Friday, November 15, 2013

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller at L'Envers du Decor

I regularly visit St. Emilion, on the annual Bordeaux Tour by ombaisy. St. Emilion is a very magic place, a medieval village, full of narrow, steep streets. In 1999, the town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, due to the uniqueness of its territory and some of the monuments that can be visited in the medieval village, first of all the Monolithic church with its bell tower, the Europe's largest underground church carved into the rock.

See here:
Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy
Ombiasy Wine Tours: Bordeaux Trip Coming up in September 2013
 
Pictures: St. Emilion

St Emilion's history stretches back to Roman times, when the Roman ruler Decimus Magnus Ausonius founded a small property here in the 4th century, when the Romans controlled Gaul (France). Ausonius’ name has been immortalized in the famous St-Emilion winery, Chateau Ausone.

St Emilion's founding father was a Benedictine Monk called Emilian. Emilian spent the last decades of his life creating a large cave in which he lived until his death in 787. His work was taken over by the Monks who continued to create a vast network of caves, catacombs and eventually the Church that stands today. After Emilian´s death, the settlement continued to prosper and grew into an important outpost of the Aquitaine province in the 12th century. St Emilon's peaceful existence was shattered during the Hundred Years War, a conflict between England and France for control of the French throne and control of her territories, which engulfed France from the mid-1400s. After the conflict ended, St Emilion enjoyed a peaceful existence, which lasted until the French Revolution in 1789.

The 1800s were a great time for Bordeaux's winemakers, as their produce was finding massive favour across Europe fuelling a newfound era of prosperity for St Emilion's many chateaux.

See also:
Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France
The Saint Emilion 2012–2022 Classification, Bordeaux

Wine Bars

There is only a very limited number of wine bars in St. Emilion. Here are ma favorites.

Chai Pascal
37, Rue Guadet

My #1 wine bar in St. Emilion. Chai Pascal is a small, relaxed place, with lovely wines and a limited but interesting food menu. Note that there is only one chef in the kitchen.

Pictures: Christian and Annetter Schiller at Chai Pascal with Catherine Papon-Nouvel

Chai Pascal is run by Pascal Fauvel, and Catherine Papon-Nouvel, the owner of three St. Emilion chateaux: Château Gaillard, Château Petit Gravet Ainé and Clos Saint Julien. Catherine’s wines are of course on offer but also many of her colleagues’ wines.

L'Envers du Decor
11, rue du Clocher

Owned by winemaker Francois de Ligneris (ex-owner of Chateau Soutard) this lively wine bar and bistro has a great list of interesting wines, with many by the glass. A favorite with locals who sit at the bar for wine by the glass or eat there. Locals call this place an "institution".

Pictures: L'Envers du Decor

The outdoor setting in the courtyard is lovely, especially on a warm summer night.

Le Bouchon
3 place du Marche

Not a wine bar, but still included in the list. The Bouchon is located in the central square of St. Emilion where it occupies a large outdoor space. The food is average, but the wine list is quite serious, including an impressive list of Tertre Rotebeuf wines. Foremost, it is a great location during a warm summer night for a magical moment in the heart of St. Emilion.

Pictures: At Le Bouchon

Lard et Bouchon
22, rue Guadet

Restaurant and wine bar in a medieval cellar.

Pictures: Lard et Bouchon

Les Delices du Roy
1, rue de la Porte Bouqueyre

Good value and good choice of wine by the glass, including the owner's own Gand Cru St. Emilion.

Picture: Les Delices du Roy

Le Bistrot des Vignobles
Rue de la Porte Bouqueyre

Picture: Le Bistrot des Vignobles

Schiller’s Favorites

This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series. Here is a full list of all Schiller’s favorites postings so far.

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France

Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA

Schiller’s Favorites at the 2013 Riesling and Co Tasting in New York City, USA

Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) on North America Tour in Washington DC - Schiller’s Favorites

Schiller’s Favorites from the VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru – Presentation at Kloster Eberbach, 2012, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, UK

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City), France

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary

Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar

Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California

schiller-wine - Related Postings

Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France 

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Ombiasy Wine Tours: Bordeaux Trip Coming up in September 2013

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

The Saint Emilion 2012–2022 Classification, Bordeaux

Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City), France

Owner Jean-Bernard Grenié and Wine Journalist Panos Kakaviatos Presented the Wines of Chateau Angélus and Chateau Daugay at Black Salt Restaurant in Washington DC, USA

The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany

A Morning at Château Canon La Gaffeliere in Saint Emilion with Owner Count Stefan von Neipperg, Bordeaux

Vin Bio de Bordeaux - At Château Beauséjour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France

Château Figeac, Saint-Émilion - A Profile, France

An Afternoon with François Mitjavile at his Tertre Rôtebeouf - A Saint Emilion Cult Wine Producer

Lunch at Place de L’Eglise Monolithe in Saint Emilion and Visits of 3 Châteaux: Tertre Roteboeuf, Figeac and Beausejour

2 comments:

  1. Wine Enthusiast recommendations 2013 http://www.winemag.com/Web-2013/Bordeauxs-Culinary-Rebirth/

    ReplyDelete
  2. @newbordeaux Just heard that new Logis de Cadene in St Emilion (now owned by Angelus team) will open on March 3. Lunch menu €22, 400 wines on the list.

    ReplyDelete