Saint-Émilion

The CIVB's bordeaux.com recounts that in the 8th century a monk named Emilion left Brittany and settled in Ascumbas, the village now known as Saint-Emilion, which was later renamed in honour of its founding saint; he died around 767 after seventeen years living as a hermit in a cave near the village's rock-hewn church. INAO's specification says the vine probably arrived during the Roman occupation, and that archaeological work has uncovered the remains of Roman villas, making the Palat site near Château Ausone the most plausible residence of the poet-winegrower whose memory and name remain closely tied to the place. According to the same specification, rights acquired under the Charter of Falaise in 1199 favoured a considerable expansion of the vineyard under English rule, the port of Libourne was created in 1269, and new privileges granted by Edward I in 1289 confirmed and extended the prerogatives of the Jurade de Saint-Émilion to neighbouring parishes, which thereafter formed its jurisdiction. bordeaux.com (consulted 2026) says the Jurade has been taking care of the wines for over 800 years and today has 140 members. In 1884 the first winegrowers' syndicate in France was created in Saint-Émilion, and in 1931 the first winegrowers' cooperative in the Bordeaux region, the Union de Producteurs de Saint-Émilion, was founded there (INAO). The appellation was defined by decree in 1936, its geographic area based on the historic limits of the Jurade de Saint-Émilion (INAO).

• Named after Emilion, an 8th-century monk from Brittany who died around 767 after seventeen years as a hermit in a cave near the rock-hewn church (bordeaux.com)
• Charter of Falaise, 1199; port of Libourne created 1269; Edward I extended the Jurade's prerogatives to neighbouring parishes in 1289 (INAO specification)
• First winegrowers' syndicate in France founded in Saint-Émilion in 1884; the Union de Producteurs de Saint-Émilion, the first Bordeaux winegrowers' cooperative, in 1931 (INAO)
• UNESCO listed the eight villages of the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion as a World Heritage site in 1999 on the grounds of their cultural landscape (Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion)

INAO's specification places the geographic area east of the town of Libourne, around the medieval town of Saint-Émilion: a limestone plateau overlooking the Dordogne to the south and bounded to the north by the Barbanne stream, covering eight communes and part of Libourne. Parallel to the Dordogne runs a first line of steep slopes forming combes, amphitheatre-shaped valleys; the town was built in one of them, facing south, and the ridge reaches 100 metres. At the centre of the vineyard is an asteriated limestone plateau from the Tertiary era, with thin, light limestone soils to the west of the town, clay-limestone soils to the east and a fairly thick silt-clay cover in the middle; around it, the Fronsadais molasse outcrops on the slopes. The northwest is covered by a sandy sheet of Quaternary alluvium; near Pomerol, on the Figeac terrace, lies a series of gravel rises; and to the south, in the Dordogne valley, Quaternary alluvium of gravel, sand and silt is spread unevenly. Stone quarrying has left a network of galleries estimated at around a hundred kilometres under Saint-Émilion and the surrounding plateaus, often used as cellars because of the constant temperature of 12 to 16 °C. The climate is the temperate oceanic climate of the Bordeaux region, but more continental because the area lies in the east of the Gironde, with Mediterranean touches shown by the presence of holm oaks (INAO). bordeaux.com describes the same patchwork as a plateau of asteriated limestone giving way to a terrace of silt-clay gravel stretching towards Libourne, flanked by clay-limestone hills and valleys, and the sandy-gravel plain of the Dordogne Valley. Pomerol lies outside the geographic area: the specification lists it among the communes of the immediate proximity area, where winemaking and ageing are allowed by derogation. Within the boundary, Château-Figeac describes its terroir as three quartz and flint gravel outcrops, several metres deep, over blue clay subsoil, and Château Cheval Blanc says clay, gravel and sand cohabit across its 56 plots.

