Baron Philippe de Rothschild St. Emilion 2001
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The appellation takes its name from the famous mediaeval town of Saint-Emilion, a few kilometers north-east of Bordeaux. The vineyard, on the right bank Of the Dordogne, is bordered to the north, by the river Barbanne, to the east, by the slopes of Castillon, to the south, by the Dordogne plain, and to the west by the town of Libourne.
Saint-Emilion Baron Philippe is dominated by merlot (80%), a variety ideally suited to the appellation, especially the limestone soils on which it produces a supple and fruity wine that ages well. Cabernet sauvignon (12%) develops incomparable aromas and tannins that give the wine character and additional ageing potential; cabernet franc (8%) provides elegance.
The wines of Baron Philippe de Rothschild, s.a., a family firm, presided over today by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild, are as much a matter of art as of technical expertise. Combining traditional know-how with experienced personnel and the most modern technology, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, with skill and dedication, transforms the gifts of nature, into works of art and sources of pleasure. The grapes or wines are selected and bought from growers who, over the years, have become true partners, and then vinified, blended and matured by the company’s œnologists at our Saint-Laurent-Médoc winery.
One of the world’s most classic and popular styles of red wine, Bordeaux-inspired blends have spread from their homeland in France to nearly every corner of the New World. Typically based on either Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot and supported by Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, the best of these are densely hued, fragrant, full of fruit and boast a structure that begs for cellar time. Somm Secret—Blends from Bordeaux are generally earthier compared to those from the New World, which tend to be fruit-dominant.
Marked by its historic fortified village—perhaps the prettiest in all of Bordeaux, the St-Émilion appellation, along with its neighboring village of Pomerol, are leaders in quality on the Right Bank of Bordeaux. These Merlot-dominant red wines (complemented by various amounts of Cabernet Franc and/or Cabernet Sauvignon) remain some of the most admired and collected wines of the world.
St-Émilion has the longest history in wine production in Bordeaux—longer than the Left Bank—dating back to an 8th century monk named Saint Émilion who became a hermit in one of the many limestone caves scattered throughout the area.
Today St-Émilion is made up of hundreds of independent farmers dedicated to the same thing: growing Merlot and Cabernet Franc (and tiny amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon). While always roughly the same blend, the wines of St-Émilion vary considerably depending on the soil upon which they are grown—and the soils do vary considerably throughout the region.
The chateaux with the highest classification (Premier Grand Cru Classés) are on gravel-rich soils or steep, clay-limestone hillsides. There are only four given the highest rank, called Premier Grand Cru Classés A (Chateau Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, Pavie) and 14 are Premier Grand Cru Classés B. Much of the rest of the vineyards in the appellation are on flatter land where the soils are a mix of gravel, sand and alluvial matter.
Great wines from St-Émilion will be deep in color, and might have characteristics of blackberry liqueur, black raspberry, licorice, chocolate, grilled meat, earth or truffles. They will be bold, layered and lush.