The 2006 Saint Emilion classification will be scrapped, the French Court of Appeal has ruled.
A judgement claimed the system was unlawful in July 2008 and an appeal by the eight promoted properties, the Saint Emilion Wine Board and the INAO was thrown out yesterday.
The court concluded there were irregularities during the tasting process and should no longer stand.
Chateau La Marzelle was declassified in 2006 and its owner Philippe Genevey, told local newspaper Sud-Ouest, 'We are satisfied with the ruling as we believe we were victims of injustice'
'Now we have to work together to find a new classification acceptable to all of us.'
Jean-Francois Quenin, president of the Saint-Emilion Wine Board added, 'We don't know what we are going to do. We need a classification, it is what keeps the region moving forward. I want us all to work together to find a solution.'
The system will remain for the 2009 vintage and a new classification will need to be introduced. However, it is possible a further appeal could go to France's High Court.
The Saint-Emilion classification was created in 1954 and is revised every 10 years.
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This is turning into a bit of a farce. How do the courts now control the classification of wines in Saint Emilion? It is almost beyond belief..It is also remarkable that the entire classification gets thrown out, when those Chateaux who were promoted, really don't have anything to do with the 3 disgruntled owners of lower-classified properties, in addition to the fact that there seems to be no dispute as to the quality of the higher ranked wines. This is very damaging to the entire classification system in the first place, and next up someone upset with the 1855 Classification - and there are many - could simply sue, using the Saint Emilion example as a precedent, and have the entire thing thrown out as well, thereby not doing any services to either Bordeaux, or France. They must start to realize in France already, that all these tough anti-alcohol laws, coupled with these ridiculous court rulings, are quickly eroding whatever goodwill was built up over centuries, and the vast majority of people will simply give up and move into something else wine-wise...
Gil Lempert-Schwarz, Las Vegas, Nevada
Why go to the expense and trouble, and risk labor and capital, to make fine wine, when you can sue? Legal fees are a pittance compared to the cost of land and labor, and expert vineyard and cellar management. Of course, you can't drink a lawbook....
Lewis C Taishoff
Now this could be the subject of a truly great wine based Hollywood blockbuster – with more turnovers than at Twickenham last Saturday and enough material for at least two sequels already judging by the 'related stories' thread above.
Chris Grimes, Bloxham, Oxon, UK
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This is turning into a bit of a farce. How do the courts now control the classification of wines in Saint Emilion? It is almost beyond belief..It is also remarkable that the entire classification gets thrown out, when those Chateaux who were promoted, really don't have anything to do with the 3 disgruntled owners of lower-classified properties, in addition to the fact that there seems to be no dispute as to the quality of the higher ranked wines. This is very damaging to the entire classification system in the first place, and next up someone upset with the 1855 Classification - and there are many - could simply sue, using the Saint Emilion example as a precedent, and have the entire thing thrown out as well, thereby not doing any services to either Bordeaux, or France. They must start to realize in France already, that all these tough anti-alcohol laws, coupled with these ridiculous court rulings, are quickly eroding whatever goodwill was built up over centuries, and the vast majority of people will simply give up and move into something else wine-wise...
