PUBLICATION OF THE 2013 OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE CRUS BOURGEOIS DU MEDOC. So if you are visiting Bordeaux, make sure you visit a Cru Bourgeois!

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1 PRESS KIT PUBLICATION OF THE 2013 OFFICIAL SELECTION OF THE CRUS BOURGEOIS DU MEDOC I am very pleased to be able to present you the sixth Crus Bourgeois du Médoc Official Selection. Today, more than ever, it is clear that our organisation, commitments and quality assurance approach have enabled us to re-establish the Crus Bourgeois permanently on the Bordeaux market, and in the cellars and glasses of numerous wine lovers. The road is long and each vintage is still a challenge, but we are heading in the right direction, with the maintenance of rigorous standards, and greater accessibility. 251 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 2013 to taste and enjoy! The 2013 Official Selection brings together 251 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc from seven Médoc AOCs: Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac-Médoc, Moulis, Margaux, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe. A wide variety of prestigious AOCs, and also of winegrowers, at the head of properties that are often still familyrun, give our wines a wealth of flavours and styles, all of which share the same philosophy of terroir and the same history, and enable us to work together and be a part of the vineyards and the wines of the future. Bourgeois and proud of it! To introduce you to this rich heritage, we are pleased to present different portraits every week of our winegrowers on our blog As well as all our news, there are fascinating insights into the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, revealing a world of originality, not without humour, and the winegrowers' desire to share their passion for their work. For practical information on the 251 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, please visit our website, also available in a smart-phone version. We hope to see you at our upcoming tastings and at the beautiful Cru Bourgeois properties, 90% of which are open to the public and offer numerous wine and vineyard-based activities. So if you are visiting Bordeaux, make sure you visit a Cru Bourgeois! Frédéric de Luze Président 1 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

2 Contents Key figures for the 2013 vintage Announcement programme for the 2013 Official Selection Street Art and the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc The «Cru Bourgeois» quality procedure Authentication and quality guarantee: the «Cru Bourgeois» sticker Deep historical roots Useful tools for the consumer Our events partners Press Contact: Frédéric de Luze President Frédérique Dutheillet de Lamothe Director 12 rue d Enghien Bordeaux- France T. +33 (0) communication@crus-bourgeois.com 2 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

3 Key figures for the 2013 vintage 251 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 111 Crus Bourgeois in AOC Médoc, corresponding to about 10 million bottles 81 Crus Bourgeois in AOC Haut-Médoc, corresponding to about 7 million bottles 13 Crus Bourgeois in AOC Listrac-Médoc, corresponding to about bottles 11 Crus Bourgeois in AOC Moulis, corresponding to about bottles 9 Crus Bourgeois in AOC Margaux, corresponding to about bottles 5 Crus Bourgeois in AOC Pauillac, corresponding to about bottles 21 Crus Bourgeois in AOC Saint-Estèphe, corresponding to about 1,1 million bottles The Crus Bourgeois du Médoc produced approximately 20 million bottles in 2013, or about 26 % of the Médoc s production*. The volumes for this vintage illustrate our commitment to producing wines to ever higher standards of quality. In selecting the best of their production, the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc undertake to offer wine lovers all around the world the fruits of their increasingly meticulous, conscientious work, which is naturally adapted to the characteristics of each vintage. The quantities released onto the market may vary from one year to another, but the quality remains consistent. The Crus Bourgeois du Médoc account for about 30% of the Médoc's vines*. Reminder Previous Official Selections 2008 vintage 243 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 25 million bottles 2009 vintage 246 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 32 million bottles 2010 vintage 260 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 32 million bottles 2011 vintage 256 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 28 million bottles 2012 vintage 267 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc 29 million bottles Corresponding to a total of 166 million bottles over six years, of which the quality has been guaranteed. *Sources for figures on the Médoc: Conseil des Vins du Médoc - CVM 3 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

