Location and landscape
Saint-Émilion is the central municipality of the historic Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion in Bordeaux. Registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the jurisdiction covers 7,847 hectares. Its landscape consists of a plateau, slopes, concave valleys and a plain.
Climate and soils
The area has a temperate oceanic Bordeaux climate with a stronger continental influence. Autumn can range from rainy spells to warm, sunny late-season periods. The vineyard soils consist mainly of limestone and calcareous clay limestone, as well as gravel, sand and alluvial formations. In some plots, there are very clay-rich strata.
History and viticulture
Viticulture in the jurisdiction was introduced during the Roman period and was strengthened in the Middle Ages. In the 12th century, the area received its special legal status during English rule. In 1999, the historic jurisdiction was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural landscape that is still being cultivated, with a historic viticultural structure. Beneath Saint-Émilion and the surrounding plateaus there is a network of historic underground limestone quarries, which are sometimes used as wine cellars; documented temperatures there range between 12 and 16 °C.
Saint-Émilion AOC
The Saint-Émilion AOC is reserved for dry, still red wines. Merlot is the predominant grape variety; Cabernet Franc brings freshness and firmer tannins, while Cabernet Sauvignon provides tannic structure and potential for ageing. Carmenère and Cot are also permitted; Petit Verdot is limited as a supplementary variety to 10 percent of the vineyard area. The required planting density is at least 5,500 vines per hectare, the specified yield is 53 hectolitres per hectare, with a maximum yield of 65 hectolitres per hectare. The wines must be stored for at least until 31 March of the year following the harvest and may be released to consumers from 15 April of that year.
