While there's been much debate over the current relevancy of the Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855, what can't be argued is how incredibly accurate it was, and still is, for most of the top 20 or so chateaux in the Medoc region. With the exception of Haut Brion being from Graves, all the wines from the 1855 Classification are from the Medoc, with almost all being from the four famous communes of the "Left Bank" -- Margaux, Pauillac, St. Estephe and St. Julien.

While not in the original 1855 Classification, the wines of the "Right Bank" -- Pomerol and St. Emilion -- are equally as fantastic as those in the Medoc. Wines like Petrus, Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Pavie (we could go on and on) are some of the most sought after wines in the world.

The 1855 Classification ranked chateaux from First Growth (Premiers Cru) to Fifth Growth (Cinquiemes Crus) and despite a few noteable exceptions -- Lynch Bages and Pontet Canet come to mind as Fifth Growths -- the wines listed below seem appropriately ranked, even 155 years later. With the world changing at an increasingly rapid rate, it's comforting to know that some things never change.

While we at Calvert Woodley love the worldwide phenomenon that winemaking has become, there's something about great Bordeaux that really gets our juices flowing. Our upcoming trip to Bordeaux has us in the mood to offer you sale prices on this incredible selection of 70 of the best wines Bordeaux has to offer. Many are approaching their optimum drinking window so don't feel these all need to be laid down for years and years.