Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
サンテミリオン・グラン・クリュ
Prestigious Right Bank wines known for elegance and velvety tannins.
Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is a prestigious appellation located on the Right Bank of the Bordeaux wine region. Unlike the 1855 Classification of the Médoc, the Saint-Émilion classification is periodically revised approximately every ten years, ensuring consistently high standards of quality. The terroir is characterized by limestone plateaus and clay-limestone slopes, which are ideal for Merlot and Cabernet Franc. These wines are renowned for their elegance, velvety tannins, and complex aromatic profiles, often exhibiting notes of red fruits, spices, and truffles. The appellation requires stricter production regulations than the standard Saint-Émilion AOC, including lower yields (40 hl/ha), a minimum aging of 20 months, and mandatory double tastings, resulting in wines with greater depth and aging potential.
Best for: Ideal for collectors, fine dining, and special celebrations requiring sophisticated red wines.
No sub-regions registered yet.
Producers
シャトー・オーゾンヌ
Château Ausone
Saint-Émilion's other Premier Grand Cru Classé A alongside Cheval Blanc, producing minerally intense Merlot-Cabernet Franc wines from ancient rock plateau vineyards.
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www.chateau-ausone.frシャトー・ベレール・モナンジュ
Château Bélair-Monange
Château Bélair-Monange is a historic Saint-Émilion Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate with roots tracing to the 14th century. Fully acquired by Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix in 2008, the estate was renamed in honor of Christian Moueix's grandmother Anne-Adèle Monange, and in 2012 was merged with the neighboring Premier Grand Cru Classé Château Magdelaine. The resulting 26-hectare vineyard—planted with 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc—unites the limestone plateau for freshness and minerality with dense blue-clay slopes for intensity and elegance. The Moueix team radically reduced yields, introduced later harvesting and optical sorting, and commissioned a state-of-the-art winery designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as a tribute to the local limestone terroir. Notably, the estate bottled its wines on-site as early as 1802, more than a century before the practice became standard in Bordeaux.
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www.belairmonange.comシャトー・カノン
Château Canon
Château Canon is a 34-hectare Premier Grand Cru Classé B estate on the limestone plateau of Saint-Émilion, with origins tracing back to a small vineyard planted near the Church of St-Martin in the early 18th century. The estate was named after Jacques Kanon, a privateer-turned-landowner who purchased it in 1760 and expanded it considerably. In 1996, the property was acquired by the Wertheimer family, owners of the prestigious Chanel fashion house. Under the direction of managing director Nicolas Audebert and following a comprehensive vineyard replanting and winery renovation completed in 2015, Château Canon has reclaimed its place at the very top of Right Bank Bordeaux. The vineyard is planted to approximately 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc on clay-limestone soils underlain by fossil-rich asteriated limestone — the prized bedrock of Saint-Émilion's finest plateau terroirs. Grapes are aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (50% new), and maturation takes place in underground cellars carved into the limestone, providing ideal natural conditions of humidity and temperature.
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www.chateau-canon.comシャトー・フィジャック
Château Figeac
Newly elevated Premier Grand Cru Classé A (2022) in Saint-Émilion, uniquely planted with a high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc alongside Merlot.
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www.chateau-figeac.comシャトー・ラ・セール
Château La Serre
Château La Serre is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé estate located on the prestigious limestone plateau, right next to the medieval town. Spanning 7 hectares, the vineyard is planted with 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc. Owned by the d'Arfeuille family since 1956, the estate produces elegant, fresh, and structured wines that reflect its unique clay-limestone terroir over ancient quarries.
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www.chateaulaserre.comシャトー・ル・プリウレ
Château Le Prieuré
Château Le Prieuré is a historic Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé estate dating back to the 16th century. Located on the prestigious limestone plateau near the medieval town, its 6.24-hectare vineyard is planted with Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Acquired by Les Terroirs de Suravenir in 2020, the estate is managed by the technical team of Calon Ségur. Certified organic since 2018, it produces elegant, mineral-driven wines with vibrant red fruit and silky tannins.
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www.chateau-le-prieure.fr
Food Pairings
Roasted lamb, grilled beef, duck confit, mushroom risotto, and aged hard cheeses.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Saint-Émilion Grand Cru the same as Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé?
- No. Saint-Émilion Grand Cru is an AOC appellation open to any producer meeting its strict standards. Grand Cru Classé is a classification rank awarded to top estates within that appellation, reviewed roughly every ten years.
- What is the primary grape variety used in Saint-Émilion Grand Cru?
- Merlot is the dominant grape, typically making up around two-thirds of plantings, often blended with Cabernet Franc and small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon.
- How does Saint-Émilion Grand Cru differ from the basic Saint-Émilion AOC?
- Saint-Émilion Grand Cru imposes stricter requirements: lower maximum yields (40 hl/ha vs 53 hl/ha), a mandatory minimum aging of 20 months (vs 6 months), and two mandatory tasting inspections instead of one.
- How often is the Saint-Émilion classification revised?
- Approximately every ten years. The most recent revision in 2022 resulted in 85 classified properties: 2 Premiers Grands Crus Classés A, 12 Premiers Grands Crus Classés B, and 71 Grands Crus Classés.
- What are some of the most famous estates in Saint-Émilion Grand Cru?
- Notable estates include Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone, Château Angélus, Château Pavie, Château Canon, Clos Fourtet, and La Mondotte, among many others.