Use of ‘1855’ restricted by EU

The year ‘1855’ has been officially recognised as a “traditional term” by the EU, meaning companies are no longer allowed to use it as or in their name.

The Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855 has been seeking to restrict use of the date for five years, and that process is now complete.

The European Commission published the proposal on 22 August last year and, after a mandatory period of being open for appeal, it has now been confirmed. The date has been added to the EU’s register of ‘traditional terms’.

With the exception of the Conseil des Grands Crus which represents the collection of Bordeaux châteaux which received their ranking in the Napoleonic classification on the date in question, no other company or winery can use the date in any way save as an historical reference.

The idea behind the restriction is to prevent companies from using the date and thereby confusing consumers or bringing the overall classification into disrepute.

Foremost in the minds of the Conseil des Grands Crus in this regard was no doubt the infamous 1855.com which went bust last year amid a storm of legal action for non-delivery of wines – not unlike the recent Premier Cru case in the US.

Philippe Castéja, president of the Conseils des Grands Crus, sad in a statement: “The ‘traditional term’ protects all the constituent parts of the classification (Cru Classé and 1855). At the same time, it’s the start of protection for the brands of our châteaux.”

The 1855 Classification was made at the behest of Napoleon III for the Paris Exhibition of that year and ranked the leading estates of the Left Bank of Bordeaux from first to fifth growth.

The Conseil des Grands Crus recently suspended its campaign for UNESCO recognition of the classification.