Definition: Saint Émilion

Eau du moine Émilion
In a historical paradox, the origins of Saint-Émilion date back five thousand years to the creation of a port built by sailors 80 km from the sea. At the foot of a miraculous spring, they erected a menhir in the shape of a palm facing east, signifying the magical location to future builders. In the 8th century, the monk Émilion, originally from Brittany, built a hermitage there for pilgrims travelling to Santiago de Compostela. Legend has it that a healing spring flowed from the hermit's hands. The miraculous water gave this place a dual purpose: first religious and spiritual in the lower part of the town, and later festivities and shops dedicated to wine in the upper part of the town.

The monolithic cathedral
Undoubtedly the largest in Europe, this monolithic church is the result of a titanic effort. Coming from the depths of the earth, this pious devotion would make Saint-Émilion a major pilgrimage site for wine lovers. The most beautiful underground cellars were built as an extension of the building, and they became more popular than the neighbouring chapels.

The hill of a thousand vintages
The Saint-Émilion wine region covers the entire limestone promontory, home to nearly 1,000 estates and châteaux. The challenge lies in navigating this maze of wines, ranging from the most common (those drunk on Sundays) to the most exclusive and therefore the most expensive.

The special classification of Saint-Émilion wines
One way of selecting Saint-Émilion wines is to classify them. Unlike the Bordeaux wine classification, the local classification is unique in that it is reviewed every 10 years.
The most recent classification, from 1996, includes, in addition to the two premier grands crus classé A (Ausone and Cheval Blanc), 11 premier grands crus classé B and 55 grands crus classé.
The association of owners of Saint-Émilion grands crus classés.
Since 1985, 23 of them have been enjoying the renown of Saint-Émilion and offering wines of impeccable quality. They represent 300 hectares and produce 1,200,000 bottles.

The king of Merlot
The exceptional characteristics of Saint-Émilion wines compared to the great wines of Bordeaux result from the combination of five different soil types, different topographies (plateau, hillside, foot of the hillside and plain) and variations in water flow. Thus, the master Merlot, perched on its vine, can produce wines with bright, vivid colours, or darker, mellower wines, or even more supple and lighter wines, depending on the year. Saint-Émilion wines are a constant surprise.

1990, the historic vintage
Thanks to exceptional sunshine and perfect natural drainage of the subsoil, the grands crus have reached new heights in terms of quality and price. Examples include the 2000 vintage, which became famous for its three zeros (2007 rating): Château Cheval Blanc for €786, Château Figeac €96, Château Angélus €170, Château Canon €41, Bel Air €32.50, Magdeleine €53.60, Pavie €171, and for comparison, outside Saint-Émilion, Château Mouton Rothschild at €490 and Château Margaux for €688!
Six communes in the Saint-Émilion appellation bear the name of a saint: Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Pey-d'Armens, and Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens.
Saint-Émilion is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: this is the culmination of the reputation that has made this appellation the most visited wine region in France.