Grand cru. Grand Cru. How often do sommeliers repeat these two words with inspiration. How often do we hear them when it comes to good wines? How often do I recommend “grand cru” to us? And what is it?
The term itself is French and means “vineyard”. It's that simple. True, this vineyard is not simple, but has international significance in winemaking. Grand Cru is a vineyard with an excellent, established reputation.
True, not everything is as simple as it seems at first. The term "cru" is interpreted differently in different regions of this wine country.
Champagne
Here the “cru” is the commune where the wine is produced. Thus, in Champagne there are 41 Premier Cru and 17 Grand Cru communes.
Burgundy
In this region, a “cru” is a specific vineyard, without the rest of the land. This vineyard has its own unique status.
Bordeaux
In Bordeaux, a “Cru” is a specific estate with vineyards within it. In addition, each subregion of Brodo has its own classification of such farms, there are five categories of Cru. There is, for example, Premier Cru. This includes the well-known Chateau Lafite, Chateau Mouton Rothschild and so on. But in the Medoc there are farms that belong to a special category that exists only in this region - cru bourgeois.
Of course, Grand or Premier Cru wines are the most outstanding and you will definitely enjoy their taste. And here it is better not to take my word for it, but to try.
You can always buy the best French wines at the WineStreet store.
Other articles from the section “Encyclopedia of alcohol”
One alcoholic drink is traditionally associated with Japan – sake. But perhaps this will be a revelation to you, but all Japanese people love sake. And in general, this is not the most basic drink, although it is the one that has become incredibly popular outside of Japan. We will tell you about Japanese vodka - shochu.
Features of the regional grand cru of France
Grand cru(grand cru) in historically literal translation from French it means “harvest from an excellent plot of land,” where cru is the past participle of the verb croître - to grow. In English, grand cru is referred to in a similar way: as great growth, i.e. great harvest. However, today the meaning of Grand cru in France depends on the region.
| Learning to understand wines |
Burgundy. Côte d'Or
Burgundy grand cru wines receive the lion's share of reviews and search queries, despite the fact that this category makes up less than 2% of all wines in the region.
Saint Emilion
The key word here is classé. Without this word, the inscription Saint-Émilion Grand Cru on the label means that the wine belongs to the lowest level of the Saint-Émilion grand cru system.
Basic Grand Cru of Saint-Emilion
This category has no separate sub-zones, only some special production requirements (primarily in terms of lower yields, higher alcohol levels and a mandatory tasting commission for each vintage). Those. in fact, it is much closer to the concept of superior in Bordeaux (Bordeaux Supérieur) than to the rest of the grand cru of France. Hundreds of wines in Saint-Emilion bear the Grand Cru designation. This is confusing to the uninitiated.
Another thing is wines labeled Grand Cru Classe. They are presented in two subcategories:
- Premier Grand Cru Classe with subclasses “A” (4 farms - the top of the classification) and “B” (14 farms)
- Simply Grand Cru Classe (64 farms)
Top of the Grand Cru of Saint-Emilion
The last revision of the classification was in 2012 and was based on the level of wines submitted to the commission, the reputation of the estates in the market, the quality of the terroirs and the level of production. The next review may occur no earlier than 2022.
Nectar
In 1855, the best wines from the Bordeaux subregion of the Médoc plus one from the Graves subregion (Château Haut-Brion) were ranked according to a five-tier system of "grand cru classes" (Les Grands Crus Classés): from the first grand cru (Premiers Grands Crus) to the fifth grand cru ( Cinquième Grands Crus). The first group then included only four chateaus, to which only one more was added in 1973 - Mouton Rothschild.
First Grand Cru Class: Margot
Today, the word Grand is often omitted, designating the classified estate from this list as the first cru, second cru, and so on (English First Growth and further to Fifth Growth), and all wines in this classification with the general term “cru class” (French Crus Classés , English Classed Growths).
This system continues to exist almost unshakably, regularly provoking disputes. Since 1855, many Cru class estates have bought and sold vineyard plots without changing their place in the classification. At the same time, Château Gloria, created and developed since 1942 on plots purchased exclusively from cru class estates, was not included in their list, despite the fact that by international standards it cannot be considered a newcomer, and its wine recognized by critics as corresponding to the Cru Classé level.
A 160-year-old classification is hardly capable of reflecting the current state of affairs in the region. Château Lynch-Bages – “only” a 5th grand cru – became the talk of the town as an example of obvious inconsistency. Another example is Château Lanessan, a neighbor of Gruaud-Larose, but just across the Saint-Julien border. This farm had sufficient reputation (and still does) to qualify for inclusion in the classification, but in 1855 the owner considered its appearance bureaucratic stupidity and did not apply.
