So Martin, how does the Bordeaux classification work?
So classification and this
rating of growth basically
applies only to the châteaux, rather than the land.
And when you're talking about the châteuax,
the producer, it applies only to what is called,
in French, the Grande Vin, the first wine,
the best wine. So here we have a good example
basically. Here's a wine made
by Châteuax Palmer. So the first wine is called
Châteuax Palmer and this is
third growth, third cru,
and they also produce the second wine,
which is called Alter Ego de Palmer
and as its a second wine, that classification
doesn't apply to them anymore. So, basically
on the back it just says it's a Margaux wine thats it,
but it's not a third growth, as it would be for
a first wine. Very nice wine.
What would you recommend as being the top growths in that classification of Bordeaux?
So I think the most famous that we could start
is the first growths of 1855 classification.
So first 5 growths, we've got, Châteaux Latour,
Châteaux Lafite Rothschild, Châteaux Mouton Rothschild,
Châteaux Margaux and
Châteaux Haut-Brion. So those are,
by far, the most famous.
Okay, after that if we still stay with the Left Bank
within Medoc
It is kind of an unofficial classification
and that is what is called the
'Super Seconds' . So, there's no written rules for that or anything
but because original
classification of 1855 was created
164 years ago
obviously, in that time a lot of things have changed.
So the châteuax's who have maybe been classified as a
second in that rating,
it's no longer producing the quality of
a second rate. And the properties who
in 1855 , were producing at the fifth level,
which is the lowest, currently maybe producing wines
on the level of
second or even some times first.
Okay, still on a label, you're going to see
its a fifth cru,
or fifth growth,
but the quality is punching way above
it''s own classification and is called
'Super Seconds'. Those I would mention, one of
them is Châteuax Palmer, absolutely,
and some vintages they could produce not even a second
cru level but even a first cru level wines
and they are third unofficial rating
Château Pontet-Canet, the fifth
again punching well above
it's own classification and making wines
in the quality that is similar to Mouton or Lafitte Rothschild
which neighbours what Pontet-Canet does.
So there are five official top growth,
but then, there's quite a few satillite growths,
which are just as good?
As good or close as good, that's why they are called
They are called Super Seconds
I still think that the Super Seconds in their good years
could perform
similar or as good
but if you take overall
the first, are still the first.
If you move from the Left Bank