Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

The AOC Saint-Émilion-Grand-Cru has the same production area as Saint-Émilion and is located in Libourne on the right bank of the Dordogne. Administratively, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru can be produced in the communes of Libourne, Saint-Émilion, Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Vignonet, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Pey-d'Armens and Saint-Hippolyte.

To be able to bear the Grand Cru label, it is necessary to respect the conditions of production which are stricter than those of the AOC Saint Émilion: a limit of production of 40 hl/ha and an ageing of 12 months is compulsory.

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru is located on limestone, clay and sandy soils. Merlot is dominant in this AOC blend, but Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are also vinified here. The soils, which contain in very variable proportions, depending on their location, clay, limestone and silica in the form of gravel and sand, are themselves based on very varied sub-soils: asteriated or oyster limestone of marine origin, eolian sand, clay, sand, alluvial gravel more or less aliotic, depending on whether they were brought by the Isle, Dronne or Dordogne, sandy or clayey quaternary alluvium.