4 Announcement programme for the 2013 Official Selection 22 September Publication of the 2013 Official Selection. - Official Announcement - Exclusive First Tasting of the 2013 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc held in Bordeaux at the Palais de la Bourse for Place de Bordeaux Brokers and Merchants, and journalists. - Distribution of the 2013 Official Selection worldwide via and social networks. 23 September in Paris - Tasting of part of the 2013 Official Selection, and lunch paired with the wines, for the Parisian journalists. 24 September in London - Tasting of the 2013 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc for English journalists and the main buyers and opinion leaders (10-11 Carlton House Terrace London) Other presentations and tastings of the 2013 vintage have also been scheduled: - Paris, at ArtCurial in partnership with the Le Figaro on 23 September - Hong Kong, press tasting in October - Brussels, press tasting - Tastings for journalists of the 2013 Official Selection can be organized by the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc on request. 4 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

5 Street Art and the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc The artist: Olivier DUPA or Epis one A graffiti artist since 1999 and founding member of The Cocktail Collective, Epis one's work has evolved, and continues to evolve, at the crossroads of graphic design, graffiti and illustration. Initially fascinated by typography and urban culture, and then influenced by music and his work as a designer, he developed a graphic urban language based on his personal discoveries and experiences. Skilfully combining and adapting shapes and colours to create visual effects, his work is a fusion of the turbulent, positive character of graffiti culture, with his own life experiences and complex personality. A highly versatile artist, Epis one is sensitive to his environment and the raw, sometimes stifling character of the city; he incorporates his work into the urban landscape, participating in a process of sharing and adding value to public spaces. In parallel to these activities, Epis one devotes time to sharing his artistic expertise and his values: at weekends he hosts graffiti workshops for young people and workshops as part of collaborative projects with institutions; he also performs, participates in exhibitions and responds to invitations from festivals and established artistic events such as Urban Vibrations in Pessac or more recently the big TRANSFERT exhibition at the old police station in rue Castéja, Bordeaux. 5 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

6 His view of the work "For this concept, I wanted to bring together two worlds that are different and yet very close: the urban world and the wine world.'' The technique used for this visual is a stencil, made entirely by hand; it is a technique that is frequently used by street artists on walls. This visual evokes a textured landscape, with a shape that recalls the setting sun, casting its rays from the countryside into the town. Starting with the idea that growing vines is not only a skill but also an art, one can interpret the visual as a meeting of the elements necessary for creation, i.e. the sun + water (ocean) that nourish the South West of France and give life and colour to our crops. It is the representation of an identity. Like Street Art today, which is evolving and gaining maturity, the Crus Bourgeois vines are showing qualities and strengths that radiate beyond the vineyard into the cities. " Street Art and the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc Street Art is considered to be a contemporary art form, but it has roots deep in the past. There is evidence of urban art that dates back several centuries in numerous different cultures. The Crus Bourgeois du Médoc also have significant historical roots: the description "Bourgeois wines" was already being used at the end of the 17th century. Today, the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc have evolved, and continued to show an innovative spirit, embracing modern communication tools and creating the current quality procedure. Street Art is also a living, colourful art form that challenges the status quo. A parallel can be made with the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc who have managed to relaunch and reinvent themselves by offering a unique approach in the wine world to maintain rigorous standards of quality. This innovative quality approach echoes current forms of Street Art that use highly specialized materials and processes. Street Art has a protean character. Street artists use a wide variety of processes such as graffiti and mural painting, or tools such as the stencils and stickers to express their ideas. The same kind of diversity can be found in the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc, which offer wines in a wide variety of styles, due, among other things, to the different terroirs in the eight AOCs where they are produced. Art is said to be a universal language, but Street Art is a language that speaks to everyone. By definition, Street Art is accessible and open to all. In recent years, the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc have developed their wine tourism activities, and more than 90% of them are now open for visits or tastings. In terms of price, even in the finest vintages, Cru Bourgeois Médoc wines remain accessible to wine lovers all over the world. 6 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

