Top Saint Émilion Chateaux walk away from 2022 reclassification

Three top Saint Émilion producers, Châteaux Angélus, Cheval Blanc and Ausone have all said independently that they will not participate in the 2022 Saint Émilion reclassification.

Every 10 years wines the top St Émilion wines are reclassified into 4 different bands. These are St Émilion, St Émilion Grand Cru, St Émilion Grand Cru Classé B, and the top St Émilion Grand Cru Classé A. Along with Château Pavie, Châteaux Angélus, Cheval Blanc and Ausone were all St Emilion Grand Cru Classé A.

In other news this week, the 2012 classification was upheld in the latest chapter of a legal dispute lasting nearly a decade after rejecting long-standing complaints from three châteaux who lost out in the reclassification.