1893 Feret and Fils Wine Map of the Gironde (Bordeaux), France

This is an 1893 Féret et Fils viticultural map of the Gironde, France, highlighting Bordeaux wine varietals and the Cru system. The Gironde is the heart of Bordeaux wine country with over 110,000 hectares of vineyards producing some of the world's most prestigious wines.

Mapping the Cru System

This map highlights the evolving 'Cru' or 'Growth' system, a way of classifying Bordeaux wines introduced at the order of Napoleon III for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. Wines were rated based on individual château reputations and trading value - which were then at least nominally directly related to quality. Crus were ranked from 1st to 5th in quality, with the best reds coming from Médoc. White, of lesser importance then, were less tightly regulated and ranked only from 1st to 2nd Cru - as evident here. Such maps appeared as early as the 1855 Exposition and evolved annually to accommodate changing growing conditions and vineyard popularity.

A Closer Look

Depicting the entirety of the Gironde, hand color emphasizes regions known for Médoc (yellow), Graves (blue), Pays de Sauternes (purple), Côtes (green) Palus (pink), and Entre deux Mers (cream). Red overprinting marks vineyards known for red and white wines, and distinguishes between grands vins and crû. Tables just below the title list the most famous regional white and red wines, identify the town where they are produced, and notes average production tonnage. Only the greatest white wines are noted.

Beyond wine, cities, towns, and villages throughout are identified, including Bordeaux, Lesparre, and Pauillac. The region's road and railway network appears in detail. Parts of adjacent Lot and Garonne, Landes, and Charette Inferieure are also included.

Publication History and Census

This map was created and published by Féret et Fils in Bordeaux. It was engraved and printed in 1893 in Paris by Erhard Frères. This is the only known cataloged example of the present edition. Féret et Fils published several editions of their map of the Gironde under varying titles to accompany their seminal work Bordeaux et ses vins.