7 The "Cru Bourgeois" quality procedure An approved quality procedure In 2010, the traditional, centuries-old "Crus Bourgeois du Médoc" description was preserved through the creation of a rigorous quality procedure. Thanks to a totally innovative approach, the support of the French public authorities was obtained at the end of 2009 when it was approved with the decree of 20 October 2009 and the ministerial order of 16 November Every year, in September, the Official Selection of the new vintage is unveiled and brought to the attention of the general public. Independent and uncompromising The quality procedure is monitored by an independent body (Bureau Véritas) on the basis of a set of specifications. This independent body brings a fresh eye to the "Cru Bourgeois" quality assurance process and ensures impartiality at every stage. "Cru Bourgeois" quality assurance is open to all Médoc vineyards authorized to produce wine in one of the eight Médoc AOCs: Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac-Médoc, Moulis, Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac and Saint Estèphe. Properties applying for recognition must undergo an eligibility visit. This eligibility is then checked on a random, ongoing basis. Once eligible, the property can present its wine for the blind tastings held between March and July. A representative selection is determined in a blind tasting of samples provided by candidates which then serves as a reference for the vintage concerned. Each wine is then tasted and scored by a jury of experts, made up of professional tasters recognized in the industry, with six tasters per session. The independent body is responsible for the organisation of the tasting, the revealing of the identity of the wines and the results of the organoleptic assessment. Tasting is carried out on an individual basis with no conferring. The attribution of the traditional "Cru Bourgeois" designation is based on the arithmetic average of the scores given to a wine by the six professional tasters. This score allocated to a prospective château is compared to that of the representative sample for the vintage concerned. If the wine obtains a score greater than or equal to the representative sample, it becomes "Cru Bourgeois". 7 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

8 The "Cru Bourgeois" sticker provides a guarantee of authenticity and origin All bottles of Crus Bourgeois du Médoc now have a unique secure visual recognition system, embedded in a sticker. Easily recognizable thanks to the "Cru Bourgeois" logo, this sticker contains a unique, random code for each bottle. A guarantee of quality and security for professional buyers and consumers, the system enables: - The respect of volumes produced The quality tasted and approved by the professional jury corresponds to the quality of the wine placed on the market for an authorized volume. - A guarantee of the origin and uniqueness of each "Cru Bourgeois" bottle when it is placed on the market A unique code is allocated to each bottle. - The protection of each bottle Several levels of security are incorporated into the "Cru Bourgeois" sticker, also protecting the wines against counterfeiting. The "Cru Bourgeois" procedure approves the quality of a given volume of wine and provides a guarantee of this quality to the consumer. Using their smartphone, consumers can scan the QR Code on the sticker. Connection to is immediate and provides direct access to all the information on the wines and châteaux in their dedicated spaces on the site. 8 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

9 Deep historical roots The Crus Bourgeois are a legacy that dates back to the Middle Ages. The bourgeois were inhabitants of the "bourg" of Bordeaux, a town of merchants and craftsmen. During the period of English rule, they acquired rights and privileges, including exemption from taxes on the sale of the wines from their vineyards both locally (Guyenne) and abroad. By the fifteenth century, enriched by international commerce, the bourgeois of Bordeaux were able to acquire the finest properties in the region, which gradually acquired the name of "Crus des Bourgeois". A text from 1740 contains the first selection and specifies the prices of the wines of the Médoc. The French Revolution resulted in the privileges that had been granted to the Bourgeois being revoked; however, the Crus Bourgeois adapted and continued to play a growing role in the markets with the passing centuries, while at the same time expanding their vineyards. In the early nineteenth century, the Crus Bourgeois (about 300) had re-established themselves with prices that were already higher than those of the Crus Artisans and Crus Paysans. After 1855, the authorities planned to create additional classes in the already famous existing classification with a view to incorporating some of the Crus Bourgeois. At that time, 248 Crus Bourgeois were listed. Mr. d'armailhac's book, published in 1858, lists 34 bourgeois supérieurs, 64 bons bourgeois and 150 bourgeois ordinaires. In the early twentieth century, the Crus Bourgeois developed further and established a significant presence in certain export markets, notably Germany and Russia. The First World War brought an abrupt stop to this growth, and the situation became worse with the Great Depression of While the number of properties decreased, there were enough producers in the Médoc to keep the term "Cru Bourgeois" alive and in use. In 1932, the Bordeaux wine brokers, under the joint authority of the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and the Gironde Chamber of Agriculture designated 444 Crus Bourgeois. This list was registered with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry but was never submitted for ministerial approval, however, it was to serve as a reference for the use of the term for more than 70 years. In 1962, a union of the Crus Bourgeois was created. It organized an internal classification on two occasions in order to promote a competitive spirit within the Crus Bourgeois. In 1979, the European Community labelling regulations approved the traditional term of "Cru Bourgeois" provided that the conditions for its use were specified by French law. On 17 June 2003, a ministerial order finally approved the first official classification of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc which recognized 247 châteaux out of 490 candidates. 9 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

