Pavie and Angélus promoted in the new Saint-Émilion classification

The owner of Château Pavie, Gérard Perse, was "overwhelmed with emotion" at the confirmation of the promotion of his estate to the rank of Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A.

Château Pavie and Château Angélus thus join Château Cheval Blanc and Château Ausone at the top of this new classification of Saint-Émilion.

This ranking has had to face serious controversies since the legal attacks undertaken against its 2006 edition.
The complete classification is unveiled today in Paris by the appellations commission, the INAO (National Institute of Origin and Quality), but official letters have arrived at the châteaux this morning.

Jean-François Quenin, president of the Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion and owner of Château Pressac (promoted from Grand Cru to Grand Cru Classé) told Decanter.com that the process to restore the reputation of the system is paying off.

“Some thought we would never get there. I became president in 2008, two years after the first legal attacks on the latest ranking. »

“I imagine there will be some disappointed people, but the idea of a ranking allows everyone to hope that their work will be rewarded. »

Angelus director Stéphanie de Boüard-Rivoal confirmed the promotion and paid tribute to the work of her father, owner Hubert de Boüard, and her uncle Jean-Bernard Grenié. Their official statement is expected after the INAO meeting.

Gérard Perse, owner of Château Pavie, said: “As soon as I heard the news, I was overwhelmed with emotion. »

“I am delighted and proud to have invested in such a courageous appellation as Saint-Émilion, which challenges itself every decade through this ranking,” he told Decanter.com.

“They showed courage by promoting two châteaux to the rank of Premier Grand Cru Classé A, for the first time in 50 years. But it seems justified that Saint-Émilion has as many Premiers Grands Crus as the Médoc. »

Among the other domains promoted are the Châteaux Canon La Gaffelière and La Mondotte, both now Premiers Grands Crus Classés.

96 châteaux applied for this 2012 classification. Château Valandraud also went from Grand Cru Classé to Grand Cru Classé B, and Châteaux La Fleur Morange, Fombrauge, de Ferrand, Faugères and Péby Faugères from Grand Cru to Grand Cru Classé .

It's hard to confirm the downgrades until the full list is made public. All areas that were to lose their ranking or whose applications were incomplete were invited to initiate a consultation procedure with the INAO, in an attempt to maintain their status.

According to Robert Tinlot, the chairman of the classification commission, 36 of these “warning” letters were sent.

In total, of the 96 files submitted, one was immediately rejected, 83 were accepted and 12 estates were downgraded or did not receive Grand Cru Classé status.Chateau Pavie and Chateau Angelus are to join Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone at the top of this new Saint Emilion classification.

Source: Jane Anson
Decanter.com
September 6, 2012