• Geographic area (INAO): Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Saint-Émilion, Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Pey-d'Armens, Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Vignonet and part of Libourne
• Central asteriated limestone plateau with steep, south-facing slopes and combes along the Dordogne; the ridge reaches 100 metres (INAO)
• Gravel rises on the Figeac terrace near Pomerol; sandy Quaternary alluvium in the northwest; gravel, sand and silt in the Dordogne valley to the south (INAO)
• Around a hundred kilometres of former quarry galleries under the town and plateaus, often used as cellars at 12 to 16 °C (INAO)

INAO's specification lists Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Cot (or Malbec) and Merlot as principal varieties and Petit Verdot as an accessory variety, limited to 10 percent of the plantings and of the final blend; a wine cannot be made from the accessory variety alone. Merlot is by far the majority variety: INAO says it gives the wine intense red colour, alcoholic richness, aromatic complexity recalling red and black fruit, suppleness, roundness and silky tannins, and that it particularly likes the cool, moist clay-textured soils. Cabernet Franc, known locally as bouchet, brings slightly spiced aromatic finesse, freshness and firmer tannic structure and is preferred on limestone or warmer sandy and gravelly soils; Cabernet Sauvignon, less planted, is a late variety suited to warm, dry soils that adds spicy notes and, through its tannic richness, favours long keeping (INAO). bordeaux.com calls Merlot 'the undisputed champion', often paired with Cabernet Franc. Rules in the specification include a minimum planting density of 5,500 vines per hectare, a base yield of 53 hectolitres per hectare, a minimum natural alcohol of 11 percent, a maximum of 13.5 percent total alcohol after enrichment, ageing until at least 31 March of the year after the harvest, and release to consumers from 15 April of that year. bordeaux.com notes that the sister appellation Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is stricter, with 46 hectolitres per hectare against 53, at least 10 months of ageing and compulsory inspection of every batch.

• Merlot dominates plantings as by far the majority variety (INAO specification); it brings intense colour, red and black fruit, roundness and silky tannins
• Cabernet Franc (locally bouchet): slightly spiced aromatic finesse, freshness and firmer tannins; preferred on limestone and on warmer sandy or gravelly soils (INAO)
• Cabernet Sauvignon, less planted: a late variety for warm, dry soils that adds spice and tannic richness for long keeping (INAO); Château-Figeac says Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon make up 70 percent of its blend
• Rules (INAO): still red wines only; at least 5,500 vines per hectare; base yield 53 hl/ha; ageing until at least 31 March after the harvest; release to consumers from 15 April

The Saint-Émilion classification applies to the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation, which is separate from the Saint-Émilion appellation; INAO says it has existed since 1955 and is revisable every ten years. bordeaux.com (CIVB) contrasts it with the 1855 classification, which in its words 'never changes, unlike other classifications which are regularly updated'. bordeaux.com's timeline runs from the founding of the Saint-Emilion winegrowers' association in 1884 and the recognition of the appellation in 1936 to an official tasting-based quality control system in 1948, a first draft of the classification rules in 1952, and the creation in 1954 of Saint-Emilion Grand Cru, Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Classé and Saint-Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé as appellations in their own right. The first classification, in 1955, included 75 châteaux (63 Grands Crus Classés and 12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés); later editions followed in 1969 (84 châteaux), 1986 (74), 1996 (68), 2006 (72), 2012 (82) and 2022 (85). For the 2022 edition, the classification regulations were approved by decree on 14 May 2020, INAO set up a seven-member classification commission on 16 June 2020, and INAO's national committee approved the commission's list on 8 September 2022. Candidates are graded on four criteria; the first, the quality and consistency of the wines assessed by tasting, accounts for 50 percent of the final score whatever the classification level (INAO). Decanter reported on 8 September 2022 that a panel of 43 experts tasted 1,343 samples over four months, with Bureau Veritas Certification France and INAO supporting the process. The 2022 edition lists 2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés 'A' (Château Pavie and Château Figeac), 12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés and 71 Grands Crus Classés, and only estates that already hold Grand Cru Classé status may apply for Premier Grand Cru Classé (bordeaux.com). The full list and its history are covered in the Saint-Émilion Classification article.

• Applies to the Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation; in place since 1955 and revisable every ten years (INAO)
• Editions: 1955 (75 châteaux), 1969 (84), 1986 (74), 1996 (68), 2006 (72), 2012 (82), 2022 (85) (bordeaux.com)
• 2022 edition: 2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés 'A' (Pavie, Figeac), 12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés and 71 Grands Crus Classés; approved by INAO's national committee on 8 September 2022
• Tasting of the quality and consistency of the wines accounts for 50 percent of the final score at every level (INAO)

Château Figeac was the only estate promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A' in 2022, joining Château Pavie in the top tier (Decanter, 8 September 2022). Decanter reports that Figeac has been owned by the same family since 1892; the estate describes 54 hectares in a single holding and a vineyard of nearly 41 hectares on three Günzian gravel outcrops over clay. In the 2012 classification, four châteaux held Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A' status: Angélus, Ausone, Cheval Blanc and Pavie. Ausone and Cheval Blanc each announced in July 2021 that they would withdraw from the classification (Decanter, 13 July 2021). Cheval Blanc's director Pierre Lurton, technical director Pierre-Olivier Clouet and commercial director Arnaud de Laforcade wrote of 'a profound change in the philosophy of the classification' since 2012, citing new criteria they described as 'marketing drift', and, as Decanter reported, said terroir and viticulture amounted to only 15 percent of the final grade. Ausone's co-owner Pauline Vauthier told Decanter the decision was not made 'in concert' with Cheval Blanc and that 'the measure of great wine comes down to terroir, viticulture and time.' Château Angélus withdrew its candidacy from the 2022 classification in January 2022 (Decanter, 5 January 2022), and Château La Gaffelière, then ranked Premier Grand Cru Classé B, withdrew in June 2022 (Decanter). The 12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés of 2022 are Beau-Séjour Bécot, Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse, Bélair Monange, Canon, Canon-la-Gaffelière, Larcis Ducasse, Pavie Macquin, Troplong Mondot, Trottevieille, Valandraud, Clos Fourtet and La Mondotte (INAO; Decanter).

• Premier Grand Cru Classé 'A' in 2022: Château Pavie and Château Figeac, the only estate promoted to the top tier that year (Decanter, 2022)
• Withdrew from the 2022 classification: Ausone and Cheval Blanc (announced July 2021), Angélus (January 2022), La Gaffelière (June 2022) (Decanter)
• Premiers Grands Crus Classés 2022 (12): Beau-Séjour Bécot, Beauséjour Héritiers Duffau-Lagarrosse, Bélair Monange, Canon, Canon-la-Gaffelière, Larcis Ducasse, Pavie Macquin, Troplong Mondot, Trottevieille, Valandraud, Clos Fourtet, La Mondotte (INAO)
• Grands Crus Classés 2022: 71 estates, the broadest tier of the classification (INAO; bordeaux.com)

Primary sources (INAO, the CIVB's bordeaux.com, the Conseil des Vins de Saint-Émilion, and the châteaux's own sites for their own facts): https://www.inao.gouv.fr/produit/saint-emilion-17447, https://extranet.inao.gouv.fr/fichier/CDCSaint-Emilion-PNO2023.pdf, https://www.bordeaux.com/en/designations/saint-emilion-pomerol-fronsac/saint-emilion/, https://www.bordeaux.com/en/classifications/saint-emilion/, https://www.inao.gouv.fr/en/cp-saint-emilion-grand-cru-classement-next-decade, https://vins-saint-emilion.com/en/unesco-heritage/unesco-listing/the-world-heritage-association-of-the-saint-emilion-jurisdiction/, https://vins-saint-emilion.com/en/unesco-heritage/, https://www.chateau-figeac.com/en/the-place/, https://www.chateau-cheval-blanc.com/en/, https://www.chateau-figeac.com/en/the-wine/, https://www.bordeaux.com/en/classifications/classifications-1855/, https://vins-saint-emilion.com/en/legal-mention/. Secondary sources: https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/cheval-blanc-and-ausone-to-leave-st-emilion-classification-461827/, https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/st-emilion-2022-classification-promotes-chateau-figeac-to-premier-grand-cru-classe-a-487144/, https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/angelus-withdraws-from-the-next-st-emilion-classification-471835/. Last verified 2026-09-24