Geography

Saint-Émilion sits on Bordeaux’s Right Bank — east of the Dordogne river, opposite the Médoc. The town itself is built on a limestone plateau (the famous limestone caves underneath have been used for wine storage since Roman times). The vineyards split into several geological zones: the limestone plateau around the town (the most prestigious), the limestone-and-clay côtes (slopes down from the plateau), and the gravelly-sandy soils on the western edge near the Pomerol border.

Classification

Saint-Émilion has its own classification system — periodically revised, which has been a source of considerable controversy. The current tiers (2022 classification): Premier Grand Cru Classé A (Château Cheval Blanc and Château Figeac — both also occasionally elevated alongside Ausone), Premier Grand Cru Classé B (a dozen+ properties including Château Canon, Château Pavie-Macquin, Château Beauséjour, etc.), and Grand Cru Classé (around 70 châteaux). Châteaux Ausone, Cheval Blanc, and Petit-Cheval all left the classification in 2022 to operate outside the official system.

Style of the wines

Saint-Émilion blends are Merlot-led, typically with significant Cabernet Franc and a smaller amount of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wines are plummier, softer, and more immediately approachable than the structured Cabernet wines of the Médoc. Top limestone-plateau wines (Ausone, Canon, Belair-Monange) show a distinctive aromatic complexity and saline-mineral character that comes from the calcareous bedrock; the gravelly western edge (Cheval Blanc, Figeac) produces more powerful, cedar-influenced wines.

How they age

Top Saint-Émilion ages thirty-plus years from a great vintage. Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Pavie, and Figeac are the longest-aging properties. The 2009, 2010, 2005, 1990, 1989 are legendary modern vintages.

Producers we know

Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone, Château Figeac, Château Pavie, Château Canon, Château Angélus, Château Belair-Monange, Château Bélair, Château Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse.