the overall quality of wine produced here is extremely high. Its eleven classified growths account for 80% of the production, but again, it has five crus bourgeois that reward the wine connoisseur. I’d recommend Chateau Moulin de la Rose, raised to cru bourgeois superieur in 2003.

There are no classified growths in Listrac-en-Medoc, and in recent years its 22 crus bourgeois account for 68% of the appellation’s average annual production, which exceeds five million bottles. Chateau Clarke, now a cru bourgeois superieur, is my favorite here. It was reassembled and brought up to quality standards by Baron Edmond de Rothschild, who purchased the property in 1973. They have also started producing a white wine, which I have not yet tasted, and a quality red kosher wine as well.

At Moulis-en-Medoc, the smallest of the eight appellations, 26 crus bourgeois account for 87% of the wine production. These wines have a fine reputation, and my favorite of them all, Chateau Poujeaux, now a cru bourgeois exceptionnel, was served often at the Elysée Palace in Paris when Georges Pompidou was President of France. Even with the reclassification and upgrading it is a wine bargain, one that rewards aging.

The eighth and final appellation is of course Margaux. Many people don’t realize that the celebrated Chateau Margaux, which has lent its name to the entire region, is just one (albeit surely the finest) of the 21 classified growths produced there. There are also 21 crus bourgeois, some 29% of the total production of Margaux wines. I suggest that you try Chateau Siran, now one of the nine cru bourgeois exceptionnels. Chateau Siran is a pleasant, fruity wine from an estate managed by the highly competent Madame Brigitte Miailhe.