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Saint-Émilion (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃t‿emiljɔ̃]) is an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) for red wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne. As a cultural landscape demonstrating a long, living history of wine-making (dating from Roman times), Saint-Émilion was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.^[1]

Its 5,400 hectares (13,000 acres) represent 67.5% of the total area of wine-producing communes (Saint-Émilion, Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Pey-d’Armens, Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Vignonet, and a part of the Libourne commune) and 6% of the total Bordeaux vineyard.

The wines of Saint-Émilion are typically blended from different grape varieties, the three main ones being Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Classification

Since 1955, there has been a classification of Saint-Émilion wine. The classification is updated every 10 years or so, and consists of the following levels: Premier grand cru classé A, Premier grand cru classé B, and Grand cru classé. As of the 2022 classification, there are currently two estates at the highest level: Château Figeac and Château Pavie.

Saint-Émilion satellites

Four other appellations situated immediately north and northeast of the Saint-Émilion AOC, across the Barbanne river, are collectively known as the Saint-Émilion satellites. They are Lussac-Saint-Émilion, Montagne-Saint-Émilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion, and Saint-Georges-Saint-Émilion. There were previous two other appellations: Parsac-Saint-Émilion, which became part of Montagne-Saint-Émilion in the 1970s; and Sables-Saint-Émilion, which became part of Saint-Émilion proper following lobbying by Alain Raynaud of Château Quinault.^[2] Of these, Montagne is the largest and Saint-Georges is the smallest. These previously called themselves "Saint-Émilion", but with the development of the AOC system in the 1930s, they were split off as inferior appellations (to not dilute the Saint-Émilion name), but allowed to add Saint-Émilion to the village name.

Pomerol also borders St Émilion to the west but is not considered a satellite and many of its wine compete with or outperform their neighbour, and in fact has its own satellite, Lalande-de-Pomerol, also to the north of the Barbanne.

Notes and references

^ "Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^ "Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion Wine". Wine-Searcher.