User:Murgh/Saint-Émilion AOC
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| Saint-Émilion (Wine Region) | |
| Appellation type | Appellation d'origine contrôlée |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1936 |
| Country | France |
| Part of | Bordeaux, Libournais |
| Climate region | Oceanic climate |
| Total area | 5,400 hectares |
| No. of vineyards | 800 |
| Varietals produced | Merlot, Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Wine produced | 51,000 hectolitres |
| Saint-Émilion Grand Cru (Wine Region) | |
| Appellation type | Appellation d'origine contrôlée |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1936 |
| Country | France |
| Part of | Bordeaux, Libournais |
| Climate region | Oceanic climate |
| Total area | 5,400 hectares |
| Varietals produced | Merlot, Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Wine produced | 72,000 hectolitres |
Saint-Émilion is an AOC for wine made in and around the commune of Saint-Émilion in the Bordeaux wine region of southwestern France, on the Right Bank of Dordogne.
The appellation is divided into Saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, surrounded by satellite appellations Lussac-Saint-Émilion, Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion and Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion. Previously Parsac-Saint-Émilion and Sables-Saint-Émilion were other such appellations.
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[edit] Saint-Émilion
The appellation consists of the communes Saint-Émilion, Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Pey-d'Armens, Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Vignonet, and vineyards situated in the southeast of the commune of Libourne (previously named Sables-Saint-Émilion) are entitled to the appellation.
[edit] Soil
The soil conditions of Saint-Émilion are among the most diverse of Gironde, allowing for several ways to approach the subject. Professor Henri Enjalbert proposed in Les Grands Vins de St-Emilion, Pomerol et Fronsac a division of Saint-Émilion into five zones:
- Le plateau calcaire, the limestone plateau
- Côtes et pieds de côtes, hillsides and foot of the slopes
- Graves et sables anciens, gravel and old, wind-blown sand
- Sables anciens, old, wind-blown sand
- Sablo-graveleux, recent alluvial sandy gravel
Having in previous editions simply divided the wines into côtes and graves, Féret adapted Enjalbert's method in 1982 to classify estates. Its disadvantage is evident when a vineyard's composition falls into several categories, which is not uncommon in the appellation.[2]
More simplistic views opts for the appellation into three or four principal types of terroir: Limestone Plateau, Côtes and Pieds de Côtes, Gravel, and Sand.[3][4][2]
[edit] Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
a maximum yield ratio limited to 40 hectolitres per hectare, they must submit their wines to a second formal wine tasting, after 12 months of aging.
[edit] Estates
The estates of the appellation were first classified in 1955 and the selection is typically revised every 10 years, most recently in 2006.
| Premiers grands crus classés A | ||
|---|---|---|
| Château Ausone | Château Cheval Blanc | |
| Premiers grands crus classés B | ||
| Château Angélus | Château Beauséjour (Duffau-Lagarrosse) | Château Beau-Séjour Bécot |
| Château Belair | Château Canon | Château Figeac |
| Château La Gaffelière | Château Magdelaine | Château Pavie |
| Château Pavie-Macquin | Château Troplong Mondot | Château Trottevieille |
| Clos Fourtet |
Other producers of note include Union de Producteurs de Saint-Emilion (UDPSE), the successful cooperative which bottles a quarter of St-Emilion's production.[5][4] The appellation also holds several "Vins de garage".
