The crus bourgeois are a much-loved category of Médoc wines slotted between the crus artisans and the crus classés. Their classification dates back to 1932 and has gone through a number of ups and downs since then. For instance, the 2003 classification was challenged in the courts and cancelled.
Great care was thus taken with the new classification, published in February 2020, which re-introduced the cru bourgeois exceptionnel category that had disappeared.
There are now altogether 249 crus bourgeois versus 247 in 2003. That includes 56 crus bourgeois Supérieurs (87 in 2003), and 14 crus bourgeois exceptionnels.
The complete list can be found here: https://www.crus-bourgeois.com/app/uploads/2020/02/Classement-2020-des-Crus-Bourgeois-du-Me%CC%81doc-1.pdf
The following are now crus brougeois exceptionnels:
Haut-Médoc:
Château d’Agassac
Château Arnauld
Château Belle-Vue
Château Cambon la Pelouse
Château Charmail
Château Malescasse
Château de Malleret
Château du Taillan
Listrac-Médoc:
Château Lestage
Margaux:
Château d’Arsac
Château Paveil de Luze
Saint-Estèphe:
Château le Boscq
Château le Crock
Château Lilian Ladouys
It is worth noting that, for whatever reason, none of the wines listed as exceptionnels in the cancelled 2003 classifcation (Chasse-Spleen, Poujeaux, Siran Ormes-de-Pez, Phélan-Ségur, Haut-Marbuzet, etc.) resurfaced in 2020.
The crus bourgeois account for a quarter of all vineyard land in the Médoc, with a production of some 30 million bottles.