THE CLASSIFICATION OF 1855
Much like our World’s Fair today, Napoléon III’s 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris was a chance for France to display its very best for the world to see. The Gironde Chambre of Commerce requested that a classification system be devised to accompany their display fine wines of Bordeaux. The Bordeaux Wine Brokers’ Union went to work on the project and came up with what we now refer to as the Classification of 1855.

They came up with a five-class ranking system of the red wines from the Médoc region, with the exception of Château Haut-Brion from Graves, which had to be included due to its renown. The white wines of Sauternes and Barsac were also included in a two-class ranking. The list reflected the market’s view of the relative quality between the wines in terms of the selling price and reputation of the various châteaux. Within each category, the châteaux were ranked in order of quality or selling price.

Considering the fact that many châteaux have changed hands and with them the management, thereby possibly affecting the quality of the wines for better or worse, the classification has held up remarkably well. The classification has only undergone one significant change in the last almost 150 years. By decree, on June 21, 1973, Château Mouton-Rothschild was promoted from a deuxième cru to a premier cru. At the same time, the premier crus were to be listed in alphabetical order.

The 1855 Official Classification of the MÉDOC
First Growths (Premiers Crus) Commune 
Château Lafite-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Margaux (Margaux)
Château Latour (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Brion Pessac (Graves)
Château Mouton-Rothschild (Pauillac)

Second Growths (Deuxièmes Crus) Commune
Château Rausan-Ségla (Margaux)
Château Rauzan-Gassies (Margaux)
Château Léoville-Las Cases (Saint-Julien)
Château Léoville-Poyferré (Saint-Julien)
Château Léoville-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Château Durfort-Vivens (Margaux)
Château Gruaud-Larose (Saint-Julien)
Château Lascombes (Margaux)
Château Brane-Cantenac Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Pichon-Longueville-Baron (Pauillac)
Château Pichon-Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande (Pauillac)
Château Ducru-Beaucaillou (Saint-Julien)
Château Cos d’Estournel (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Montrose (Saint-Estèphe)

Third Growths (Troisièmes Crus) Commune
Château Kirwan Cantenac (Margaux)
Château d’Issan Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Lagrange (Saint-Julien)
Château Langoa-Barton (Saint-Julien)
Château Giscours Labarde (Margaux)
Château Malescot Saint-Exupéry (Margaux)
Château Boyd-Cantenac Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Cantenac-Brown Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Palmer Cantenac (Margaux)
Château La Lagune Ludon (Haut-Médoc)
Château Desmirail (Margaux)
Château Calon-Ségur (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Ferrière (Margaux)
Château Marquis d’Alesme-Becker (Margaux)

Fourth Growths (Quatrièmes Crus) Commune
Château Saint-Pierre (Saint-Julien)
Château Talbot (Saint-Julien)
Château Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien)
Château Duhart-Milon-Rothschild (Pauillac)
Château Pouget Cantenac (Margaux)
Château La Tour-Carnet Saint-Laurent (Haut Médoc)
Château Lafon-Rochet (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Beychevelle (Saint-Julien)
Château Prieuré-Lichine Cantenac (Margaux)
Château Marquis-de-Terme (Margaux)

Fifth Growths (Cinquièmes Crus) Commune
Château Pontet-Canet (Pauillac)
Château Batailley (Pauillac)
Château Haut-Batailley (Pauillac)
Château Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac)
Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse (Pauillac)
Château Lynch-Bages (Pauillac)
Château Lynch-Moussas (Pauillac)
Château Dauzac Labarde (Margaux)
Château Mouton-Baronne-Philippe (Pauillac)
Château du Tertre Arsac (Margaux)
Château Haut-Bages-Libéral (Pauillac)
Château Pédesclaux (Pauillac)
Château Belgrave Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château de Camensac Saint-Laurent (Haut-Médoc)
Château Cos-Labory (Saint-Estèphe)
Château Clerc-Milon (Pauillac)
Château Croizet-Bages (Pauillac)
Château Cantemerle Macau (Haut-Médoc)

CHATEAU CAMIAC HOTEL BORDEAUX
Chateau Camiac Hotel Bordeaux is a romantic hotel built in the 19th century. It was recently refurbished in the magic surrounding of Bordeaux. Located very close from Bordeaux and an proximity from St.Emilon, the hotel offers 4 luxurious suites with warm decoration and 6 cozy standard rooms with wood beam. Discrete and efficient service with young dynamic team will make you feel as if you are like in your own castle.

EXCLUSIVE HOTEL LA MAISON BORDEAUX
Exclusive Hotel La Maison Bordeaux is decorated in a contemporary style, extremely comfortable with a wine list featuring some great wines. This is a special place, in the heart of Bordeaux. As soon as you come through the gate, the garden welcomes you, bright and calm. This is where you will be served breakfast in summer. There is a car park and a limousine service for those who wish to be collected from the station or airport. Enjoy a relaxing walk in the fine public park nearby or play golf on one of the courses around Bordeaux.

HOTEL MERCURE CHATEAU CHARTRONS BORDEAUX
The Hotel Mercure Chateau Chartrons Bordeaux, in the very heart of the Chartrons neighborhood, a great place of the wine trade, is both the shop-window and the gateway to Bordeaux. Discover close by the village of the antique dealers, the shops and quality stores, the Chartrons Museum and Old Bordeaux. The hotel, is an exceptional centre for visiting the castles of the Medoc region or the Medieval Town of Saint-Emilion, taking a boat trip on the Gironde, along the Bassin d’Arcachon and the sea-shores of the Atlantic Coast.

