Cru is a wine term used to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards. It is a French word which is traditionally translated as "growth", as it was originally the past participle of the verb "croître" (to grow). The term is often used within classifications of French wine. By implication, a wine that displays (or is allowed to display) the name of its cru on its wine label is supposed to exhibit the typical characteristics of this cru. The terms Premier Cru and Grand Cru designate levels of presumed quality that are variously defined in different wine regions.