Classifications

Explore and learn about global wine classifications with Wine Auctioneer.

From Bordeaux’s Grand Crus to Italy’s DOCG labels, these systems help define quality, origin, and tradition. Explore how classifications shape the world’s finest wines and what they tell you when choosing a bottle.

Popular Classifications

Troisième Cru

Riserva DOCG

Riserva DOCG is a special category of Italian wine that signifies a higher level of aging and quality within the Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) system, the highest classification for Italian wines.

DAC

DAC (Districtus Austriae Controllatus) is Austria’s regional wine classification system, denoting wines that reflect the typical style and grape varieties of a specific region. DAC wines must meet defined quality and origin standards, emphasising regional identity and typicity.

Cru Bourgeois

Cru Bourgeois is a quality classification for Médoc wines in Bordeaux, recognising estates outside the 1855 Classification. Awarded annually based on production standards and blind tasting, it highlights reliable wines offering quality and value within the region.

Grand Cru

Grand Cru is a top-tier vineyard classification used in several French wine regions, notably Burgundy, Champagne, and Alsace. It designates sites recognised for producing wines of exceptional quality, based on terroir, historical reputation, and strict production standards.

Cinquième Grand Cru Classé

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Deuxième Grand Cru Classé

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Vin de Pays

Vin de Pays was a French wine classification, now replaced by Indication Géographique Protégée (IGP). It designated wines of higher quality than table wine but with fewer restrictions than AOC wines.

Deuxième Cru

DOCG

Premier Cru Supérieur

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IGT

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Prädikatswein

Cru Classé

Premier Grand Cru Classé

Premier Cru Classé is a designation from the 1855 Bordeaux Wine Official Classification, ranking select châteaux in Médoc and Sauternes among the highest quality producers. It signifies exceptional wines with longstanding reputations, subject to strict production standards.