10 Some of the châteaux that were not included denounced this classification as unfair. The judging panel was composed of eighteen professionals including the President of the Union of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc (in accordance with the procedure stated in the Decree of 30 November 2000). In 2007, the Administrative Court of Appeal of Bordeaux annulled the Decree of 17 June 2003 that had approved the classification of the Cru Bourgeois du Médoc. This decision was made on the basis that one cannot judge something in which one has an interest. In 2009, a new selective quality assurance procedure for the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc was approved by the French public authorities with the decree of 20 October and the ministerial order of 16 November In 2010, the union of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc completed the creation of its new quality procedure and published its first Official Selection in September (consisting of the 2008 vintage). Since then, the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc Official Selection has been published every year in September. Today. A great family of wines. The Crus Bourgeois are part of Bordeaux's wine heritage. Some properties existed long before the creation of the 1855 classification and many are still here today in a demonstration of the strength of the traditional "Cru Bourgeois" description. The Crus Bourgeois form a big family that brings together vineyards with widely differing profiles, and very different terroirs (eight prestigious AOCs: Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Listrac-Médoc, Moulis en Médoc, Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac and Saint Estèphe), led by a variety of producers, many of whom have their origins in the Médoc, but who also come from other countries and regions, bringing dynamism and new ideas. This is the strength of this family: diversity in unity. The vineyards share the same region and the same history, but each has its own character and offers the consumer something different. This diversity can be found at every level: the appellation, winemaking techniques, flavour, price, reputation, marketing, approaches to wine tourism, communication, presence on social networks, etc. Ultimately, the members of this big family share the same ambition: the defence of the traditional "Cru Bourgeois" classification, in a world in which the preservation of traditions and expertise has become a symbol of luxury. As a result of their selection criteria and positioning in terms of price, the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc are well-suited to today's markets and the requirements of increasingly demanding consumers. 10 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

11 Useful tools for the consumer The Château information sheets and wine tourism facilities Using a personal computer or a smartphone, in just a few clicks consumers can have access to full details of all the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc via the internet and mobile site A detailed technical sheet, tasting notes, the property's history and its GPS coordinates are all available to help develop consumers' knowledge of the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc. A simple system of wine tourism symbols on each sheet enables consumers to organize their Crus Bourgeois visits in the Médoc region. The website and its features continue to be popular Site: bourgeois.com The top five countries to consult the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc site this year remained France, China, Belgium, Germany & the USA. Once again, we had more than 75,000 unique visitors to our website this year, bringing the total to nearly 223,000 since the site's launch. The "Cru Bourgeois" Sticker, visible on all bottles, is proving to be an increasingly popular tool. This year, more than 259,000 bottles were scanned, representing a 161% increase in volume compared to Blog: bourgeoisetfiersdeletre.com In March of this year the Crus Bourgeois du Médoc launched their blog, "Bourgeoisetfierdel etre" ("Bourgeois and proud of it"), which introduces various winegrowers, and offers some excellent recipes to accompany the next bottle of Crus Bourgeois that you bring up from your cellar. Or if you would like to acquire some, it can tell you the location of your nearest supplier. The blog has been a resounding success with over 5,800 visitors since its launch, and a positive reception in the wine press. 11 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc

12 Our events partners The Crus Bourgeois du Médoc works with well-established partners in the industry. Collaboration with our partners takes place in a spirit of mutual respect that enables our various initiatives to be carried out in a highly effective manner. Chef & Sommelier Abatilles Nadalié Diam Bouchage We are pleased to enjoy their confidence and trust. 12 Crus Bourgeois du Médoc