Definition: Saint-Estèphe AOC

Médoc region in Bordeaux. Production area located about sixty kilometres north of Bordeaux, on the left bank of the Gironde, more precisely within the boundaries of the commune of Saint-Estèphe, in the Gironde department. Classified as a communal AOC with five classified growths and around forty cru bourgeois in 1936. Black grape varieties: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Côt (or Malbec), Merlot, and Petit Verdot. Vinified exclusively as red wine. Area under production: just over 1,230 hectares. Can be kept for 10 to 20 years, or even longer, depending on the vintage and the cru. Ideal serving temperature: between 15 and 18°C. Pair with: hare or wild boar stew, game birds, pigeon with peas. This Médoc appellation includes many minor crus with rustic charm and a few great classics. The adoption of modern techniques is gradually transforming the robustness of its spicy wines into richness. The wines are very full-bodied, strong and massive, but not lacking in elegance. These are wines that you grow attached to. They age between 8 and 25 years for the classified growths, and 5 to 12 years for the others.