On a wine label what does Premier Cru mean
Cru (wine) describe grapes, wine or cognac, the term is not technically a classification of wine quality "per se", but is intended to indicate the potential of the vineyard or "terroir". It is the highest level of classification of "Appellation d'origine contrôlée" (AOC) wines from Burgundy or Alsace. The same term is applied to "Châteaux" in Saint-Émilion, although in that region it has a different meaning and does not represent the top tier of classification. In Burgundy the level immediately below grand cru is known as premier cru, sometimes written as "1er cru". Early Burgundian wine history is distinctly marked by the
Cru (wine) production" or an "Ensemble of terrains considered from the point of view of what grows there, from a particular cultivation." More specifically, "cru" is often used to indicate a specifically named and legally defined vineyard or ensemble of vineyards and the vines "which grow on [such] a reputed terroir; by extension of good quality." The term is also used to refer to the wine produced from such vines. The term "cru" is often used within classifications of French wine. By implication, a wine that displays (or is allowed to display) the name of its "cru" on its wine label is