Saint-Emilion (Saint-Emilion) is a appellation for red wines in key wine town of the region of Libourne, in the Bordeaux region. Important from the point of view of level, and from the point of view of quantity of wine produced.
Located a few kilometers from the Dordogne river, in the last part of her journey from the massif Central hills to the Gironde estuary.
Today the Saint-Emilion – one of the most prolific of the appellations of Bordeaux, producing annually more than 250 thousand hectoliters of wine. At the same time, it is the birthplace of some of the most prestigious, long-lived and expensive wines in the world: Chateau Cheval Blanc (Cheval Blanc), Ozone (Ausone), the Angelus (Angélus), Figeac (Figeac) and Pavie (Pavie), whose bottles cost hundreds and hundreds dollars.
In Saint-Emilion do, and some number of white dry wines, but they can be labeled as a simple Bordeaux Blanc
Unlike the wines of the Medoc, which is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine Saint-Emilion made mostly from Merlot and Cabernet franc.
Other traditional Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Petit Verdot and Malbec) are permitted, but rarely used in appreciable quantity. And it’s not so much the style or the peculiarities of local taste but of the terroir: rich in chalk and clay, local soils are generally colder than in the Medoc, and less suitable for the full ripening of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Merlot is about two-thirds of all plantings of vines of Saint-Emilion and its popularity continues to grow, due to the fact that the wine from it is more soft and understandable to a wide range of consumers.
In this rule there are two notable exceptions: Chateau Cheval Blanc, where 58% of landings accounted for Cabernet franc, Chateau Figeac, where on the vines, and the wines were equally represented Merlot, Cabernet franc, and – especially unusual to Cabernet Sauvignon.
Overall, the prevalence of Merlot in Saint-Emilion means that this wine is not so harsh and tannic at a young age, as his counterparts from the Medoc. This is a key factor that ensured him recognition and success in international markets.
From the point of view of Geology of Saint-Emilion can be divided into three zones.
The most significant – limestone plateau, which is the city itself and the hills around it. Most of the top vineyards and Chateau are located here, within a kilometer from the city. Notable exceptions again are mentioned château Cheval Blanc and Figeac.
In the South this plateau adjoins the sandy alluvial plain, sloping gently to the banks of the Dordogne. Very little of important wines produced in this part, and none of the Grand CRU classé.
Northwest corner of Saint-Emilion is an ancient alluvial terrace, formed by glacial activity at the beginning of the Quaternary period about two million years ago. It is characterized by the same hunckie gravel soil, which is known as the best economy of the appellation Graves and the Medoc. This explains how the two most well-known Chateau is located here – thus Cheval Blanc and Figeac is possible to grow well-matured Cabernet Sauvignon. This terrace extends further to the West, in the neighboring Pomerol, such legendary Chateau like Petrus and Le Pen.
From Saint-Emilion 4 satellite appellation: Lussac (Lussac-Saint-Émilion), Saint-Georges (Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion), Pyuisgen (Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion) and Montagne (Montagne-Saint-Émilion)
As well as highlighting the appellation Grand CRU (Saint-Émilion Grand Cru), which has slightly stricter rules. But they make such a variation in the level of wines that from the moment of birth of this category in 1954, it has been repeatedly criticized.
Fortunately, this classification system has a mechanism to highlight the most upscale households. Unfortunately, the rest piled up.
From the classification of Grand CRU wines of the Medoc in 1855, differs in two significant moments:
For the first time the system is Grand CRU Saint-Emilion was approved in 1955, revised in 1958, 1969, 1986, 1996, and then was disputed adjustments 2006 that caused the number of lawsuits by dissenting new revision 2012m.
In the system of Grand CRU Saint-Emilion four levels of wines:
Premier Grand Cru Classe A is an analogue of the first Grand CRU of the Medoc (eng. First growths). Category “A” only four Chateau: Chateau Angelus, Chateau Ausone, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Pavie.
Premier Grand Cru Classe B are 14 farms. On the labels of wines from among the “B” this letter is not put:
Grand Cru Classe includes 63 households (reference list at end of article):
Grand Cru – a vast category in which today, more than 200 households. Is reviewed annually.
Please note: the word classe evidence of wine belonging to one of the three highest categories in the system of grand cru Saint-Emilion. Without it is the fault of the latter, the 4th category.
In General, we can say that just Grand CRU – this wine is noticeably easier than the premiers Grand CRU classé (A + b) and, in General, easier than the Grand CRU classé. But there are exceptions: for example, highly quoted of the estate of Tertre Roteboeuf and Chateau Le Dome chose to remain among the simple Saint Emilion Grand Cru (4th category), while among the most expensive wines of Saint-Emilion.
If the classification of the wines of the Medoc in 1855, is often criticized for kostnost and unwillingness to keep pace with time, we can say that Grand CRU Saint-Emilion, at the other extreme, a very sad example of the free distribution label “Grand CRU”, whereby a small value for the consumer who reads labels. Eloquently testifies to the fact that under the appellation Saint-Emilion Grand CRU wine is produced twice more than just a Saint-Emilion.
The past version and the current classification are published here.
Sources: portals wine-searcher.com / thewinecellarinsider.com / vins-saint-emilion.com 2017
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