The famous St Emilion wine producers are located in a region of Bordeaux. It has an ancient lineage going back to Roman times. The well maintained St Emilion medieval village and nearby vineyards have been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999.
There is an ancient hermitage around which the village developed. The hermitage was established by a monk. The village and the appellation bear his name. The beautiful landscape of this area has predominant cliffs carved from limestone. The rocky terrain here gives a distinguishing trait to each vintage. There are mainly four types of terrain on which the grapes are grown.
A majority of top wines are made from grapes grown on the limestone over clay slopes located right by the village. The more basic vintages are constituted of the fruit sown on the lower plain by the banks of the Dordogne where there is alluvial sand. On the plateau, near the Pomerol, located by the western side there is aeolian sand. Superior samples can be found here. Even further to the west is gravel soil. Here lie top properties like Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Figeac. Both of these use cabernet franc. Chateau Figeac includes a good portion of cabernet sauvignon. It known to be one of the most fragrant Bordeaux wines.
The primary grape variety of this region is the quick ripening merlot. The cool French climate produces a finer wine than merlot products from warmer climate regions. Warmer temperature delivers simpler results. In a cooler soil, the ripening process is slowed down. The result tends to please a more exacting palate.
Angelus, Cheval Blanc, Clos Fourtet and Canon are famed names synonymous with the area of limited territorial scope. Average vineyard size is small. Almost two thousand vintners are packed in close to fourteen thousand acres on the eastern bank of the Dordogne. For more affordable examples, the smaller vintners offer good value. Differences amongst producers and their vintages and producers need to be identified in making the optimal selection.
The wine makers had a landmark month in September 2012. This was the month the classifications were announced. As wine aficionados know, producer rankings are revised every ten years. This means things may get contentious. This time less vintners were left unhappy in the top category than under the previous classification announced in 2006. Demoted producers sued and the 2006 classification was declared invalid.
After six years of litigation, the Institut National des Appellations dOrigine which regulates French appellations announced the latest categorization. All the demoted chateaux made it through with the exception of Chateau La Tour du Pin Figeac. Eighty two properties received either the Grand Cru Classe or Premier Grand Cru Classe designations. This was the highest number since the second classification in 1969, when eighty four were recognized. There was change at the top with two new Premier Grand Cru Classe A estates Chateau Pavie and Chateau Angelus joining for the first time. There was promotion of Larcis Ducasse, La Mondotte, Canon La Gaffelier and Valandraud to this category.
To coincide with the Vinexpo wine fair in Bordeaux, a dinner is arranged every two years by the association of the leading estates. Old and new vintages from each member is served with meals put together by well regarded chefs. You can also visit anytime. The vintners are happy to receive visitors. The prudent thing to do is to call before your visit to any St Emilion wine making property.
There is an ancient hermitage around which the village developed. The hermitage was established by a monk. The village and the appellation bear his name. The beautiful landscape of this area has predominant cliffs carved from limestone. The rocky terrain here gives a distinguishing trait to each vintage. There are mainly four types of terrain on which the grapes are grown.
A majority of top wines are made from grapes grown on the limestone over clay slopes located right by the village. The more basic vintages are constituted of the fruit sown on the lower plain by the banks of the Dordogne where there is alluvial sand. On the plateau, near the Pomerol, located by the western side there is aeolian sand. Superior samples can be found here. Even further to the west is gravel soil. Here lie top properties like Chateau Cheval Blanc and Chateau Figeac. Both of these use cabernet franc. Chateau Figeac includes a good portion of cabernet sauvignon. It known to be one of the most fragrant Bordeaux wines.
The primary grape variety of this region is the quick ripening merlot. The cool French climate produces a finer wine than merlot products from warmer climate regions. Warmer temperature delivers simpler results. In a cooler soil, the ripening process is slowed down. The result tends to please a more exacting palate.
Angelus, Cheval Blanc, Clos Fourtet and Canon are famed names synonymous with the area of limited territorial scope. Average vineyard size is small. Almost two thousand vintners are packed in close to fourteen thousand acres on the eastern bank of the Dordogne. For more affordable examples, the smaller vintners offer good value. Differences amongst producers and their vintages and producers need to be identified in making the optimal selection.
The wine makers had a landmark month in September 2012. This was the month the classifications were announced. As wine aficionados know, producer rankings are revised every ten years. This means things may get contentious. This time less vintners were left unhappy in the top category than under the previous classification announced in 2006. Demoted producers sued and the 2006 classification was declared invalid.
After six years of litigation, the Institut National des Appellations dOrigine which regulates French appellations announced the latest categorization. All the demoted chateaux made it through with the exception of Chateau La Tour du Pin Figeac. Eighty two properties received either the Grand Cru Classe or Premier Grand Cru Classe designations. This was the highest number since the second classification in 1969, when eighty four were recognized. There was change at the top with two new Premier Grand Cru Classe A estates Chateau Pavie and Chateau Angelus joining for the first time. There was promotion of Larcis Ducasse, La Mondotte, Canon La Gaffelier and Valandraud to this category.
To coincide with the Vinexpo wine fair in Bordeaux, a dinner is arranged every two years by the association of the leading estates. Old and new vintages from each member is served with meals put together by well regarded chefs. You can also visit anytime. The vintners are happy to receive visitors. The prudent thing to do is to call before your visit to any St Emilion wine making property.
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