Premier Grand Cru Classé A is the highest distinction in the Classification of Saint-Émilion, reserved for the small handful of estates judged to stand at the absolute summit of the appellation. Reviewed roughly every ten years, the ranking has long been Saint-Émilion's answer to the immovable 1855 Classification of the Left Bank.
The category has seen dramatic change. In 2012, Château Angélus and Château Pavie were promoted to join the historic pair of Château Cheval Blanc and Château Ausone at the top. Ahead of the 2022 revision, however, Cheval Blanc, Ausone, and Angélus each chose to withdraw from the classification, leaving Château Pavie and Château Figeac as the two estates ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé A.
Whatever the politics, the wines themselves remain among the greatest in Bordeaux — Merlot and Cabernet Franc grown on Saint-Émilion's finest limestone and gravel terroirs, combining opulence, minerality, and the structure to evolve magnificently over many decades.
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