Saint-Emilion (France)
Saint-Emilion is a wine from from Bordeaux's Right Bank.
It is a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Typical Flavors
 Raspberry |
 Black Cherry |
 Plum |
 Blackberry |
 Blueberry |
 Violets |
 Herbs |
 Pepper |
Oak added Flavors:
 Vanilla |
 Coffee |
 Chocolate |
 Tobacco |
Raspberry, Black Cherry, Plum, Tobacco and Vanilla are typical Saint Emilion flavors.
Profile
Saint Emilion is a medium wine with medium tannins and acidity:
| BODY | Medium - Plus | ||
| TANNINS | Medium | ||
| FRUIT | Medium | ||
| ACIDITY | Medium - Plus | ||
| |||
Food Pairing
 Finger Food |
 Pizza |
 Hamburger |
 Ham |
 Casseroles |
 Pasta |
 Mushroom |
 Chicken |
 Rabbit |
 Pork |
 Lamb |
 Veal |
Saint Emilion goes well with a wide variety of food.
Sipped alone is a wonderful meditation wine.
Pairing Suggestions
Excellent Pairing:
French Cuisine. Italian Dishes (Tomato Based).
Pizza. Baked Pasta. Lasagna.
Spaghetti Meatballs. Hamburger.
Fried or Grilled Mushrooms.
Casseroles. Beef Stew.
Veal Chops. Wiener Schnitzel.
Meatloaf. Beef Wellington.
BBQ. Chicken. Pork. Rabbit.
Roasted Lamb. Lamb Chops. Lamb Shank.
Red Meat Dishes.
Cheese:
Aged Cheese. Cheddar. Gouda. Pecorino.
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The Ideal Glass
The Bordeaux glass is perfect for a bodied red wine.
It is taller than other red wine glasses, and has a slimmer bowl.
The large size of the glass allows the bouquet to develop. It smooths out rough edges, plays down tannins, and allows the wines to achieve balance.
The slimmer bowl sends the wine directly to the back of the mouth for maximum taste.
About Saint-Emilion
Saint-Emilion is the oldest wine area of the Bordeaux region.
The region is on the UNESCO World Heritage List (1999).
The official Saint-Emilion classification was conducted in 1955.
It was updated in 1969, 1986, 1996, (2006*), and 2012.
* 2006 was declared invalid. 1996 was used instead.
The 2012 classification defines:
- 4 Premiers Grands Cru A Classés
- 14 Premiers Grands Cru B Classés
- 64 Grands Cru Classés
Premiers Grands Crus Classés A
The highest classification of Sain-Emillon.
| Château Angélus |
| Château Ausone |
| Château Cheval Blanc |
| Château Pavie |
Premiers Grands Crus Classés B
| Château Beauséjour |
| Château Beau-Sejour Becot |
| Château Belair-Monange |
| Château Canon |
| Château Canon La Gaffelière |
| Château Figeac |
| Château La Gaffelière |
| Château Pavie Macquin |
| Château Troplong-Mondot |
| Château Trottevieille |
| Château Larcis-Ducasse |
| Château Valandraud |
| Clos Fourtet |
| Château La Mondotte |
Grands Crus Classés
| Château l'Arrosée |
| Château Balestard-La-Tonnelle |
| Château Barde-Haut |
| Château Bellefont-Belcier |
| Château Bellevue |
| Château Bergat |
| Château Berliquet |
| Château Cadet-Bon |
| Château Cadet Piola |
| Château Cap de Mourlin |
| Château Chauvin |
| Château Clos de Sarpe |
| Château Corbin |
| Château Côte de Baleau |
| Château Dassault |
| Château Destieux |
| Château Faugères |
| Château Faurie de Souchard |
| Château de Ferrand |
| Château Fleur-Cardinale |
| Château Fombrauge |
| Château Fonplégade |
| Château Fonroque |
| Château Franc-Mayne |
| Château Grand-Mayne |
| Château Grand-Pontet |
| Château Les Grandes Murailles |
| Château Guadet |
| Château Grand Corbin |
| Château Corbin-Despagne |
| Château Haute Sarpe |
| Château Jean Faure |
| Château La Clotte |
| Château La Clusiere |
| Château La Commanderie |
| Château La Couspaude |
| Château La Dominique |
| Château La Fleur Morange |
| Château La Marzelle |
| Château La Serre |
| Château La Tour-Figeac |
| Château Le Chatelet |
| Château Le Prieure |
| Château Laniote |
| Château Larmande |
| Château Laroque |
| Château Laroze |
| Château Matras |
| Château Moulin du Cadet |
| Château Pavie Decesse |
| Château Peby Faugeres |
| Château Petit Faurie de Soutard |
| Château de Pressac |
| Château Quinault l'Enclos |
| Château Ripeau |
| Château Rochebelle |
| Château Saint-Georges Cote Pavie |
| Château Sansonnet |
| Château Soutard |
| Château Tertre Daugay |
| Château Villemaurine |
| Château Yon Figeac |
| Clos des Jacobins |
| Clos de l'Oratoire |
| Clos La Madeleine |
| Clos Saint-Martin |
| Convent des Jacobins |
Over 200 other Saint-Émilion wines carry the description "Grand Cru". These are awarded under the basic appellation rules and are not part of the formal Saint-Emmilion 1955 classification.
