Palate: full, but lacking harmony just now.
A region named after the charming, quaint historical town in Bordeaux, St-Émilion is situated on the right bank of Bordeaux. It's grapes of choice are Merlot and Cabernet Franc (called Bouchet on the right bank). The region has its own classification system, updated and revised every few years. Two of the hottest chateaux of the area (and the only Premier Grand Cru Classe A) are Chateau Ausone and Chateau Cheval Blanc.
Notable Facts:
St.-Émilion produces the most wine on the right bank of Bordeaux. As most of its wine is based primarily on Merlot, tasting St-Emilion brings out descriptors like finesse and elegance. The best wine of the region can last upward of 10-20 years, like a good left-banker, but many find that the wines here are more drinkable earlier. The soils of the region differ greatly, from gravel to limestone to clay and sand. As a result, the wine of this region is diverse. Most quality wine of the region will offer silky tannins and ripe, soft fruit – the higher quality wine showing fuller-body and complexity.
About France - Bordeaux:
The region is one of the largest, if not the largest, in the world. If Bordeaux were a country, it would rank 5th in wine production on its own! That's a lot of wine. And while Bordeaux is often associated with expensive bottles meant for decades in the cellar, the majority of Bordeaux wine is meant to be drunk young and enjoyed with food.
Geography: Located off the Atlantic Ocean in southwest France, Bordeaux is most often separated into two parts –the right bank and the left bank. On the left bank, Cabernet Sauvignon rules, and the Medoc region hugs the west side of the Gironde river. Within the Medoc are the four top communes of (from north to south) St.-Estphe, Paulliac, St.-Julien and Margaux. These communes make some pretty sought-after red wines from chateaux with big names. Being that the main grape is Cabernet Sauvignon, the wines are fairly tannic and muscular. Below the Medoc, following the river as it turns, lies the Graves region. Named as such for its gravelly soils, Graves is home to some top white wine regions like Pessac-Léognan (for dry whites) and the sweet wine regions of Sauternes and Barsac.
The right bank of Bordeaux is where Merlot and Cabernet Franc shine best. Merlot is typically used more in the blends, which means the wines of the right bank are often slightly softer and rounder than the left bank Cabernet-based wines. The heart of the right bank is the city of St.-Émilion and the wine region that surrounds it. Next door is Pomerol, a small but intense red wine producer. Other areas include Côtes du Bourg & Côtes du Blaye, Fronsac & Canon-Fronsac, and Ctes de Castillon. Bordeaux has other regions that are making wine – some of it great value!
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