Saint-Émilion

The medieval town of Saint Emilion on the right bank of Bordeaux is famous for its Merlot-dominated wines, often accented by Cabernet Franc. The region is broken down into two areas, known as Graves and the Côtes. The Graves area is named for its gravelly soil, and offers ideal conditions for Cabernet Franc. The Côtes, also known as the Côtes de Pavie, is a limestone escarpment with vineyards planted on its hillsides. Here Merlot is the dominant grape and takes on amazing earth notes, power and firm acidity from the limestone. The wines here tend to be firmer and more austere than their counterparts in Pomerol.