Saint-Émilion

Infobox Commune de France
nomcommune=Saint-Émilion
région=Aquitaine
département=Gironde
arrondissement=Libourne
canton=Libourne
longitude=00° 09' 17" W
latitude=44° 53' 37" N
insee=33394
cp=33330
maire=Bernard Lauret
mandat=2007-2008
intercomm=Saint-Émilion
longitude=-0.154722222222
latitude=44.8936111111
alt moy=23 m
alt mini=3
alt maxi=107 m
hectares=2702
km²=27.02
sans=2345
date-sans=1999
dens=86|

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion


State Party = FRA
Type = Cultural
Criteria = iii, iv
ID = 932
Region = List of World Heritage Sites in Europe
Year = 1999
Session = 23rd
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/932

Saint-Émilion is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.

History

Saint-Émilion's history goes back to prehistoric times and is a World Heritage site, with fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets.

The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Émilion as early as the 2nd century AD. In the 4th century, the Latin poet Ausonius lauded the fruit of the bountiful vine.

The town was named after the monk Émilion, a travelling confessor, who settled in a hermitage carved into the rock there in the 8th century. It was the monks who followed him that started up the commercial wine production in the area.

Geography

Saint-Émilion is located 35 km northeast of Bordeaux, between Libourne and Castillon-la-Bataille.

ights

* Romanesque church
* Monolithic church, carved from a limestone cliff

Wine

Saint-Émilion is one of the principal red wine areas of Bordeaux along with the Médoc, Graves and Pomerol. The region is much smaller than the Médoc and adjoins Pomerol. As in Pomerol and the other appellations on the right bank of the Gironde, the primary grape varieties used are the Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with relatively small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon also being used by some chateaux.

Saint Émilion wines were not included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. The first formal classification in Saint-Émilion was made in 1955. Unlike the 1855 classification, it is regularly revised.

Château Ausone and Château Cheval Blanc are the only two wines currently classified as "Premiers grands crus classes A" (First Great Growths category A). There are then 13 "Premiers grands crus classés B" and 47 "grands crus classés".In addition, a large number of vineyards are classified as Grand Cru.

Personalities

* Marguerite-Élie Guadet

Gallery

ee also

*Bordeaux wine
*French wine
*Plan Bordeaux
*Bordeaux wine regions
*Classification of Saint-Émilion wine

External links

* [http://www.saint-emilion.org/ Official town website]
* [http://www.saint-emilion.tv/ webtv playing videos on Saint-Emilion]
* [http://www.saint-emilion-tourisme.com/ Saint-Émilion tourist office website]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vPc3TTPpWg Video on Saint-Émilion]
* [http://www.bluephotographie.com/visites_virtuelles/1-visites-virtuelles/19-visite-virtuelle-aerienne-saint-emilion-gironde.html aerial virtual tour of Saint-Émilion]
* [http://www.api-photo.net/PBSCCatalog.asp?CatID=105823 aerial photography of the Saint-Émilion and Aquitaine area]