One of the famous six communes (alongside Listrac-Médoc, Margaux, Moulis, Pauillac and Saint-Julien) within the French Haut-Médoc region, which are appellations in their own right and are allowed to bear the commune name on the bottle label. It is the northernmost commune and covers around 1,380 hectares of vineyards just under 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 on the Gironde estuary and was an important harbour at the time.
The loamy subsoil over a layer of ferruginous stone consists of clay, loam mixed with stones and limestone. In addition to the dominant Cabernet Sauvignon variety, there is a relatively high proportion of Merlot. The tannin-rich, colourful, long-lasting red wines are characterised by more acidity than the other five.
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Egon Mark
Diplom-Sommelier, Weinakademiker und Weinberater, Volders (Österreich)