With the exception of the Mouton Rothschild precedent, the 1855 classification changed only with the disappearance of an estate (for example, Château Dubignon from 3 grand cru).
All this leads to the fact that various critics, sommeliers, publications, as well as the Liv-Ex wine exchange compile their own ratings of Bordeaux chateaus.
Grave and Sauternes
The Graves subregion has generally remained aloof from the Bordeaux grand cru debate. In 1959, they established their own single-level classification for white and red wines, in which 16 estates formed the only category of “cru class” (Crus Classés). All these farms are now part of the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
The top sweet wines of Sauternes in 1855 were classified as first and second cru (Premier Cru, Deuxième Cru) with a special mention of Chateau D'Yquem as Permier Cru Superior (Premier Cru Supérieur).
Champagne
If in Burgundy vineyards are classified, and in Bordeaux farms, then in Champagne entire villages are classified, assigning them the status of Premier Cru and Grand Cru.
In Champagne, entire villages are classified
Champagne from a Grand Cru village vineyard (Maya)
The ranking of the vineyards themselves in Champagne, as in Burgundy, has a longer and more checkered history. Traditionally, the credit for identifying the region's best sites has been attributed to the Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon (1638-1715), along with his innovative practice of blending (mostly still) wines to achieve even quality in the final product.
The local hierarchical system, called the Échelle des Crus, literally “ladder of harvests,” was introduced in 1911 as a mechanism to fix prices for winegrowers’ produce supplied to champagne houses—in response to a series of peasant revolts in the previous few years.
Grand Cru champagne villages are those that have received a maximum 100% coefficient for calculating the price for their harvest from a fixed maximum established by a committee of winegrowers and winemakers. For Premier Cru villages the coefficient was 90-99% of the fixed maximum price. For the rest, the price varied in the range of 80-89% of the established maximum.
12 villages initially received grand cru status. Another 5 were added to them in 1985. Today, the area under vines of all 17 Grand Cru villages accounts for no more than 9% of the total area of Champagne vineyards.
Alsace
An Alsace wine labeled Grand Cru must come from one of 51 individual vineyards that have their own name. They are scattered throughout Alsace and differ in terroir, but all in the altitude range of 200-300 meters above sea level. Their size varies from 3 hectares to 80 hectares. Each Alsace vineyard has its own separate appellation (as of 2012).
Initially (in 1973), the only vineyard that met the Grand Cru level was Schlossberg. The category was legislated in 1983, with the addition of 24 more vineyards. In 1992, another 25 were added to them. In 2007, the Kaefferkopf vineyard became the latest addition to this list.
Until recently, many manufacturers were skeptical about this system. Largely because its quality requirements were considered not strict enough, plus some vineyards were considered too large and heterogeneous in terms of the nature of the soil and the exposure of the vines. Hugel still labels its top wines with its own brand. Leon Beyer also remains on the sidelines. But overall, the release of Grand Cru wine is met with increasing enthusiasm among the new generation of winemakers.
As in Burgundy, the practice of joint ownership of a vineyard between different producers is common here. However, sometimes such plots (shares) receive their own name and are considered as monopolies. The most famous example is the Clos Sainte Hune plot within the Rosacker Grand Cru vineyard, owned by Trimbach.
Uncharacteristic of French classified wines is the Alsatian practice of indicating grape varieties on the label. It also applies to local grand cru wines. Acceptable varieties for this category are Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat and Pinot Gris. The exception is the Zotzenberg vineyard, which specializes in the Sylvaner variety, which is not permitted in any other Alsace grand cru. At the same time, Zotzenberg Grand Cru cannot be made from nutmeg, although it also grows here.
If in Burgundy only two appellations of all grand cru can produce both white and red wines (Corton and Musigny), then in Alsace only two grand cru are allowed to produce multivarietal blends (Riesling-based in Altenberg de Bergheim and Gewürztraminer-based in Kaefferkopf ). The rest are limited to some two of the four varieties mentioned above.
Since 2015, INAO (the French agricultural regulator) has been considering the possibility of introducing a premium cru category in Alsace. No related changes are expected in the list of Grand Crus.
Postscript: the question of yield
We have left beyond the scope of this article the question of comparing permitted yield levels in various French grand cru and within regional hierarchies. Obviously, Champagne stands apart, since the yield rate in Champagne is determined as a whole by the region for each vintage. Consideration of such an important aspect from the point of view of wine quality management requires writing a separate voluminous material, which we will certainly release as soon as we gather the courage.
