Saint-Emilion French wine appellation guide: location, history, wines, climate & soil

Geographic position

Southwestern France, in the Gironde, on the right bank of the Dordogne about 35 km east of Bordeaux, around the medieval hilltop village of Saint-Émilion and its eight surrounding communes, next to Pomerol.

Origin & history

The Romans planted vines here in the 2nd century, and the poet Ausonius gave his name to Château Ausone. The town is named after an 8th-century hermit monk. The AOC was created in 1936, and its own classification of Grands Crus Classés, first published in 1955, is revised about every ten years.

Wines & grape varieties

Red wine only, led by Merlot with Cabernet Franc and some Cabernet Sauvignon. Expect plum, black cherry, chocolate and silky tannins; top wines age for decades.

Climate & soil

Temperate oceanic climate. A limestone plateau with clay-limestone slopes, plus sandy and gravelly soils toward Pomerol.