ST.-ÉMILION

The Roman poet and lawyer, Ausonius (310-395 A.D.), was born and raised in Burdigala (the ancient name for Bordeaux). Over time, he built up three villas and vineyards in the region, one pair of which was close to present-day St.Émilion.  

Ausonius’ many writings tell of large-scale winemaking in Bordeaux during the early part of the Christian era. In 1731, Château Ausone, one of St.Émilion’s more highly respected properties, took his name as its own. The name St.Émilion itself comes from Saint Aemilianus, an 8th century hermit from there. 

At 13,500 acres of vineyard (and an annual output of around 33 million bottles of red wine), St.Émilion is the largest fine winemaking area of Bordeaux. Merlot out-plants Cabernet Franc (here called Bouchet) nearly two-to-one, with smatterings of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. 

Unlike the (supposed) precision of the 1855 Médoc classification, the wines of St.Émilion are classified every ten years, based more on the wines themselves (in a juried tasting), less on vineyard site or château reputation. 

The area is subdivided into three distinct geological districts, each soil type characterizing the wines made on it. 

1. Surrounding the town of St.Émilion like the innermost ring of a bull’s eye are the Côtes, deep limestone under fairly steep slopes, considered quintessential St.Émilion. The Côtes are home to 11 of the 13 highest rated (Premiers Grands Crus Classés) estates such as Ausone and Pavie. Some newer rising stars, such as Tertre-Rotebeouf, also are on the Côtes.  

A small subsection of the Côtes, just south and southwest of St.Émilion, is called the Plateau of St.-Martin. Here, the soils are poor—a thin layer of sand covering a thick layer of clay with a subsoil of limestone—a configuration that forces vine roots deep for nourishment. Star properties here are Magdelaine, Canon and Beau-Séjour-Becot. 

Wines from the Côtes are late bloomers, seemingly reined-in, even austere, during their younger years. When they blossom, however, few Bordeaux reds are more complex or sumptuously powerful. 

2. The other two of the 13 highest rated estates, Cheval-Blanc and Figeac, come from the area Graves de Figeac, in the northwestern area of St.Émilion, bordering Pomerol. The silica-rich, gravelly soil here is beneficial for growing the two Cabernets. Also from here is the highly sought-after La Dominique. 

Unlike Côtes wines, the wines from this area are more open, elegant and velvety when young. They also age particularly well and for a long time. 

3. Ringing the Côtes is a section that is about 150 feet lower in altitude and where the soils are more clay-like and sandy. Ripening can be an issue (especially west of the town due to less sunlight), but it is home to many fine properties. West of St.Émilion: Bellevue. South of St.Émilion: Canon la Gaffelière. North of St.Émilion (with even more sand and consequently firmer wines): Clos de la Oratoire and Sansonnet.  

Visiting St.Émilion
Perhaps but for Alsace, France boasts no more comely winemaking district than St.Émilion. An area extraordinarily rich in history, St.Émilion retains much of its past in dozens of ancient buildings, churches, passageways, limestone caves, the historic city walls—even the place where Saint Aemilianus lived, his stone bed and altar. 

The whole of the town of St.Émilion has been designated by UNESCO as an historic site. As a consequence, automobiles are disallowed in the town itself, but walking about is pure luxury, each street giving glimpses of picturesque smaller ones radiating from it.