🏷️ Grand cru
The top rank of the best vineyard sites, especially in Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne.
Grand cru is the highest rank of the best vineyard sites. The French phrase means "great growth". It is used above all in Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne, and in each area its meaning is slightly different.
In Burgundy a grand cru is a specific plot of land, not an estate. There are 33 such plots, and they account for about 1–2 percent of all the region's wine. The plots were chosen long ago, by experience: wine from them was always better. Each has its own protected name, and often only that name appears on the label. Premier cru ranks below.
Alsace has its own grands crus: several dozen, tied to plots. In Champagne it is villages that are rated: villages with a 100 percent rating receive the full rate.
Grand cru is part of the AOC system and belongs to the wine classifications. It is not a guarantee of taste, but an indication of place. The price is usually high, because there is little wine.
What it includes
How it connects to Wine
🏷️ Grand cru → kind of → 🏷️ Wine classifications → kind of → 🍷 Wine
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ Wine classifications
- Where it applies
- 🗺️ French wine
- Similar and different
- 🏷️ Appellation d'origine contrôlée, 🏷️ Premier cru, 🏷️ Burgundy Grand Cru, 🏷️ Alsace Grand Cru, 🏷️ Échelle des crus
Frequently asked questions
What does grand cru mean?
The highest rank of the best vineyard sites, especially in Burgundy, Alsace and Champagne.
How many grands crus are there in Burgundy?
33 plots, which make up about 1–2 percent of the region's wine.
Is grand cru a guarantee of quality?
No. It points to a place and its reputation; taste depends on the producer and the year.
What to read next
- 🗺️ French wine — The country's wine and winemaking: regions, grapes and appellations.
- 🏷️ Appellation d'origine contrôlée — The top French category, with place, varieties, yield and method strictly set.
- 🏷️ Burgundy Grand Cru — Burgundy's best vineyards; the label shows only the vineyard name.
- 🏷️ Alsace Grand Cru — Alsace's 51 best vineyards for its four main grape varieties.
- 🏷️ Échelle des crus — A percentage rating of Champagne villages: 17 grand cru and 42 premier cru.
Similar
🏷️ Cru Bourgeois · 🏷️ Vin de garde · 🏷️ Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 · 🏷️ American Viticultural Area · 🏷️ Vintners Quality Alliance · 🏷️ Wine of Origin
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.