Cru Classe is a classification system for which Bordeaux region?

• A. Graves - Left Bank
• B. Médoc
• C. Pessac-Léognan
• D. Sauternes

Answer: (A)

Cru Classe is a ranking of Bordeaux wine estates based on quality and reputation. While most people associate it with the original 1855 classification for the Médoc and Sauternes–Barsac, Graves has its own recognized Cru Classé list as well. The Graves region sits on the Left Bank of the Gironde, and within Graves there is a defined set of châteaux that are designated as Cru Classé. That link to a formal quality ranking within a Left Bank Bordeaux region is why Graves – Left Bank is the best fit among the options. (Pessac-Léognan is a subregion of Graves and includes some of these Cru Classé estates, but the broader region that carries the Cru Classe designation is Graves on the Left Bank.)