grand cru, means literally ‘great growth’ in French. In Burgundy’s côte d’or a grand cru is one of 34 particularly favoured vineyards (see burgundy for list), a decided notch above premier cru. In chablis and alsace, grand cru is a separate, elevated aoc accorded to specific vineyards listed in the relevant entries. In Bordeaux, the words grand cru usually apply to a specific property or château and depend on the region in which it is located (see classification). See also quarts de chaume.
