Premier Cru
A French term meaning "first growth" — used in different contexts in Burgundy (the second tier of vineyard quality below Grand Cru) and Bordeaux (the top tier in the 1855 Classification).
In depth
Premier Cru means different things in Burgundy and Bordeaux, which causes persistent confusion.
In Burgundy: Premier Cru (1er Cru) is the second tier of vineyard classification — below Grand Cru, above Village level. There are around 640 Premier Cru vineyards across the Côte d'Or. The wine label typically shows "Village Name Premier Cru" plus the vineyard name (e.g. "Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru Les Amoureuses"). In Chablis, there are 40 Premier Cru vineyards.
In Bordeaux: Premier Cru (Premier Cru Classé) is the TOP tier of the 1855 Classification — the five most prestigious Médoc châteaux (Châteaux Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Mouton Rothschild, and Haut-Brion). This is confusingly the opposite hierarchy to Burgundy.
In Champagne: Premier Cru refers to villages with a rating of 90–99% in the historical échelle des crus system. These villages produce grapes with a higher price coefficient.
The distinction between Burgundy and Bordeaux use of Premier Cru is a classic Level 3 exam question — candidates must recognise the context.
Related exam topics
Frequently asked questions
- Is Premier Cru better than Grand Cru?
- In Burgundy, no — Grand Cru is above Premier Cru. The hierarchy from best to basic is: Grand Cru → Premier Cru → Village → Régionale. In Bordeaux, however, "Premier Cru Classé" (First Growth) IS the top tier — better than Second Growth, Third Growth, etc. The same term means different things in the two regions, which is why context is crucial.
Practise questions on this topic
Use Vinlecta to practise exam-style questions that test your knowledge of premier cru and related topics.