Saint-Émilion wine

Saint-Émilion wine comes from the acclaimed Saint-Émilion region located in Bordeaux’s Right Bank. With vineyards dating back to the Roman era, Saint-Émilion is recognised for its world-class, plush and velvety Merlot-based wines. Often blended with Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser extent, Cabernet Sauvignon, these wines showcase ripe red fruit flavours and hints of baking spices.

Today, Saint-Émilion is a prolific and prestigious wine-producing region, with winemakers there making some of the most expensive wines in France. It was the first wine region designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, emphasising its wines’ exceptional quality and historical significance. Saint-Émilion’s unique and flavourful wines are a must-try for any wine lover.

The Saint-Émilion appellation sits in the Libournais district on Bordeaux’s Right Bank. The appellation also shares its name with a key wine town in the same area. Saint-Émilion is bordered by several other Bordeaux appellations – it lies east of Pomerol and south of the Côtes de Castillon and Lussac, Montagne, Saint-Georges and Puisseguin appellations.

The region, known for its rolling hills, is just a short distance from the Dordogne River, adding to its picturesque charm. Its diverse soil types, including clay, limestone and gravel, coupled with its maritime climate, make it the ideal location for growing key Bordeaux grapes, including Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Saint-Émilion’s first vines dated as far back as prehistoric times, but it was during the Roman period that the region’s winemaking flourished.

Vines were maintained and winemaking traditions continued in later centuries as Christianity spread throughout France. With wine playing a fundamental role in religious sacraments, winemaking thrived in Saint-Émilion during the Middle Ages.

By the 18th century, the wines of Saint-Émilion were recognised for their premium quality, putting them in high demand.

Saint-Émilion has maintained its reputation for quality to this day, even through the 1800s, when vineyards across Europe were devastated by a prolific root-munching bug called phylloxera vastatrix. This tiny, aphid-like insect, notorious for its destruction of grapevines, fed on roots and leaves, causing severe damage. Despite this challenging period, Saint-Émilion demonstrated resilience. In 1884, the Winegrowers’ Union was established in Saint-Émilion, the first in France. It is known today as the Saint-Émilion Wine Council.

The region continues to honour its long-standing winemaking traditions. Today, Saint-Émilion wines, especially those from the Grand Cru classé estates, are some of the most prestigious and sought-after in the world.

Red grape varieties reign supreme in Saint-Émilion. The region’s most dominant variety is Merlot, which accounts for two-thirds of the area’s vineyards. Merlot thrives in the region’s clay-rich soils and contributes to the wines’ soft, easy-drinking and fruit-forward nature.

Cabernet Franc is the second most planted grape in Saint-Émilion. It adds freshness and complexity to the wines and complements the Merlot beautifully.

While less common, Cabernet Sauvignon is also grown in the region. Although it plays a minor role in the blends compared to Merlot and Cabernet Franc, it adds structure and longevity to the wines. Other red Bordeaux varieties, including Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenère, are allowed under the region’s AOC regulations but are rarely used in significant quantities.

Different growing areas within Saint-Émilion can also have a distinct effect on the finished wines and can increase their ageing potential.

The clay and limestone soils of the hillsides below the town of Saint-Émilion and on the flanking plateaus help add structure and a rustic quality to the wines, whereas the gravel soils along Saint-Émilion’s border with Pomerol help create more elegant, aromatic wines.

The Saint-Émilion classification system was established in 1955 by The Institut National de L’Origine et de la Qualitè (INAO).

The classification system rewards and commends the high-quality wines produced by the wine estates in the region. It encourages healthy competition between estates to use new technologies and innovative methods, and to improve wine tourism in the area.

Unlike the famous 1855 Bordeaux Classification on the Left Bank, which has remained largely unchanged, the Saint-Émilion classification is reviewed every ten years.

It has three levels

• Premier grand cru classé A
• Premier grand cru classé B
•  Grand cru classé.

Although this system applies equally to the crus and not just the wines themselves, the Saint-Émilionclassification system is a useful tool when looking to identify the region’s most premium wines.

However, you should note that Saint-Émilion wines labelled as ‘Grand Cru’ are not counted under the Saint-Émilion classification and aren’t comparable to Grand cru classé labelled wines.

Saint-Émilion is best known for its red blends, made from a combination of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Compared to Bordeaux’s Left Bank, Saint-Émilion blends have Merlot as a base rather than Cabernet Sauvignon. This makes them richer and softer, with a more fruit-forward character, refreshing acidity and fewer tannins.

Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon play supporting roles in the blend, as do small amounts of Petit Verdot and Malbec. In a Saint-Émilion blend, these wines add freshness (Cabernet Franc), body and structure (Cabernet Sauvignon), perfumed violet aromas (Petit Verdot) and intense colour (Malbec).

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru reds are typically richer than those simply labelled as ‘Saint-Émilion’. They have a deeper colour, full body and a savoury herby, almost meaty, aroma. Simple Saint-Émilion wines are lighter, with a silky texture and flavours of red berries, plums and baking spice.

With the early-ripening grape Merlot at their heart, Saint-Émilion wines are often best enjoyed young. However, some of the most premium bottles can benefit from some cellaring, developing complex secondary flavours of tobacco and chocolate.

Under AOC regulations, red wines can be produced under the Saint-Émilion AOC label, with a minimal production of white wines. Dry white wines made within the appellation boundaries are typically labelled as Bordeaux Blanc instead.

Saint-Émilion reds are some of the most food-friendly in France, pairing well with a wide range of dishes. Simple dishes such as roast chicken and tomato-based pizza and pasta work beautifully with the fruity, younger styles of Saint-Émilion reds. Cheeses such as Comté can also complement the fruit-forward character of these wines.

The refreshing acidity in Merlot-based Saint-Émilion wines can balance the heat in dishes like Rogan Josh or Chinese hot pots.

If you’ve opted for a Saint-Émilion that has been aged and is now more complex and tannic, pair it with richer dishes such as roast lamb or beef, sticky ribs, tagines, truffle omelettes, mushroom risotto or Beef Wellington. Traditional French dishes such as Entrecôte à la Bordelaise, a beef rib dish featuring a red wine and shallot sauce best served with mushrooms, or Confit de Canard are ideal pairings for an aged Saint-Émilion wine.

Learn more about food and wine pairing with our beginner's guide. 

Serve your Saint-Émilion wine between 16°C and 18°C to best enjoy its flavours and aromas. Many Saint-Émilion wines, particularly those that are more tannic or have some age, benefit from an hour or two of decanting. Older wines may need less time.

Serve your wine in a glass with a large bowl as this collects the aromas, concentrating them at the top of the glass so you can fully enjoy them.