Roman monuments and vestiges bear witness to a rich past and an old wine-growing tradition in the Saint-Emilion area. The Barbarian Invasions put wine growing on hold until it returned to prosperity in the Middle Ages. The
Montagne-Saint-Émilion vineyards were granted AOC status in a decree of 14 November 1936. The Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellation covers the territory of the commune of Montagne and the hamlets of Parsac and Saint-Georges. The Montagne-Saint-Émilion appellation vineyards' 1,450 hectares permit an annual production of wine of around 70,000 hectolitres.
To the north-northeast of the Saint-Emilion hill, the Montagne-Saint-Emilion wine growing area is primarily made up of clay or clay-limestone soils. However, there are some areas of gravel and sand. These all rest on a thick layer of porous, asteriated limestone (micro-fossils of crustaceans dating back to the Secondary Period). During the summer drought, the limestone provides the soil with water via a capillary action. The Montagne-Saint-Émilion vineyards enjoy a temperate oceanic climate with regular rainfall and plenty of summer sunshine and heat. The "Indian summers" enable the grapes to ripen well.
The blend of the Montagne-Saint-Émilion wines primarily uses Merlot and Cabernet Franc, which represent 60% and 30% of the plantings respectively. Montagne-Saint-Emilion wines possess intense aromas of red fruit, undergrowth and cherries, as well as bell peppers, blackberries and liquorice. On the palate, they are broad, warm, well-balanced and blessed with a nice build. They are powerful, elegant, generous wines which are always distinguished, such as the wines from Château Gachon and Château La Chapelle.
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Montagne-Saint-Emilion