Lussac Saint-Emilion

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The slopes of the appellation rest on 'astéries' limestone deposited during Oligocene marine transgressions.
• An extensive hydrographic network cuts into the slopes and accentuates the relief, as does the Butte de Picampeau, which reaches an elevation of 81 metres.
• On the slopes, the molasses of the 'fronsadais', with a sandy-clay texture, come to the surface alongside facies that are more clayey in character.
• Towards the north, the elevation gently decreases to the Palais stream, and the soil is covered by a detrital formation of Eocene and Oligocene age, originating from the Massif Central and composed of sands, gravels, and sandy clays.
• The characteristic soils are leached and of low fertility, with a predominantly clay-limestone texture in the south and at the heart of the commune, and a sandy-clay or sandy-silt texture with scattered gravels in the north.
• The temperate oceanic climate of the Gironde displays continental nuances here, with higher temperatures in summer and autumn that favour the ripening of the grapes.
• The oceanic climate is unpredictable, and in certain years brings rainy autumn depressions or warm, very sunny late seasons, giving rise to a marked vintage effect.

• In the twelfth century, Cistercian monks founded the abbey of Faize in Artigues-de-Lussac, clearing the land and planting vines on the slopes of the commune of Lussac.
• By a ruling of 19 February 1923, the Bordeaux Court of Appeal recognised that the wines of Lussac may benefit from the name 'Saint-Emilion', provided that the name of the commune is appended, thus forming the appellation 'Lussac Saint-Emilion'.
• The grape variety mix is very largely dominated by Merlot, a variety that spread throughout the Bordeaux region with the introduction of grafting made necessary by the phylloxera crisis of the late nineteenth century.

• The still red wines, made predominantly from Merlot, are powerful and rounded, with a deep colour and intense red-fruit aromas that develop a complex bouquet with age.
• In blends, Cabernet franc and Cabernet-Sauvignon contribute freshness and structure, enhancing the ageing potential and aromatic complexity of the wines.

• The diversity of soils, combined with a mesoclimate favourable to viticulture, lends the wines richness and complexity.
• The oceanic climate with a continental tendency — characterised by warm summers, long and mild autumns, and winters that are mild and generally dry — favours a slow ripening of the grapes.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVB