This month the #winophile crew is going to Bordeaux. We are writing about the Cru Bourgeois and other beauties from Bordeaux. I love these wines which pair perfectly with fall fare.

The Cru Bourgeois châteaux were a group of the finest properties in the Médoc that were listed in any early classification.

Throughout the years, as you can see from this timeline, the Cru Bourgeois became a more evolved and rigorous qualification. The most recent group is now a group of 250 châteaux from the Médoc region in Bordeaux. The Cru Bourgeois are further separated into three levels: the first level with 180 of the châteaux, the superior level with 56 châteaux, and the exceptionnel level with 14 châteaux. The classification lasts for five years. The next one will be in 2025 and covers five vintages so the 2020 covers the vintages from 2018 – 2022.

The group is also looking beyond the Cru Bourgeois and bringing other less well known wines. What I love about the Cru Bourgeois is that they are approachable and many of them seem to be led by women which is interesting since Bordeaux always seemed such an old boy’s club.

s.

In terms of appellations, there are two regional ones for the Cru Bourgeois du Médoc wines: Médoc and Haut-Médoc, and then six communal appellations: Listrac-Médoc, Moulis-en-Médoc, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, and Saint-Estèphe.

There are 28 million bottles of these wines made on an annual basis. I have only been to Bordeaux once at the beginning of my professional life in wine. I had been seriously studying wine since 1997 but my first and only trip to Bordeaux was in 2007 when I went to an edition of VinExpo with the importer I worked with at the time. We were there for a short time but I fell in-love with the area. I had not expected the warm, temperate climate I found. The word Médoc comes from the Latin medio aquae which means “in the middle of the water.” In fact, the Médoc is between the Atlantic ocean and the Gironde estuary. The area is on the 45th parallel. The gravelly, clay- limestone rich soils provide a wonderful home to the grape varieties that grow there such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.

In addition to the affordable prices, the familiar grapes, and the amazing history of these châteaux, something else I like about this classification is their attention to the environment. It’s one of the criteria in the selections made every five years of classified châteaux. For the two higher levels, superior and exceptionnel, the environmental standards are even more stringent.

If like me, you aren’t traveling to France in the next few months, a bottle of the Cru Bourgeois this fall can bring it to your table. Perfect for Thanksgiving, or a Friday night dinner, consider these wines as a go-to for a Bordeaux trip from home.

Whether the wine they choose was a Cru Bourgeois or not, my fellow French Winophiles celebrate the beauty that we find in Bordeaux.

Enjoy their stories and join us on Saturday, October 21st at 11:00am EST for a chat on X formerly known as Twitter. You can find us using the hashtag, #Winophiles.

• Cam of Culinary Cam brings Slow-Roasted Lamb Shanks + 2018 Château Magnol Haut-Médoc Cru Bourgeois “
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm adds Barton & Guestier Chateau Magnol and Instant Pot Beef Brisket’
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator shares “Merlot Me Bordeaux Baby: 2015 Chateau Bardoulet Saint-Emilion Grand Cru paired with beef stew in squash” 
• Susannah of Avvinare posts “Chateau Tour De Pez from Saint Estèphe, History in A Glass”