Standard Grand Cru wines are not seen as being of comparable quality to the Grand Cru Classe wines listed above.
Bordeaux
Bordeaux in Southwest France is the most famous wine region in the world.
The river Gironde splits the area in the famous Left Bank (Southwest) and the Right Bank (Northeast) where the two famous, but very different, Bordeaux Blends are produced.
The Left Bank
On the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary grape.
A typical top-quality "Bordeaux Blend" consists of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot.
Left Bank wines are often spicy with bold tannins and are good candidates for aging.
The Right Bank
On the Right Bank, Merlot is the primary grape.
A typical Right Bank blend consists of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Right Bank wines are also bold, but smoother, with softer tannins and typical Merlot fruity flavors. They can age, but are more "drink me soon" style.
Left Bank Wines
Bordeaux Rouge
Cabernet Sauvignon
Médoc
Margaux
Graves
Pessac-Léognan
Right Bank Wines
Bordeaux is dominated by red wine. Nearly 90% of all Bordeaux wine is red.
The most planted grape is Merlot, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon.
Red Grapes
66% Merlot
23% Cabernet Sauvignon
10% Cabernet Franc
2% Malbec
1% Petit Verdot
White Grapes
47% Sémillon
45% Sauvignon Blanc
5% Muscadelle
Bordeaux Blanc
Bordeaux Blanc
Pessac Léognan
Entre-Deux-Mers
Sémillon
Sweet Wines
Sauternes (Sweet)
Sparkling
Bordeaux Left Bank
On the Left Bank, Cabernet Sauvignon is the primary grape.
A typical top-quality "Bordeaux Blend" consists of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot.
Left Bank wines are often spicy with bold tannins and are good candidates for aging.
The terroir is rocky, with gravel (stones) and some limestone.
In the wine world, this bad soil means good wine because the more the roots have to struggle, the better the quality. Rocky soils and hillsides give a good drainage (too much water gives a watery berry).
Famous appellations are:
- Haut-Médoc
- Margaux (Château Margaux)
- St.Estephe
- St.Julien
- Pauillac (Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Latour)
- Pessac Leognan (Château Haut-Brion)
Flavors:
Young: Spices. Earth. Tobacco.
Aged: Leather. Smoke. Truffle. Herbs. Cigar box.
Bordeaux Right Bank
On the Right Bank, Merlot is the primary grape.
A typical Right Bank blend consists of 70% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.
Right Bank wines are also bold, but smoother, with softer tannins and typical Merlot fruity flavors. They can age, but are more "drink me soon" style.
The terroir on the right bank is less difficult, with less gravel and more clay and limestone.
Famous appellations are:
- St. Emilion (Cheval Blanc)
- Pomerol (Petrus)
Flavors:
Young: Black Cherry. Red Plum. Flowers. Chocolate. Licorice.
Aged: Earth. Truffle. Dark Chocolate. Tobacco.
White Bordeaux
White Bordeaux uses Sauvignon Blanc and Semillion as primary grapes.