On Friday's dry autumn evening the Patriarchs were cheerful and cheerful. A dense stream of people walking along the sidewalks. Malaya Bronnaya was filled with noise, laughter and cigarette smoke. Near the glass entrance to the Grand Cru winery restaurant, several ladies, as usual, staged a photo shoot, taking turns showing their colorful outfits to a large black camera. There were few visitors inside the establishment: two tables in the first hall opposite the kitchen and two in the far section near the minibar. But, despite pre-booking, I was sent to a penal cul-de-sac, sandwiched between wine racks and a wooden fence wall. While I was waiting for the menu, through the cracks in the boards, I once again saw the local decoration, which had not changed during my absence. The smooth, clear lines of wooden inserts and partitions echoed the large black racks filled with a variety of wines. Gray parquet flooring was combined with cement walls, and the black ceiling was in harmony with good lighting and rare decorations. The furniture was comfortable, the tables were wide, but the seating was too tight, which immediately extinguished any hopes for romance, privacy or comfort. The very poor acoustics did not add to the coziness. Even with minimal workload, I could hear all the other people’s conversations, but I couldn’t hear my own. In the embrasure through which the kitchen was visible, work was in full swing. Moreover, I didn’t notice any flaws this time. As for my penal dead end, guests and staff came there with enviable frequency and, almost sitting on my plates, expertly chose wines. It’s funny: you sit, eat and look at the back pockets of other people’s pants (well, at least the back pockets).
The menu at Grand Cru has been preserved author's originality based on elements of thoughtful fusion. The combinations of products sounded tempting, the names delighted us with an appetizing mood. The prices were not very democratic, but for the Patriarchal this is a common occurrence.
The food this time was bright, somewhat unclear, but interesting.
Homemade bread, 0 ₽
, 950 ₽
, 500 ₽
, 1450 ₽
, 1250 ₽
Risotto with artichokes and Burrata cream cheese, 1450 ₽
Steak Machete Prime with baked potatoes, 2450 RUR
, 1450 ₽
, 1850 RUR
Chocolate “Okumare” with roasted almond mousse and cherry sorbet, 700 ₽
Water Lurisia 0.75 b/g, 550 ₽
“Sicilian olives” were small and tasty, without unnecessary impurities, bitterness or acid.
“Tuna tartare with smoked tomato and avocado consommé” pleased me with its excellent, I would even say, perfect cut. The cubes were perfect, smooth, neat, elastic. The flavor of the tuna was felt in full and was very succinctly accompanied by a light marinade and tomato sauce, which also gave the dish a casual Asian vivacity.
“Thai fish soup with coconut milk” looked unusual. It seemed that the taste of the green, opaque broth, from which inclusions of fish, seafood, pak choi and zucchini peeked out in turn, would be strange and disjointed. But as soon as I took the first sample, my receptors immediately felt the attractiveness of an elegant Pan-Asian symphony, which I wanted to enjoy until the last spoonful.
“Risotto with artichokes and cream cheese Burrata” impressed with its excellent risotta component, tasty artichokes and pleasant cheese creaminess, which was indecently hampered by the dense, almost hard shell. If instead of burrata the dish had only included stracciatella, it would have been an ideal combination, but the coarse mozzarella shell pulled the dish into the ranks of the good ones.
The "Machete Prime Steak with Baked Potatoes" from the Josper Bar section arrived already cut, but since the meat was allowed to rest, there was no puddle on the plate. The steak was moderately soft and juicy, but I didn’t feel its taste because, bypassing the menu description, the meat pieces were covered with a sweet, cloying demi-glace sauce based on “ju” (meat juice). It was he who took the entire initiative, volunteering to be the star of the ensemble, and at the same time a soloist, guitarist, drummer and keyboard player. If the sauce sat on the edge of the plate, the steak would sparkle with all its natural colors, and so it would be “Machete” or not “Machete” - there would be no difference.
“Dorado fillet with vegetable tartare” was noted for its pleasant melting texture, crunchy skin and delicate sauce with an Asian touch. The vegetable cutting turned out to be small, but neat; it did not interfere with the fish, but complemented it.
“Lamb shoulder with couscous in Moroccan style” is a harmonious pairing of aromatic juicy stewed meat and tender, almost millet green couscous. Everything is on topic, everything is to the point and with soul.
“Okumare chocolate with roasted almond mousse and cherry sorbet,” I, alas, did not understand, and the reason for this was that the chocolate was too viscous, which stretched and stuck to the palate and tongue. At the same time, other components came out very successful, but could not cope with the chocolate intensity and aftertaste.
The service during my visit was attentive, polite and interested. The young man and girl in charge of my table did everything clearly, on time and with visible pleasure. They added water, looked after the wine, changed cutlery and dishes, and responded promptly to requests.
The result is this:
Two years later, I'm ready to change my mind about Grand Cru by Adrian Quetglas. Even despite the dead-end location and interior inconveniences, the restaurant has become better and tastier. There is still no romance there, but there is an excellent selection of wines and high-quality cuisine, seasoned with decent service.
