Dates

12th: The Bourgeois enjoy rights and privileges, notably exemption from charges on the wines from their vines.

15th: They acquire the best land, to which the name "Crus Bourgeois" is given

1932: The Bordeaux merchants, under the authority of the Chamber of Commerce and the Chamber of Agriculture, establish 444 Crus Bourgeois. This list, deposited on 28 April 1932 at the CCI, is never approved by the Ministry, but it nevertheless serves as a reference for use of the mark for more than fifty years.

1962: Creation of the Syndicat des Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, which has only 94 members (survivors of the successive crises suffered by wine-growing). This successively establishes 2 awards schemes (1966 & 1978).

1980-1990: Work, technical progress and collective promotion enable Crus Bourgeois to achieve growing fame, which attracts much envy because of the lack of regulations involved in the mark. Very soon, the term "Crus Bourgeois" becomes tarnished and meaningless. Alongside this, in 1979, Community regulations on labelling recognise the traditional mark "Crus Bourgeois" under the sole condition that its use is set aside for the French state. At the beginning of the 21st century, it is therefore urgent to obtain the regulatory framework the Cru Bourgeois mark so badly needs from the French authorities.

2000: The Ministerial Decree of 30 November 2000 concerning the regulations organising the classification Crus Bourgeois du Médoc establishes the general conditions for the Classification.

2003: The Ministerial Decree of 17 June 2003 approves the first official classification of Crus Bourgeois du Médoc. It approves 247 Crus out of 490 candidates. It establishes a hierarchy of merit with 3 categories: Cru Bourgeois, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel. This is applicable from the 2003 vintage and can be reviewed every 12 years.

2004:
Feb- The statutes of the Syndicat are amended in accordance with the classification. The Syndicat changes its name and becomes the Alliance.

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Quality Charter

* Bulk shipping is forbidden
* Estate bottling is compulsory
* Annual quality guarantee monitoring is compulsory (collection at points of sale-blind tasting-punishment of breaches)
* The practice of "Rendu mise" (bottling by the wine merchant) is placed under the management, control and responsibility of the producer, before it is finally abandoned from the 2005 onwards
* Bottles must be heavy or equivalent (light, lightweight, standard and traditional light bottles are forbidden)
* The market launch must be after 1 January of the 2nd year following the harvest

Labelling: One Cru Bourgeois - One quality - One label