Saint-Èstèphe

Saint-Estèphe is situated on the left bank of the Gironde, about 50 kilometres north of Bordeaux. The area of the Appellation Saint-Estèphe corresponds to the municipal area and covers around 1,250 hectares of vineyard land. The vineyards extend over gravelly terraces and well-drained hills at an altitude of approximately four to 40 metres.

The temperate, comparatively warm and humid climate is shaped by the location between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde. The Gironde moderates temperature differences, while sunshine and light winds favour the slow ripening of the grapes. Streams and swampy hollows divide the landscape; permeable soils support drainage. The terraces consist of Quaternary gravel deposits over marl and limestone from the Eocene and Oligocene. The soils contain, among other things, rounded pebbles, quartz, sandstone, flint and volcanic rock.

Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Cot (Malbec), Merlot and Petit Verdot are permitted. The local distribution of vines is given as about 50 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon, 40 per cent Merlot, seven per cent Cabernet Franc and three per cent Petit Verdot. The appellation rules generally require at least 7,000 vines per hectare. Before replanting, a physico-chemical analysis of the soil is required. The appellation is reserved exclusively for still red wines; the base yield is 57 hectolitres per hectare.

The wines are mostly intensive red cuvées, often with Cabernet Sauvignon as the leading grape variety. They combine a firm tannin structure and plenty of body with ageing potential, while Merlot contributes fruit and roundness. The wines must mature for at least until 1 June of the year following the harvest and may be marketed to consumers from 1 September of the same year. Viticulture has been documented since the Middle Ages; the appellation was recognised in 1936. Five local estates were included in the Bordeaux classification of 1855. Saint-Estèphe belongs to the wine region Bordeaux.