When the classification of St. Emilion was initially created in 1955, only two chateaux earned the coveted Premier Grand Cru Classe A status, Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Ausone. For many Bordeaux wine lovers, that was how it was, and how it was going to stay… forever.

Few people anticipated other chateaux would also be classed with Premier Grand Cru Classe A status. That changed in 2012, when the Saint Emilion appellation completed their supposedly, once in a decade classification and Chateau Angelus and Chateau Pavie were both reclassified as Premier Grand Cru Classe A.

Chateaux with Premier Grand Cru Classe A status are considered in the same league as the First Growths in the Medoc, who were classified in 1855. Because of the extraordinary high level of esteem awarded to First Growths, it’s easy to see why this is such a big deal.

If the selling price for the wines were the sole determining factor, I could see their point as Cheval Blanc and Ausone sold for close to 300% more money in many vintages, on release and in the secondary marketplace as well. But unlike what took place with the 1855 Classification, there were other elements in the equation.

Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe A

Chateau Pavie  酒莊有著悠久的歷史，可追溯至西元後四世紀，早在 1943 年的分級已經是 Premier Grand Cru Classe B，當時由酒商 Alexandre Valette 擁有，並同時擁有 Troplong Mondot，1957 年酒莊賣了給 Prese 家族，當時　Pavie 的葡萄酒水準只屬一般，而且一直在虧錢，Gerard Perse 接手後大膽起用未並傳統接納的Michel Rolland 擔任釀酒顧問和酒莊成員一起完成葡萄酒的釀造、陳釀及調配工作，鼓勵葡萄酒蘋果乳酸發酵，重用新橡木桶，堅持嚴格控制產量，使 Pavie 風格變得更集中和濃郁，酒質突飛猛進，在 2012 的分級晉升為 Premier Grand Cru Classe A，酒莊副牌酒的名稱為 “ Aromes de Pavie ”。

Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classe A

Chateau Figeac 位於右岸 Saint Emilion 產區最西邊與 Pomerol 產區的交界，鄰近 Cheval Blanc，酒莊名字 Figeac 歷史可追溯到 2000 年前的西元 2 世紀，當時由一名叫 Figeacus 的家族擁有，到 15 世紀，Figeac 已成為了產區 5 大貴族酒莊之一，亦曾被同時擁有 Ausone 的 Lescours 家族和 Lynch Bages 的 Cazes 家族所擁有過，1654年 Marie de Cazes 嫁入 Carle 家族，當時被改名為 Chateau Carle Figeac ，當時佔地超過 200 公頃，是當時波爾多最大酒莊之一。後來經濟危機，繼而 Figeac 土地被分割並出售予其他酒莊如 Cheval Blanc, La Tour Figeac 和 La Conseillante 酒莊等等，在 1947 年酒莊轉售予 Thierry Manoncourt ，他是 Bordeaux Grand Cru Union 的始創人之一，也是 Jurade of Saint Emilion 的主席，他翻新了酒莊的釀酒設施，帶領 Figeac 成為第一家酒莊在發酵時採用溫度控制不锈鋼缸，也是第一家推出副牌酒，其後聘請了 Michel Rolland 與  Jean Valmy Nicolas 做釀酒顧問，奠定了今日 Figeac 的地位，近年在 Frederic Faye 管理下，Figeac 酒質繼續提升，最終在 2022 年晉升成為 Saint Emilion 最頂級的 Premier Grand Cru Classe A 。