I'm looking at a wine list and Pinot Noir, Pommard, Glatenay, Sausilles 1er Cru, Burgundy, France, 2002, 2003 I know what grand Cru and premium Cru. But what is 1 Er Cru?..
Answer From Expert Roger Bohmrich MW
Let' see if I can help you sort out these designations by outlining Burgundy's classification system. It is helpful to think of the region's wine hierarchy in terms of a pyramid of appellations, of which there are 100 in all. Starting with the base of the pyramid, the first and largest group in volume - half of the region's production - consists of 23 regional appellations. Moving up the pyramid, the next tier applies to 44 communal appellations followed by those vineyards or "climats," as they are called, classified as premier cru. In French, "premier" (first) is often abbreviated as "1er" - or "1st" in English - the shorthand you found on the wine list. This group, nearing the top of the pyramid, applies to only one-tenth of Burgundy's output. Last, at the very peak, there are 33 vineyards with the right to the grand cru designation, and this aristocratic sliver accounts for less than 2% of the region's volume. In Pommard, there are many excellent premier cru climats but no sites classified as grand cru. Hope this helps clarify the situation.
