Saint-Emilion has some of the finest terroir in France. The magic combination of sunny, maritime climate and cool clay-and-limestone soils is perfect for merlot, and has made Cheval Blanc and Ausone two of the most... Read More
Saint-Emilion has some of the finest terroir in France. The magic combination of sunny, maritime climate and cool clay-and-limestone soils is perfect for merlot, and has made Cheval Blanc and Ausone two of the most exalted wines in the world. But they're incredibly expensive, too!
Fortunately, the fabulous terroir isn't exclusive to these estates; Saint-Emilion happens to be the largest AOC in Bordeaux. This means you can find some remarkable values, if you know where to look.
One key to finding great Saint-Emilion is looking for Chateaux on the limestone plateau, around the town itself. When you head down from the plateau, the soils become sandier and the wines (generally speaking) lighter and less structured. There are plenty of good wines down there, of course. But the plateau is where you find Cheval Blanc and Ausone, and other Right Bank superstars like Figeac, Pavie, and Tertre Roteboeuf.
It's also where you find Chateau Corbin, one of our favorite authentically delicious Saint Emilions – and one that's far less expensive too!
Corbin, a Cru Classé with 15th century roots, is classically beautiful and terroir-expressive. And what terroir: it's also only about 1 kilometer from Cheval Blanc! Corbin doesn't cover up what they've got by working in the overblown, syrupy style that was trendy a decade ago. This is an elegant, even timeless, wine that expresses that limestone magic through merlot deliciousness.
