Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion

The Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion appellation is one of Saint-Emilion's "satellite" appellations, located about 30 miles east of Bordeaux, northeast of Saint-Emilion on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Granted an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) status on November 14, 1936, only wines harvested within the commune of Puisseguin are eligible to bear this designation. The production area covers approximately 750 hectares, producing around 35,000 hectoliters per year.

The Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion vineyard is planted on mainly clay-limestone soils, sometimes composed of silty sand. To the north and northeast of Saint-Emilion, the Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion vineyard enjoys good south-southeast exposure. The entire area rests on a stony, porous substrate that provides the vines with a good supply of water, even during dry periods. As a general rule, winters are mild, summers are hot, and autumns are long and sunny. The vineyard thus offers ideal conditions for harvesting perfectly ripe, healthy, and concentrated grapes.

The appellation produces exclusively red wines from the CabernetFranc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot grape varieties. It is a high-quality appellation, with production yields set at 45 hectoliters per hectare. The Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion AOC decree also allows the use of two other grape varieties: Malbec (or Côt) and Carménère, but only Malbec is still used, albeit anecdotally. On the palate, Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion wines charm with their fleshy, pulpy texture, which is never heavy. The tannins are present but finely coated, ensuring good aging potential. The wines of Château Rigaud and Château Langlais are prime examples of this.