Saint-Estèphe AOC

One of the famous six communes (in addition to Listrac-Médoc, Margaux, Moulis, Pauillac and Saint-Julien) within the French Haut-Médoc region, which are own appellations and are allowed to carry the commune name on the bottle label. It is the most northerly commune and comprises some 1,380 hectares of vineyards just 50 kilometres north of Bordeaux. The area is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the Médoc and dates back to the 13th century. Saint-Estèphe is located at the mouth of the Gironde estuary and was an important port at the time. The loamy subsoil above a layer of iron-rich stone is made up of clay, clay mixed with stones and lime. The soil is more fertile than in the southern municipalities. Besides the dominant variety Cabernet Sauvignon, there is a relatively high percentage of Merlot. The tannin-rich, colour-intensive, long-lasting red wines are characterised by more acidity than the other five.

In Saint-Estèphe there are "only" five of the total of 61 Châteaux that were included in the Grand Cru list at the famous Bordeaux classification in 1855 (see the complete list under Médoc). These are Château Cos d'Estournel (2nd rank), Château Montrose (2nd rank), Château Calon-Ségur (3rd rank), Château Lafon-Rochet (4th rank) and Château Cos Labory (5th rank). There are also around 40 wineries classified as Cru Bourgeois and many as Cru Artisan. These include Château Capbern-Gasqueton, Château de Pez, Château Haut-Marbuzet, Château Laffitte-Carcasset, Château Les Ormes-de-Pez, Château Meyney and Château Phélan-Ségur.

From Domenico-de-ga from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, link
Changes from the original by Norbert F. J. Tischelmayer 2017