Cru Bourgeois quality charter to begin with 08 vintage

By this time next year consumers will be able to buy Cru Bourgeois Bordeaux that has been rated according to the wine’s quality rather than its provenance.

A new system of checks has been approved including the assessment of wines two years after the harvest, beginning with a tasting of the 2008 vintage later in 2010.

The changes have been instigated by l’Alliance des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc and form part of a quality charter dubbed Crus Bourgeois Reconnaissance.

Although the charter has been in development for some time, the decision to begin quality checks has only recently been ratified.

From 15 September this year those chåteaux hoping to qualify for Cru Bourgeois Reconnaissance status will be subject to a yearly examination of their wine and estate, with the inspections carried out by Bureau Veritas.

Bottling must then be done after Cru Bourgeois Reconnaissance status is awarded and no later than 31 December in the third year after the vintage.

As this is an annual award it is possible for any wine to lose its status for any vintage and, unlike past Crus Bourgeois designations, there is no limit on the number of chåteaux that can receive the label – they must simply conform to the quality criteria.

It is thought that the new system will reward improving estates and raise recognition for lesser-known labels.

Patrick Schmitt, 8.04.2010