“Terroir” is a key word when talking about wine. It is a concept that expresses the sum of the different climatic, topographical, geological, soil and other factors that are particular to a region, an area or a particular plot of land and that create a favourable environment for the vine, giving the grapes – and therefore the wine – its unique, recognizable character.
The vineyards of Saint-Emilion fail under the influence of the Aquitaine oceanic climate. The consequent fluctuations of temperature and rainfall are responsible for the variable character of the wine from vintage to vintage. Also with a role to play is the wide variety of soil types, which is one of the major characteristics of the Saint-Emilion wingrowing area.
The terroirs can be classified into four main types.
1 - In the centre of the region is an asteriated limestone plateau, discontinuous in places and dating from the Tertiary Era. It is oriented in an east-west direction between Saint-Etienne de Lisse and Saint-Emilion. The limestone is found at varying depths, but, in general, the roots do not take hold in it.
Different types of soils are found on the plateau:
• west of the village of Saint-Emilion there are thin limestone soils, light in texture (mostly sand and loam),
• east of Saint-Emilion, the soils are mainly heavier limestone-clay, but still only a thin covering,
• in the centre of the plateau, in parts of the villages of Saint-Christophe des Bardes, Saint-Hippolyte and Saint-Etienne de Lisse, the loam-clay soil is over 250 cm deep
2 - Around the plateau, the Fronsac molasse (Oligocene period) comes to the surface on slopes that are generally steeper in the south and west than in the north. The soils that cover it are mostly limestone, often with an loam-clay texture. In the northern part of Saint-Christophe des Bardes, the relief is quite marked ; non-limestone loam-clay and loam soils have developed on the modified molasse. | |
3 - The north-western part of the appellation is covered by a sandy stratum (alluvial deposits from the Quaternary Era) which, in places, lies on top of a sand-clay layer. In certain places, the subsoils have an extremely high clay content. Near Pomerol, on the Figeac terrace, stands a series of gravelly ridges.
4 - In the south, occupied by the Dordogne valley, there is a wide variety of Quaternary alluvial deposits, composed of gravel, sand and loam:
• at the foot of the hills in Saint-Emilion and Saint-Laurent des Combes, the soils are deep and sandy (siliceous). In Saint-Etienne de Lisse and Saint-Hippolyte, the “hill foot” soils are finer in texture, clay or clay-loam.
• in the middle of the alluvial plain, the sandy soils are not very deep.
• nearer to the Dordogne, in a line from Libourne via Saint-Sulpice de Faleyrens to Vignonet, lies a belt of sand-and-gravel soil.
To sum up, we can say that the character of Saint-Emilion wines varies according to the type of soil on which they are produced. This rich diversity adds to the enjoyment of getting to know them.
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