Puisseguin-Saint-Émilion

Established on a magnificent natural hillock, the commune of Puisseguin owes its name to "Puy", which means "Mount" and "Seguin", name of a lieutenant of Charlemagne.

At the beginning of the 9th century, Charlemagne, seduced by this strategic place, built an imposing castle. Here, as in other places of the Gironde, before being wine growers, the inhabitants of this region were hunters in the Neolithic period, farmers and a little wine growers in the Gallo-Roman period, warriors under Charlemagne as well as during three centuries of rivalry between the Crown of England and that of France.

It is during the XVIIIth century that Puisseguin becomes an essentially wine-producing commune. Pierre Combret de la Nauze, a pioneer of wine agronomy, introduced the use of so-called "noble" grape varieties and emphasized the qualities of the terroir. His example was widely followed. From then on, the future of the commune was assured and Puisseguin entered the Bordeaux wine saga. Situated at an altitude of 89 meters, the terroir of Puisseguin benefits from a predominantly southern, south-eastern exposure and a dry, luminous, almost Mediterranean micro-climate, as evidenced by the presence of a good number of holm oaks.

Its uneven relief with clay-limestone soils, resting on a stony subsoil, ensures a good drainage and allows the vine to take deep roots in order to draw the elements essential to its development.