IN THE WINEMAKING village of St Emilion, which sits on a hilltop about an hour outside the French city of Bordeaux, you can count on an uproar every decade. The noise comes from some of the world's top chateaux as they digest the implications of their newly reshuffled positions within the region's complex classification system. Put simply, it's a report card - judges assess the performance of wineries over the past 10 years and promote, or demote them, accordingly.
For the Right Bank producers who lay themselves bare to be judged, it's no simple matter. An upgrade can reflect a strong performance and subsequent rise in prestige, a demotion can weaken distribution networks and trigger a fall in both wine and land prices. This year, two wineries - Chateau Pavie-Macquin and Chateau Troplong Mondot - were upgraded to the second-highest category (Premier Grand Cru Classe B), while six were added to the larger grand cru classe and 11 were dumped from that category. There are now two wines ranked Premier Grand Cru Classe A (Cheval Blanc and Ausone), 13 Premier Grand Cru Classe B and nearly 50 Grand Cru Classe wines out of the hundreds of wineries in the 5,300-hectare appellation, or wine region.
Dominique Decoster, the owner of Chateau Fleur Cardinale, which was upgraded to grand cru classe this year, says the classification system is an important way to promote St Emilion wine. 'We're very happy - it could help to make us more well known,' he says.
Decoster bought the estate five years ago and overhauled it, adding a new cellar and new methods of vinification. He doesn't expect the new classification to be accompanied by rising prices. 'We're not looking to make it more expensive, we want our wine to be drunk,' he says.
At the other end of the spectrum, an unhappy group of demoted St Emilion wineries have threatened to sue the commission. Philippe Giraud, the president of merchants Robert Giraud, and manager of the recently downgraded Chateau Villemaurine, says the procedures for assessing classifications were not correctly followed. Chateaux submit samples of their wines from the past 10 years and list the retail prices of the wines in that period. The wines are tasted by a panel of nine that this year included wine merchants, university lecturers and wine consultants.
'The reason [for demotion] is not clear. There are a number of properties that will probably sue,' Giraud says.
He claims the commission failed to visit his chateau during its assessment, which is a key measure. 'I know at least three or four properties that have not been well treated, and all procedures were not taken into consideration fairly. The rules have not been respected.'