Saint-Émilion Grand Cru AOC
The flagship right-bank appellation, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru pairs a UNESCO-listed medieval town with Merlot- and Cabernet Franc–led reds and its own evolving classification.
About Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Centred on the UNESCO-listed medieval town of Saint-Émilion, this is the most celebrated appellation of Bordeaux's right bank. The base Saint-Émilion AOC dates to 1936, while the higher Saint-Émilion Grand Cru appellation followed in 1954, accompanied a year later by a classification — uniquely revised roughly every decade — that ranks estates from Grand Cru Classé up to Premier Grand Cru Classé A. Soils range from the limestone plateau and clay-limestone côtes around the town to gravel and sand below, producing a spectrum of styles unified by a Merlot-dominant blend generously supported by Cabernet Franc. The wines are typically plush, perfumed and approachable younger than the Médoc, yet the top estates — Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Figeac, Pavie, Canon — make profound, structured reds of great longevity. Saint-Émilion's blend of history, diversity and ambition makes it a right-bank benchmark.
Terroir & regulation
Principal producers
- Château Cheval Blanc
- Château Ausone
- Château Angélus
- Château Figeac
- Château Pavie
- Château Canon
Editorial notes
Its classification (first 1955, revised roughly every decade) is the only Bordeaux ranking subject to periodic revision; latest update in 2022.