From Peter Niederhauser
, at 07. September 2012 14:32
by Jane Anson in Bordeaux – Chateau Pavie’s owner Gerard Perse was ‘overcome with emotion’ as his property’s promotion to St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé A was confirmed today. Chateau Pavie and Chateau Angelus are to join Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone at the top of this new Saint Emilion classification.
St Emilion has been mired in bitter controversy since legal challenges were first mounted against the 2006 classification. The full list of this classification is unveiled by appellations body the INAO in Paris today, but official letters arrived at the chateaux this morning.
Jean Francois Quenin, president of the Conseil des Vins de Saint-Emilion, and owner of Chateau Pressac (which was promoted from Grand Cru to Grand Cru Classé) told Decanter.com this was the result of a process that aimed to restore the reputation of the system.
‘Some people thought we were never going to get here. I became president in 2008, two years after the last classification began to suffer its legal challenges. ‘I imagine there will be some disappointments, but the idea of classification allows everyone to have hope that if they work hard, they will be rewarded.’
Angelus managing director Stéphanie de Bouard-Rivoal confirmed the promotion and praised her father, owner Hubert de Bouard, and uncle Jean-Bernard Grenié for their hard work. Their official comment is due after the INAO meeting. Pavie owner Gerard Perse said, ‘As soon as I heard the news, I was overcome with emotion.
‘I’m very happy and proud to have invested in an appellation as courageous as Saint Emilion, which submits itself to this 10-yearly classification,’ he told Decanter.com.
‘It was a brave move to promote two chateaux for the first time in 50 years to join the other Premier Grand Cru Classé As – but it seems logical that Saint Emilion should have as many First Growths as the Medoc.’ Other promotions included Chateau Canon La Gaffelière and Chateau La Mondotte, both to Premier Grand Cru Classé.
96 chateaux submitted applications for this 2012 classification. Among the other chateaux promoted, Chateau Valandraud has gone from Grand Cru Classé to Grand Cru Classé B, and Chateaux La Fleur Morange, Fombrauge, de Ferrand, Faugeres and Peby-Faugeres from Grand Cru to Grand Cru Classé.
Demotions are less clear until the full list is published. Any chateaux which were due to lose their classification or which had incomplete applications were invited to begin a consultation process with INAO, with the possibility of retaining their status. According to Robert Tinlot, president of the Commission de Classement, there were 36 of these ‘warning’ letters sent out. In total, of the 96 who submitted dossiers, one was rejected immediately, 83 were successful and 12 chateaux either lost their classification or were not given Grand Cru Classé status.
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