Saint-Emilion grand cru
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Accessory grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Limestone plateau with astéries (Tertiary era) at the heart of the vineyard, with calcareous, clay-limestone, or silty-clay soils depending on the zone.
- Molasse du Fronsadais (Oligocene) outcropping in a belt around the plateau, supporting predominantly silty-clay soils.
- The Figeac gravelly terrace near Pomerol and Quaternary alluvial deposits (gravels, sands, silts) in the Dordogne valley.
- Temperate oceanic climate, with continental and Mediterranean nuances attested by the presence of holm oaks along the escarpment.
- A network of underground galleries (~100 km) beneath Saint-Émilion, used as cellars at a constant temperature of 12 °C to 16 °C.
Human factors
- In 1884, Saint-Émilion saw the founding of France's first winegrowers' union; the AOC was defined in 1936 along the historic boundaries of the Jurade.
Product characteristics
- Merlot N dominant: deep red colour, ripe red and black fruits, silky tannins; Cabernet Franc contributes freshness and spice.
Terroir / wine link
- Merlot thrives in cool, moist clay soils where it ripens well; Cabernet Franc adapts more readily to calcareous or sandy-gravelly soils that warm up more quickly.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- Product specification (BO Agri, PDF), JORF 5 août 2023
- Official INAO text (show_texte)
- INAO product entry
- Official trade body site — Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion