Location and extent
Saint-Estèphe is a commune appellation in the Bordeaux region. Its geographical area corresponds to the commune of Saint-Estèphe on the left bank of the Gironde between Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave. The vineyard area covers, according to INAO, around 1,250 hectares.
Terraces and climate
The appellation comprises gravel terraces running parallel to the Gironde at elevations of around 4 to 40 metres. Streams and drainage ditches have divided the terraces and formed raised gravel ridges. The Quaternary gravel deposits are usually around ten metres thick and lie on marls and limestones of the Eocene and Oligocene.
The soils on the gravel ridges are predominantly sandy-gravelly or loamy-gravelly; in the west, shallow, thin soils of rendzina type over limestone occur. At Château Montrose, gravel with sand overlies a clay-rich subsoil that stores water at depth. The proximity to the Gironde there moderates excessive spring cold and summer heat, while prevailing north-westerly winds, after rainfall, contribute to reducing moisture.
Grape varieties and wine profile
For red appellation wines, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenère, Cot, Merlot and Petit Verdot are permitted. The wines are often shaped by Cabernet Sauvignon; Merlot is often used for fruit and roundness. Saint-Estèphe AOC is reserved exclusively for still red wines. They are described as intensely coloured, full-bodied and powerful, with a pronounced tannin structure and the ability, through multi-year ageing, to gain roundness, fruit and finesse.
Viticulture and ageing
New plantings must have at least 7,000 vines per hectare. The vines are subject to specified training systems and a maximum of twelve fruiting buds per vine. The specified yield is 57 hectolitres per hectare, the regular maximum yield 63 hectolitres. Before any new planting, a physical and chemical analysis of the soil is required.
At Château Montrose, leaf and yield thinning have been used since 2006. Harvesting takes place by hand in open crates, following tasting by plot. The grapes are picked by hand from the bunch, visually assessed on the berries, and then sorted again manually. The lots are fermented separately in temperature-controlled stainless steel vessels. The wine, which is predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon, matures in a structured, tannin-emphasised style with a long ageing potential; the top wine is aged for 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels.
History and appellation regulations
Saint-Estèphe was already known as early as the 13th century for high-yield vineyards, the cultivation of which there was more profitable than growing cereals. In the 19th century, many of the major estates that are characteristic of Saint-Estèphe were established. Five estates from Saint-Estèphe were included in the Bordeaux classification of 1855. The appellation was first recognised by decree in 1936. Its wines must mature for at least until 1 June of the year following the harvest and may be marketed to consumers from 1 September of the same year.