[edit] Satellite appellations
| Montagne-Saint-Émilion (Wine Region) | |
| Appellation type | Appellation d'origine contrôlée |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1936 |
| Country | France |
| Part of | Bordeaux, Libournais |
| Climate region | Oceanic climate |
| Total area | 1,600 hectares |
| Varietals produced | Merlot, Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Wine produced | 91,600 hectolitres |
Prior to 1936, the wine of all surrounding districts would be sold labelled as "Saint-Émilion". By decree of INAO, satellite appellations were designated:
- Montagne-Saint-Emilion
- Lussac-Saint-Emilion
- Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion
- Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion, merged with Montagne in 1973 but may optionally declare Montagne
- Parsac-Saint-Emilion, merged with Montagne in 1973-1975
- Sables-Saint-Émilion, merged into Saint-Émilion 1973[2]
Co-operatives are important in the satellite appellations, and Montagne and Lussac Saint-Émilion produce significantly more wine than Puisseguin or Saint-Georges, for many years sold exclusively as Montagne Saint-Émilion. The grape varieties cultivated are similar to those of Saint-Émilion although the standard of winemaking is typically of a more rudimentary nature.[4]
The characteristics of the area was summarised by Henri Enjalbert as having "no sandy glacis and no gravel."[6]
[edit] Montagne-Saint-Émilion
| Lussac-Saint-Émilion (Wine Region) | |
| Appellation type | Appellation d'origine contrôlée |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1936 |
| Country | France |
| Part of | Bordeaux, Libournais |
| Climate region | Oceanic climate |
| Total area | 1,440 hectares |
| Varietals produced | Merlot, Cabernet Franc |
| Wine produced | 85,000 hectolitres |
The largest satellite appellation, Montagne-Saint-Émilion, is situated in an area surrounding the village Montagne
A declared viticultural area of 1,600 hectares annually producing 91,600 hectolitres.
Estates include Château Croix Beauséjour and Château Haut-Bonneau..
[edit] Lussac-Saint-Émilion
| Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion (Wine Region) | |
| Appellation type | Appellation d'origine contrôlée |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1936 |
| Country | France |
| Part of | Bordeaux, Libournais |
| Climate region | Oceanic climate |
| Total area | 745 hectares |
| Varietals produced | Merlot, Cabernet Franc Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Wine produced | 43,000 hectolitres |
The satellite appellation Lussac-Saint-Émilion is situated in an area surrounding the villages Lussac with a gravel plateau in the west, and clay soils in the north.
A declared viticultural area of 1,440 hectares annually producing 85,000 hectolitres.
Estates include Château des Rochers and Château Lyonnat..
[edit] Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion
| Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion (Wine Region) | |
| Appellation type | Appellation d'origine contrôlée |
|---|---|
| Year established | 1936 |
| Country | France |
| Part of | Bordeaux, Libournais |
| Climate region | Oceanic climate |
| Total area | 200 hectares |
| No. of vineyards | 35 |
| Varietals produced | Merlot, Cabernet Franc |
| Wine produced | 11,500 hectolitres |
Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion is a satellite appellation situated around the commune Puisseguin, which has the highest elevation (89 m) in the Saint-Émilion region
A declared viticultural area of 745 hectares annually producing 43,000 hectolitres.
Estates include Château Haut Bernat..
[edit] Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion
Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion is the smallest satellite appellation of Saint-Émilion, indeed the smallest appellation of the Bordeaux region.
A declared viticultural area of 200 hectares annually producing 11,500 hectolitres.
Estates include Château Haut St-Georges
[edit] Sources
- Saint-Émilion, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru, Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Lussac-Saint-Émilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion, Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion Bordeaux.com, Le Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB)
- Saint-Emilion, Montagne-Saint-Emilion, Lussac-Saint-Emilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion, Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion, Parsac-Saint-Emilion AOC decrees, INAO (French)
- Footnotes
- ^ Lichine, Alexis (1967). Alexis Lichine's Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits. London: Cassell & Company Ltd., p.476-479.
- ^ a b c d Peppercorn, David (2003). Bordeaux. London: Mitchell Beazley, p.370-375. ISBN 1-84000-927-6.
- ^ Kissack, Chris, thewinedoctor.com. St Emilion.
- ^ a b c winepros.com.au. Oxford Companion to Wine. St-Emilion.
- ^ Peppercorn, David (2003). Bordeaux. London: Mitchell Beazley, p.468-471. ISBN 1-84000-927-6.
- ^ Peppercorn, David (2003). Bordeaux. London: Mitchell Beazley, p.473-474. ISBN 1-84000-927-6.
- ^ winemega.com. Satellites of Saint-Émilion.
[edit] External links
- Premiers Grands Crus Classés de Saint-Émilion (French)
- Saint-Emilion Wines official site (French) (English) (German)
