Home > Learn Wine
ask dr. vinny
Hello there! I'm Dr. Vinifera, or "Vinny" for short. Ask me your toughest wine questions, from the technical aspects of winemaking to the fine points of etiquette. I hope you find my answers educational and even amusing. Looking for a particular answer? Check my archive and my FAQs.
Dear
Dr. Vinny,
Can
you explain what "first-growth" means, and why these wines are
considered better? Of all the literature I have read, I can't find a definition
of this type of classification.
—D.B.,
Bronxville, N.Y.
Dear
D.B.,
When
people say "first-growth," they're talking about Bordeaux, or at
least alluding to it. In the Bordeaux Classification of 1855 (yes, we're talking
about a term coined more than 150 years ago), wine brokers ranked châteaus
based on reputation and price. The classification ranked them within
"growths," or crus, from first down to fifth.
The original classification included four first-growths: Lafite-Rothschild,
Latour, Margaux and Haut-Brion. In 1973, Mouton-Rothschild was elevated to
first-growth (or premier cru) status, making a grand total
of five first-growths.
It's
no surprise that since 1855, many changes have occurred in names, owners,
vineyards and quality. While the ranking still has a big influence on the
perception of quality, these days it's not unusual to see a second-growth, or
even a wine from a source ignored by the classification system, fetching as
high a score (or a price) as a first-growth.
—Dr.
Vinny
Do you have a question for Dr. Vinny? Ask it here...
|
Learn to taste wine like a pro, pull a cork with flair, get great wine service in a restaurant and more |
