Premier Cru means “first growth” or “first vineyard,” but its meaning depends on the French wine region and classification system. In Burgundy, Premier Cru identifies a classified vineyard site within a village appellation, below Grand Cru. In the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, Premier Cru is the highest rank for the five First Growth red-wine estates. In Champagne, Premier Cru has a separate historical village classification context.
In Burgundy, Premier Cru wines come from designated vineyard sites within a village appellation. The label usually shows the village name followed by the vineyard name, such as Meursault Premier Cru Les Perrières or Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru. Premier Cru is a vineyard classification, not a ranking of the individual producer.
In the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux’s red wines, Premier Cru is the top rank, held by Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion and Château Mouton Rothschild. The same classification separately ranks Sauternes and Barsac sweet wines, where Château d’Yquem holds the unique rank Premier Cru Supérieur.
Champagne has historically used village classifications that include Grand Cru and Premier Cru designations. These relate to the classification of communes and their vineyards, not to the same system used in Burgundy or Bordeaux. Champagne labelling rules and the current use of these terms should be interpreted in the context of the region.
Key distinction: Premier Cru is not a universal French quality grade. Always identify the region and classification system before interpreting the term.
Chef’s tip: when writing a wine list, include the village, vineyard and producer for Burgundy Premier Cru wines; the classification alone is not enough to identify the wine’s style.
This term is one of hundreds covered in depth across OCS courses, learning paths, and 1-on-1 coaching with Chef Eric.
