Wine Glossary
Definition: Declassify
Primarily associated with Europe, this term describes wine that is placed in a lower classification. In bordeaux a chateau might declassify a portion of the wine produced from their vineyards and bottle it under their second label instead of as their primary offering. In burgundy a producer might declassify a portion of wine from a premier cru vineyard and bottle it as a village or regional wine. Wines are often declassified for quality-related reasons, but sometime producers are forced to declassify because appellation restrictions were not met. Outside of Europe some quality-wine producers use the term "declassify" similarly by indicating that they won't produce their high-end wine, such as a reserve.
Source: The Wine Lover's Companion, by Ron Herbst & Sharon Tyler Herbst
