Premiers Crus Classés — The Five Greatest Châteaux of Bordeaux

The five Premiers Crus Classés of Bordeaux occupy a unique position in the wine world. Universally recognised as among the greatest wines ever produced, these five estates have maintained their status through 170 years since the famous 1855 Classification — a remarkable testament to the consistency and quality of their terroir and winemaking.

The 1855 Classification

In 1855, Emperor Napoleon III commissioned a classification of the finest red wines of the Médoc — along with one from the Graves — for the Paris Universal Exhibition. Wine merchants and brokers were asked to rank the top châteaux based on price, which was then understood as the clearest reflection of quality and reputation.

The result was a hierarchical classification of 61 châteaux across five growth levels. It has changed only once in 170 years: in 1973, when Château Mouton Rothschild was elevated from Deuxième to Premier Cru, following decades of lobbying by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. His famous declaration — "First I am, second I was, Mouton does not change" — captures both the ambition and the achievement.

The Five Premiers Crus

Château Latour (Pauillac)

Perhaps the most consistently powerful and structured of the five. Latour's vineyards sit on a plateau of deep, iron-rich gravel above the Gironde, providing exceptional drainage and heat retention. The iconic tower on the label (built in the 16th century as a watchtower against English privateers) has become one of wine's most recognised symbols.

Character: Extraordinary concentration, enormous tannic structure, and remarkable longevity. Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated, typically 80%+ in great years. Great Latour commonly requires 20–30 years before it approaches maturity.

Second wine: Les Forts de Latour — one of the finest second wines in Bordeaux, essentially of Second Growth quality.

Château Lafite Rothschild (Pauillac)

The most elegant and perfumed of the three Pauillac Premiers Crus. Lafite's vineyards occupy a gentle knoll of deep gravel at the northern limit of Pauillac, giving wines of extraordinary finesse and aromatic complexity. Acquired by the Rothschild banking family in 1868.

Character: Cedar, blackcurrant, violet, and with age extraordinary complexity — pencil lead, tobacco, leather, truffle. Lighter in structure than Latour, but with equally extraordinary ageing potential.

The wine has a devoted following in Asia — particularly China — which has driven prices to extraordinary levels over the past two decades.

Château Mouton Rothschild (Pauillac)

Elevated from second to first growth in 1973 after decades of campaigning by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Known for its distinctive artistic labels (a different artist commissioned each year since 1945, with contributions from Picasso, Warhol, Chagall, and many others) and for wines of exuberant, almost opulent character.

Character: Rich, full-bodied, with a distinctive cassis and cedar profile and a generosity not always found in its neighbours. The vineyards produce some of Pauillac's most concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon.

Château Margaux (Margaux)

The most feminine and perfumed of the five, and the only one located outside Pauillac. Margaux's deep gravel soils over a clay subsoil produce wines of extraordinary delicacy and aromatic complexity — violets, roses, blackcurrant, and with age, extraordinary silkiness and length.

Pavillon Rouge (the second wine) and Pavillon Blanc (one of Bordeaux's finest white wines, made from Sauvignon Blanc) are produced alongside the grand vin.

Château Haut-Brion (Pessac-Léognan)

The only non-Médoc estate in the 1855 Classification, and the oldest of the five, with a recorded history going back to 1533. Located in what is now the suburbs of Bordeaux, Haut-Brion produces wines of unique earthiness, complexity, and accessibility — more immediately approachable than the Pauillac estates.

The estate also produces one of Bordeaux's greatest white wines: Château Haut-Brion Blanc.

Vintages and Drinking Windows

Acquiring Premiers Crus at Halles de Quercamps

These wines are allocated — they are not simply ordered and shipped. Our 50-year relationships with Bordeaux négociants give us access to specific vintages and formats that are unavailable through conventional retail channels. Contact our fine wine team to discuss your requirements.

We provide full provenance documentation for every bottle of Premier Cru wine we sell.