Location and Landscape
Saint-Émilion refers to an appellation with a delimited wine-growing area that extends over nine communes around the town of Saint-Émilion. The area belongs to the Bordeaux climate and also features somewhat more continental conditions, warmer temperatures and occasional Mediterranean influences. The landscape is shaped by a limestone plateau, abrupt linear slopes and amphitheatre-shaped valleys; the edge of the terrain reaches a height of about 100 metres.
Soils and Subsoil
On the central plateau, tertiary Astéries limestone is found. In addition, there are shallow limestone and sandy-silty soils, clayey-limestone as well as deeper silty-clayey soils, Molasse from Fronsadais, quarterly sand and clay deposits, gravelly hillocks as well as alluvial gravels, sands and silts. Historical stone extraction created, beneath the town and the surrounding plateaus, an extensive network of underground galleries, some of which are used as wine cellars.
Grape Varieties and Wine Style
The appellation is intended for dry, still red wines. Merlot is the dominant grape variety and provides colour, red and black fruit aromas, roundness and supple tannins. Cabernet Franc complements this with aromatic finesse, freshness and a tannic structure, while Cabernet Sauvignon contributes spicy notes, tannin and ageing potential. Carménère and Cot are also permitted; Petit Verdot may make up at most ten percent of the planted vineyard area.
History and Requirements
Winegrowing in the surrounding area probably dates back to the time of Roman occupation. The medieval “jurade” shaped the historical system of wine administration; in 1884, a wine-growing syndicate was established in Saint-Émilion. The appellation d’origine contrôlée was recognised in 1936, and the winegrowing landscapes of Saint-Émilion have been entered on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a cultural landscape since 1999. For cultivation, among other things, a minimum planting density of 5,500 vines per hectare and a regulated yield of 53 hectolitres per hectare with an upper limit of 65 hectolitres apply. The wines must mature for at least until 31 March of the year following the harvest and may be released to consumers from 15 April of that year.
