Wines

Château Pédesclaux

Emmanuel Cruse
Château Pédesclaux

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Saturday, March 9th at the Bordeaux Master Class and Grand Tasting Reception

The vines of Pédesclaux sit upon a geological masterpiece whose origins date back 40 million years. It is this unique terroir, the Médoc par excellence, which was recognised by the 1855 classification.  

The Médoc’s exceptional geology (map) was truly revealed to all during the 17th and 18th centuries. Europe and the world discovered that this terroir had a gift for producing wines of incomparable finesse. The great chateaus began to emerge, and with them the first attempts at classification.  

The 1855 classification is the most famous. Commissioned by the Chamber of Commerce for the Exposition Universelle in Paris, it differentiates between 61 red wine crus, 18 of which are in the Pauillac commune (map) alone. It was drawn up by traders on the basis of the sales prices recorded in their archives. 160 years later, the 1855 classification still inspires dreams, as do the terroirs recognised at the time. 

Just 45 years after the estate was founded, Pédesclaux saw its name carved in the stone of the 1855 classification. The status of fifth growth (‘Cinquième Cru’) it was awarded, represented much more than a mere heritage – it also imposed stringent requirements for the future. 

Emmanuel Cruse, the co-owner of Château d’Issan, became Pédesclaux’s managing director. He comes from a family of vineyard owners and merchants who have been in the Médoc since the 18th century, and his Bordeaux know-how and his expertise in managing a Grand Cru Classé are widely recognised.