Appellation
Saint-Estèphe
Identity card
VillageAOPRed
Bordeaux › Médoc · Recognised on 14 November 1936
- Village
- Regional
Key points
- Red only, from the commune of Saint-Estèphe alone.
- The northernmost of the Médoc's communal appellations.
- Cabernet Sauvignon usually leads; Merlot suits the western limestone.
Grape varieties
Red wine only
Allowed varieties
Cabernet SauvignonMerlotCabernet FrancPetit VerdotCot
A sixth variety on the list, on an equal footing: Carmenère
Production rules
57
hl/ha
Maximum yield
11
% ABV
Minimum natural alcohol
7,000
vines/ha
Minimum planting density
Minimum ageing: At least until 1 June after the harvest
- Maximum yield
- How much wine a hectare may produce under the appellation (a higher, exceptional ceiling often exists). The lower it is, the less can be made: one of the levers on how concentrated the grapes are. For reference: 35 hl/ha to 80 hl/ha across 67 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum natural alcohol
- The alcohol the grapes' own sugar must be able to give, without enrichment: a ripeness threshold at harvest. For reference: 9 % ABV to 12.5 % ABV across 63 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum planting density
- The fewest vines allowed per hectare. For the same yield, more vines means fewer grapes on each. For reference: 4,000 vines/ha to 9,000 vines/ha across 75 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum ageing
- A minimum ageing period the specification requires before the wine may be sold to consumers.
Terroir
- Soils: Sandy or clayey gravel mounds; limestone to the west
- Lie of the land: Gravel terraces 4 to 40 m above sea level, cut by jalles
- Water: Mounds very close to the Gironde estuary
Wine style
- deep red colour
- robust frame
- broad tannic structure
- needs years of ageing
Boundaries: INAO, AOC vineyard plot delimitation (September 2026 edition) · Open Licence
Specification
27 April 2026
Arrêté du 27 avril 2026 homologuant le cahier des charges de l'AOC « Saint-Estèphe » (NOR AGRT2605307A, JORF n°0102 du 30 avril 2026, texte n°31), qui abroge l'arrêté du 26 octobre 2021. Appellation initialement reconnue par le décret du 14 novembre 1936.
Nearby appellations
Sources
- Official sourceArrêté du 27 avril 2026 homologuant le cahier des charges de l'AOC « Saint-Estèphe »— Légifrance — Journal officiel de la République française
- Reference bookThe Oxford Companion to Wine— Oxford University Press
- Official sourceLe classement GCC 1855 par appellation — Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855— Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855 (Médoc & Sauternes)
- Official sourceDélimitation parcellaire des AOC viticoles de l'INAO (jeu de données ouvert)— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) / data.gouv.fr
- Trade bodyVins de Bordeaux — site officiel du Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux— Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB)
The northernmost red communal appellation of the Médoc, recognised by decree on 14 November 1936, Saint-Estèphe has five classified growths of 1855, among them the second growths Cos d'Estournel and Montrose, which face each other above the estuary. Its gravel sits on thicker clay beds than Pauillac's: water is better held, and the wines are firmer, higher in acid and slower to open.
Classifications
The Official Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 — Médoc and Graves
| Tier | Estate | Since |
|---|---|---|
| Third Growths | Château Calon Ségur | 1855 |
| Fourth Growths | Château Lafon-Rochet | 1855 |
| Second Growths | Château Cos d'Estournel | 1855 |
| Second Growths | Château Montrose | 1855 |
| Fifth Growths | Château Cos Labory | 1855 |
Mini-challenge
Saint-Estèphe
3 questions on Saint-Estèphe, all answered right, and the appellation is mastered in your Atlas.
Preparing the mini-challenge…