The four wines which have just been mentioned are the only wines in the Medoc which are entitled to the first rank, according to the system of classification which has been adopted there for many years. There are a number of wines, however, which are called grand wines, which are almost, if not quite, equal to the four mentioned, in excellence of quality, and these are ranked as grand wines of the second growth or class.

Fig. 25. Chateau Haut-Brion (first "cru"). The heirs of Eugene Larrieu, owners. (Courtesy of Barton and Guestier.)

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