Two philosophies
Bordeaux (1855)
Ranks estates- Five 'growths' (Crus Classés)
- Based on 1855 market prices
- Ranks the château, not the plot
- Famously near-fixed
Burgundy
Ranks land- Régionale → Village → 1er Cru → Grand Cru
- Ranks the vineyard (climat)
- Producer matters too
- Built up over centuries
❡
Same word, different meaning
'Cru' = 'growth'. In Burgundy it ranks a vineyard; in the Médoc it ranks a château. Always read 'cru' in its regional context.