HOTEL BURDIGALA BORDEAUX
The Hotel Burdigala Bordeaux is just a short walk from the Place Gambetta. The hotel is an ideal setting for a business or leisure stay in the heart of Bordeaux. The hotels is ideally situated for visitors to the area. It has a warm and welcoming atmosphere that emphasizes friendly and hospitable service. A harmonious space, with subtle and restful color schemes and fine and noble materials with the best of modern materials to provide a prestigious décor with a perfect harmony of tradition and modern comfort throughout.

QUALITY HOTEL SAINTE CATHERINE BORDEAUX
Quality Hotel Sainte Catherine Bordeaux is ideally situated in the heart of Europe’s largest pedestrian zone, adjacent to the Grand Theater. Surrounding the Quality Hotel Sainte Catherine, you will find a delightful and animated neighborhood. More and more tourists are finding Bordeaux a beautiful and enjoyable place to visit. Bordeaux provides a unique opportunity to discover its famed vineyards. Sidewalk cafes, gastronomic restaurants, cabarets, pubs, movies, shops, museums and wine tasting are within easy reach from the hotel.

MERCURE BORDEAUX LE LAC HOTEL
Mercure Bordeaux Le Lac Hotel is located on the banks of the Bordeaux lake, near the exhibition center, the convention hall and the casino. The hotel is close to the major roads. The hotels accommodates 100 spacious air-conditioned rooms in a 6 storey building. There is a restaurant with a terrace opened during the summer. There is also a tennis and swimming pool within the hotel for sports and leisure.

HOLIDAY INN BORDEAUX CITY CENTRE
Holiday Inn Bordeaux City Centre is located just half a kilometre away from the railway station and the famous Garonne quays. From the hotel, the town is 1.5 kilometers, where you can discover the treasures of the city, the "Chartrons". Holiday Inn Bordeaux City Centre offers 89 standard and executive bedrooms, a restaurant with terrace – Le Canotier, a bar – Le Bougainvillier 3 well appointed meeting rooms (plus 3 additional meeting rooms upon request), a fitness centre and private garage.

NOVOTEL BORDEAUX CENTRE MERIADECK
This Novotel Bordeaux Centre Meriadeck is located in the city center of Bordeaux and was established in 1988. The hotel is near to the Opera Theatre. The hotel has a restaurant, a bar and 6 conference rooms. All 138 rooms are equipped with mini bar, hair dryer and air conditioning. It also offers a restaurant, bar, the meeting rooms, and parking. The hotel provides modern comfort, a unique feeling of spaciousness and contemporary decor for both business and leisure travel.

HOTEL IBIS BORDEAUX SAINT JEAN
The Hotel Ibis Bordeaux Saint Jean is a 2 star hotel, with 108 air-conditioned rooms. There are 80 soundproofed and air conditioned rooms with a public and private parking. The hotel is on the banks of the lake of Bordeaux, next to the Trade Fair Grounds and the Conference Centre. The hotel is only 10 minutes from the city centre. The hotel features a bar, an outdoor private closed parking and 2 meeting rooms. There is a grill restaurant within the hotel.

CITOTEL LE CHANTRY HOTEL BORDEAUX
Citotel Le Chantry Hotel Bordeaux is situated in the centre of Bordeaux. The hotel will welcome you in a calm and warm atmosphere. We have 40 comfortable rooms at your disposal. The reception is open 24 hours a day and a free private car park is also available. The restaurants, cinemas, shopping area and theatres are within walking distance. Most of the restaurants, cinemas and theatres can be reached easily on foot. We can book event tickets for you and we will be happy to organize visits (including tasting) of the vineyards of Bordeaux.

HOTEL STARS BORDEAUX GARE
Hotel Stars Bordeaux Gare is a 62-room hotel that extends a warm welcome to both business and leisure travellers. The hotel is right in the centre of the world’s wine capital. Our friendly, English speaking staff are on hand to ensure that all aspects of your stay are smooth and enjoyable. Stars Bordeaux Gare serves buffet breakfasts every day in its pleasant dining room and for lunch and dinner, light meal tray can be prepared for you.

Bordeaux is a legendary name in itself. Just hearing it brings up thoughts of fields of vines, the familiar shaped bottle we have come to love, so sparkling new and others covered with dust in a perfectly tempered wine cellar. Bordeaux wine, for some has lost some steam due to a couple poor vintages, escalating prices and better marketing from other wine producing regions. Yet, a Bordeaux wine carries with it the prestige which hasn’t lost any ground when it comes to producing a wide range, to cater to everyone.

Sure, if everyone had the chance to decant a Chateaux Cheval Blanc or Chateau Haut Brion, they would know exactly what all the fuss is all about. Yet, the magic of Bordeaux wine sits in the wide range of wines readily available, from price range, occasion or curiosity. So when people complain about Bordeaux wine being too expensive, I don’t agree at all. The pleasure of a wine enthusiast lay in having an open mind and appreciate whatever the bottle has to offer. Chances are good that you’ll consistently find a better cuvee if you pay 200 bucks rather than five. Yet, don’t ever write off a cheaper Bordeaux wine as with proper ageing and appropriate food, magical surprises do occur.

Bordeaux is separated into two parts being the right and left bank. You’ll find some of the best Cabs on the left bank while Medoc sits closer to the Atlantic ocean, on the left bank. Medoc makes up four top regions which include Paulliac, St.Julien, Margaux and Saint Estephe. Some of the most prestigious Bordeaux wine names lay in this area. Below the Medoc you’ll find the Graves region known for the ever sweet Sauternes.

The heart of the right bank is the city of St.-Emilion and the wine region that surrounds it. Next door is Pomerol which is always sought after due to a small, yet quality production. Pessac Leognan, Pomerol, Fronsac and Cotes de Castillon are a few better known Bordeaux wine on the right bank.