Destination of the Week

St Emilion

Going to Bordeaux and not visiting St Emilion is like...well, just don't do it.  This is truly a medieval town - walled and carved out of the hills.  It's a town for wine lovers (actually any lovers) and is conducive to both loving and relaxing.  

You can amble up the lone main road then travel through side streets visiting the cafes, restaurants and wine bars sprinkled throughout this town of about 400.   While inside the city, you can visit a number of museums and churches including The Eglise Monolithe, an entire church carved out of solid limestone over a thousand years ago.

As you look out from the city you'll be gazing on some of the richest vines in the world.  

While there, you'll be tasting wines from the region including Ch. Sociando Mallet and Ch. Roc de Cambes Cotes de Bourg and Figeac St. Emilion.  You'll also probably be lured into sampling macaroons - made locally for more than 300 years.  The wine, though, will divide itself between "old" and "new" as St. Emilion includes a group of chateau owners who are making "new Bordeaux", heavily oaked wines that are much bigger than traditional Bordeaux.

These new wines are known as vins de garage and the producers are garagistes. They're upsetting the grape cart with an upstart approach that yields a high-alcohol-content wine with big, concentrated flavor that makes a statement.   The 2000 Chateau Pavie from Gerard Perse, for example, received a perfect 100 score from Robert Parker.  The taste is big and so is the price!

Where to stay:  There are hotels and even B&B's available which, as you would expect but, if you can, try for one of the 17 rooms at the Auberge de la Comanderie.  It's in the center of the city and offers great views of both landmarks and the surrounding vineyards.

See The Wine Experience Travel Page on Bordeaux

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