Thursday, December 1, 2022

3 Days and Nights in the Spectacular Medieval Town of Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Led by Annette Schiller, the Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours took place from September 20 - Thursday, September 29, 2022. The group comprised 12 wine lovers including Annette and Christian Schiller.

We spent 3 days and 3 nights in Saint-Émilion. 

During the day we visited Right Bank wineries. 

Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Clos Puy Arnaud with Owner Thierry Valette, Appellation Côtes de Castillon - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Lunch at Restaurant L’Atelier de Candale in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Cellar Tasting at Tertre-Rôtebœuf with Owner/ Winemaker François Mitjavile, Appellation Saint-Emilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Vineyard Tour in a Golf Cart and Tasting at Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Dassault with the Managing Director, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France 

Gourmet Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Couvent des Jacobins, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

During the evening we enjoyed the medieval village of Saint-Émilion.

See also: 

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

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Saint-Émilion

(Wine Searcher) 

Saint-Émilion is an appellation and key wine town in the Libournais district of Bordeaux's Right Bank. It is important for both the quality and production volume of its red wines, which are almost always based on Merlot.

There have vineyards around Saint-Émilion since Roman times, and today the Saint-Émilion wine appellation is one of the most prolific in the Bordeaux region, generating more than 250,000hl of wine each vintage. It is also responsible for some of the most prestigious, long-lived and expensive wines in the world.

Wines such as Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Figeac, Pavie sell for hundreds of dollars per bottle, are all situated in and around Saint-Émilion. Only red wine qualifies for the appellation; a little dry white wine is made within the appellation borders, but it must be labeled as Bordeaux Blanc. (© Wine-Searcher)

Saint-Émilion Town

The town lies just a few miles north of the Dordogne, in the final stages of the river's journey from the hills of the Massif Central to the Gironde estuary. It is renowned as much for its beautiful buildings and scenery as for its wine. Its steep, narrow, cobbled streets, overlooked by its Romanesque church and the iconic 13th-century Tour du Roy tower are a reminder of the town's long history.

Grape Varieties

Unlike the wines of the Médoc (which focus heavily on Cabernet Sauvignon), Saint-Émilion wines are predominantly made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The other traditional Bordeaux varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Petit Verdot and Malbec) are permitted for use here, but are rarely used to any significant extent.

This is not so much a question of taste and style as one of terroir; the clay and chalk rich soils around Saint-Émilion are generally cooler than those on the Médoc peninsula, and are less capable of ripening Cabernet Sauvignon reliably. Merlot makes up around two thirds of vines planted around Saint-Émilion, and continues to increase in popularity because of the softer, more approachable wine styles it produces.

There are two notable exceptions to this: Château Cheval Blanc, where Cabernet Franc occupies 58 percent of the vineyard area, and Château Figeac, where Merlot, Cabernet Franc and (more unusually) Cabernet Sauvignon enjoy equal representation in both vineyard and wine.

On the whole, the prevalence of Merlot in Saint-Émilion means that its wines are approachable at an earlier age than their more astringent, tannin-rich cousins from the Médoc. This is a key factor in their appeal and popularity in markets all around the world, and particularly in the United States.

Vineyard Soils

Geologically speaking, Saint-Émilion can be divided into three main vineyard areas. The most significant is the limestone plateau on which Saint-Émilion town is located, and the slopes around it. Most of the very top vineyards and châteaux are located here, within a mile of the town (Cheval Blanc and Figeac again provide two notable exceptions to the rule).

Immediately south of the limestone plateau is the alluvial, sandy plain which slopes gently down to the banks of the Dordogne. Few wines of any note are produced here, and none of the Grand Cru Classe properties are located here.

In the northwestern corner of the Saint-Émilion area is an ancient alluvial terrace, formed by glacial activity at the very beginning of the Quaternary period roughly 2 million years ago. This boasts the same free-draining 'gunzian' gravels as are found in the best properties of the Graves and Médoc. The two most famous châteaux here (Cheval Blanc and Figeac) are consequently able to grow and ripen both Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

This terrace – known as the Graves de Saint-Émilion – continues westwards into neighboring Pomerol. It underpins the vineyards of such revered estates as Le Pin and Petrus. 

Badon Botique Hotel

We stayed at the Badon Boutique Hotel, which is right in the center of the medieval village of Saint-Émilion.

Badon Botique Hotel: You enter a world soulfully rooted in the wine world, in a family spirit: a smiling team and a personalized welcome, constant support, international hospitality and a lasting relationship with customers. You will also find a different approach to tourism, where luxury is enjoying time and moment on a 4star hotel!

Badon Boutique Hotel belongs to Saint-Émilion Star-Winemaker Jean-Luc Thunevin and his wife Murielle Andraud.

See: Tasting were it all Started: At the "Garage" of Jean-Luc Thunevin, Owner and Winermaker of Château Valandraud, Premier Grand Cru Classé since 2012 - Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy WineTours 2016, France



Afternoon/ Evening Tour of Saint-Émilion

An English speaking guide led us on a walking sightseeing tour through the romantic, spectacular medieval town of Saint-Emilion perched on the edge of a limestone plateau. We visited the underground monuments and the unique monolith church hewn into the rock the town rests on. Saint-Emilion is a UNESCO world heritage site!








Dinner

On the first evevening we had a lovely al fresco dinner on the central market place, soaking in the spectacular architectural heritage and breathtaking atmosphere of illuminated Saint-Emilion.




Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France (Published and Forthcoming Postings)

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Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Tasting at Château La Conseillante, Appellation Pomerol, with General Manager/ Winemaker Marielle Cazaux - Bordeaux Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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Lunch at Restaurant L’Atelier de Candale in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Tour and Cellar Tasting at Tertre-Rôtebœuf with Owner/ Winemaker François Mitjavile, Appellation Saint-Emilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

Vineyard Tour in a Golf Cart and Tasting at Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, Premier Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Winery Tour and Tasting at Château Dassault with the Managing Director, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France 

Gourmet Wine-pairing Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur, Pomerol, with Dany Rolland - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Couvent des Jacobins, Grand Cru Classé, Appellation Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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

Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France

3 Days and Nights in the Spectacular Medieval Town of Saint-Émilion - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

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