Bordeaux Chateaux: A History of the Grands Crus Classes 1855-2005 [Hardcover]

Franck Ferrand (Author), Hugh Johnson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 27, 2004

A historical tour of the most prestigious chateaux in the world's most popular wine-making region, Bordeaux Style brings the reader into the intimate interiors and tasting rooms of the chateaux. From gleaming black-and-white floor tiles to the graceful shadows cast by stone arches, from luxurious residences to musky wine cellars, these stunning photographs offer a taste of the rich culture behind these grand wines. In collaboration with Bordeaux's elite Conseil des Grands Crus Classés, this book is published to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the prestigious Grands Crus Classés wine classification system, created by Napoleon III for the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris. The original chateaux, selected for their excellence in wine making, included 61 from the Médoc region. The quality of their wines has stood the test of time remarkably well; and while many vineyards have changed hands-some several times over-the classification is still by and large a guarantee of excellent quality.

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About the Author

Franck Ferrand is a connoisseur of decorative art and the author of Jacques Garcia: Decorating in the French Style (Flammarion, 1999).
Hugh Johnson is Britain's bestselling wine writer and is famous for his ability to make the most complicated details accessible to the reader and for his sense of humor. He is the author of numerous books on fine wine including The World Atlas of Wine and is currently president of the 243-member Circle of Wine Writers.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Flammarion (November 27, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2080304585
• ISBN-13: 978-2080304582
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 1.4 x 12.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,080,461 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars The official story in gorgeous coffee table format, January 1, 2010

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Chambolle (Bainbridge Island, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Bordeaux Chateaux: A History of the Grands Crus Classes 1855-2005 (Hardcover)

This book was created in collaboration with the Conseil des Grands Crus Classes to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the 1855 classification. It's not chock full of detailed information. It conspicuously omitted Ch. Leoville Las Cases, because the proprietaire, M. Delon, had withdrawn from the Conseil in part to protest the continued use of a classification system he deemed to be misleadingly anachronistic (presumably because he believed that LLC, like Mouton, should have been elevated to first growth status to reflect the quality of the modern wines). But putting to one side the internal politics of the Bordeaux trade and the controversy surrounding the continued use of the 1855 classification, this is a nice book to have around the house. No, it does not include any new and revelatory information about any of the classified estates depicted. But it does include a nice profile of each estate and some lovely photography; and it does document the current state of the classified growths as they want to be seen by the wine buying public in the 21st century.

There is also a recently released and revised edition of the book in paperback format. This hardcover edition appears to be out of print and now available only from "new old stock" and as a used book. Given the nature of the book, I'd still go with the original, hardcover edition.