St-Emilion: Drinkers' Vintages

Explore your passion with some of the wine industry’s best kept secrets, and experience the best the world has to offer at great value.

Home to Many Famous Chateaux

Located in the eastern Libournais district of Bordeaux, St-Emilion is one of the most famous appellations in the world.
St-Emilion is important due to three key factors; its rich history, footprint under vine, and quality wines.
FTWC has hundreds of collectable St-Emilion bottles on offer, including wines from Chateau Cheval Blanc, Chateau Angelus, Chateau Ausone, and Chateau Pavie.

Wines produced in lower scoring vintages can have some advantages!
The great chateaux in the appellation will not sacrifice production quality, even though the weather might not have yielded the greatest vintage conditions.
Moreover, often these wines can be enjoyed earlier at far more reasonable price points compared to their higher-scoring vintage counterparts.
These wines should be considered by wine lovers to share their passion with friends and family.

2006: 89 pts.

2007: 86 pts.

2008: 88 pts.

After a difficult growing season, late September weather allowed early-ripening Merlot to catch up. Right Bank wines fleshier than Left Bank.

2011: 91 pts.

St.-Emilion Cabernet Franc excelled, buttressing the Merlot. Solid vintage that should age fairly nicely.

2013: 86 pts.

Merlot generally soft and forward but prime spots on limestone and gravel handled late rains better. Cabernet Franc also performed well, bolstering St.-Emilion. Generally more consistent than on Left Bank but still for early consumption.

2014: 91 pts.

A good spring was followed by a grey, humid summer, with slightly more rainfall than on the Left Bank. Merlot solid, but wines with Cabernet Franc the sweet spot as well-drained gravel soils were favored over clay.

2017: 92 pts.

Warm, dry growing season, with spring frost hitting low-lying areas of St.-Emilion and satellites particularly hard. Cloudy July kept wines on the fresh, pure side, with good acidity and modest tannins. St.-Emilion atop the limestone plateau is excellent.

* Per Wine Spectator

1. Collectible Bordeaux

St-Emilion is home to some of Bordeaux’ most famous chateaux, including Cheval Blanc and Ausone. Until their recent voluntary departure from the classification system, the two chateaux made up the prestigious “Premiers grand crus classe A”. Several wines from St-Emilion are prized for their collectability and ageing potential.
2. A Rich History

St-Emilion began the international wine trade in the 13^th century. Centuries of trade have made St-Emilion the most organized appellation in Bordeaux.
3. Classic yet Modern

In 2019, the St-Emilion AOC made it appellation law mandating all producers and growers practice sustainable vineyard farming techniques. St-Emilion was the first leading appellation in Bordeaux to do so.
4. Quality and Quantity

A large appellation of roughly 5500 hectares under vine, St-Emilion’s clay and limestone soils produce fine Merlot and Cabernet Franc. More than 800 producers and growers occupy St-Emilion’s vast area.