Written in conjunction with Yohan Castaing. The small village of St-Émilion, usually very quiet, is today agitated by the excitement of the announcement of the new classification of its wines. Everyone has been forecasting various downgrades and promotions to the first floor of the sacro-saints with Grand Cru Classé status.

This morning at dawn the results were announced to each Château by letter. One of the Châteaux that has been promoted is the prototype garage wine, Jean-Luc Thunevin's Valandraud. Created in 1989, following the acquisition of a small parcel of 0.6 hectares located between Pavie Macquin and La Clotte, Valandraud has gradually conquered the steps of fame and today the estate comprises almost 10 hectares.

The intelligence and business acumen of Jean-Luc Thunevin are beyond doubt, He pioneered the style of wine that was vinified in the garage (as was initially the case with Valandraud) and which famous critic Robert Parker absolutely loved: wines with low yields, concentration, velvety tannins and high prices. Uncontrollable, happy, and sarcastic, Jean-Luc Thunevin is thrilled by this new classification. 'I'm very proud of this upgrade. I, who never passed an examination at school.'

This morning he acknowledged the need for an evolution of the famous classification. Said Thunevin, 'I did not like the stiffness of the ranking and I hope there will be Châteaux promoted to class A (Pavie, Angélus perhaps) because it would be good for St-Émilion'.

And accordingly, as the day went on, more news emerged - not least that Chx Pavie and Angélus have indeed been promoted to join Chx Ausone and Cheval Blanc at the top of the St-Émilion tree as Premiers Grands Crus Classés A, thus doubling the number of estates in this top rank. Pavie's PR man had issued a press release by 10.30 this morning London time expressing owner Gérard Perse's thrill at the promotion. Silence from Hubert de Bouard (pictured) of Angélus so far but this afternoon I was contacted by Ch La Fleur Morange whose 2005 performed so well in this Dec 2007 tasting to say that they have been appointed a Grand Cru Classé.

France's only consumer wine magazine La Revue du Vin de France has been trying to monitor the ups and, much more difficult, the downs of the new classification. Meanwhile, this is the official list from the INAO, in alphabetical order. Where is Magdelaine?

Premiers Grands Crus Classés

Château Angélus (A)

Château Ausone (A)

Château Beausejour (Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse)

Château Beau-Sejour Bécot

Château Belair-Monange

Château Canon

Château Canon La Gaffelière

Château Cheval Blanc (A)

Château Figeac

Clos Fourtet

Château La Gaffelière

Château Larcis Ducasse

La Mondotte

Château Pavie (A)

Château Pavie Macquin

Château Troplong Mondot

Château Trottevieille

Château Valandraud

Grands Crus Classés:

Château L'Arrosée

Château Balestard La Tonnelle

Château Barde-Haut

Château Bellefont-Belcier

Château Bellevue

Château Berliquet

Château Cadet-Bon

Château Cap de Mourlin

Château Le Chatelet

Château Chauvin

Château Clos de Sarpe

Château La Clotte

Château La Commanderie

Château Corbin

Château Côte de Baleau

Château La Couspaude

Château Dassault

Château Destieux

Château La Dominique

Château Faugeres

Château Faurie de Souchard

Château de Ferrand

Château Fleur Cardinale

Château La Fleur Morange

Château Fombrauge

Château Fonplegade

Château Fonroque

Château Franc Mayne

Château Grand Corbin

Château Grand Corbin-Despagne

Château Grand Mayne

Château Les Grandes Murailles

Château Grand-Pontet

Château Guadet

Château Haut-Sarpe

Clos des Jacobins

Couvent des Jacobins

Château Jean Faure

Château Laniote

Château Larmande

Château Laroque

Château Laroze

Clos La Madeleine

Château La Marzelle

Château Monbousquet

Château Moulin Du Cadet

Clos de l'Oratoire

Château Pavie Decesse

Château Peby Faugères

Château Petit Faurie de Soutard

Château de Pressac

Château Le Prieuré

Château Quinault l'Enclos

Château Ripeau

Château Rochebelle

Château Saint-Georges-Cote-Pavie

Clos Saint-Martin

Château Sansonnet

Château La Serre

Château Soutard

Château Tertre Daugay

Château La Tour Figeac

Château Villemaurine

Château Yon-Figeac