Wine news 6 September 2012
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New Classification Saint Emilion class 'A'
Thursdday 6 September 2012 - by Jane Anson in Bordeaux - Comments
Chateau Pavie and Chateau Angelus are to join Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone at the top of this new Saint Emilion classification.
Since legal challenges were first mounted against the 2006 classification, St Emilion has been mired in bitter controversy.
The full list of this classification is unveiled by appellations body the INAO in Paris today, but official letters arrived at the chateaux this morning.
The president of the Conseil des Vins de Saint-EmilionJean, and the owner of Chateau Pressac (which has been promoted from Grand Cru to Grand Cru Classé) Francois Quenin had told Decanter.com that this had been the result of a process that aimed to restore the reputation of the system.
‘Some people thought we were never going to get here. I became president in 2008, two years after the last classification began to suffer its legal challenges.
‘I imagine there will be some disappointments, but the idea of classification allows everyone to have hope that if they work hard, they will be rewarded.’
The promotion was confirmed by Angelus managing director Stéphanie de Bouard-Rivoal, he also praised her father, owner Hubert de Bouard, and uncle Jean-Bernard Grenié for the hard work the put in. Their official comment is due after the INAO meeting.
Pavie owner Gerard Perse said, ‘As soon as I heard the news, I was overcome with emotion.
'I'm very happy and proud to have invested in an appellation as courageous as Saint Emilion, which submits itself to this 10-yearly classification,’ he told Decanter.com.
‘It was a brave move to promote two chateaux for the first time in 50 years to join the other Premier Grand Cru Classé As - but it seems logical that Saint Emilion should have as many First Growths as the Medoc.'
Chateau Canon La Gaffelière and Chateau La Mondotte were the other promotions included. both to Premier Grand Cru Classé.
96 chateaux applications were submitted for this 2012 classification. Among the other chateaux promoted, Chateau Valandraud has gone from Grand Cru Classé to Grand Cru Classé B, and Chateaux La Fleur Morange, Fombrauge, de Ferrand, Faugeres and Peby-Faugeres from Grand Cru to Grand Cru Classé.
Until the full list is published demotions are less clear. Any chateaux who had incompleted applications or were due to lose their classification had been invited to begin a consultation process with INAO, with the possibility of retaining their status.
The president of the commission de Classement stated that there were 36 of these ‘warning’ letters sent out.
In total, of the 96 who submitted dossiers, one was rejected immediately, 83 were successful and 12 chateaux either lost their classification or were not given Grand Cru Classé status
