I regularly visit St. Emilion, on the annual Bordeaux Tour by ombaisy. St. Emilion is a very magic place, a medieval village, full of narrow, steep streets. In 1999, the town was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, due to the uniqueness of its territory and some of the monuments that can be visited in the medieval village, first of all the Monolithic church with its bell tower, the Europe's largest underground church carved into the rock.
See here:
Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy
Ombiasy Wine Tours: Bordeaux Trip Coming up in September 2013
St Emilion's history stretches back to Roman times, when the Roman ruler Decimus Magnus Ausonius founded a small property here in the 4th century, when the Romans controlled Gaul (France). Ausonius’ name has been immortalized in the famous St-Emilion winery, Chateau Ausone.
St Emilion's founding father was a Benedictine Monk called Emilian. Emilian spent the last decades of his life creating a large cave in which he lived until his death in 787. His work was taken over by the Monks who continued to create a vast network of caves, catacombs and eventually the Church that stands today. After Emilian´s death, the settlement continued to prosper and grew into an important outpost of the Aquitaine province in the 12th century. St Emilon's peaceful existence was shattered during the Hundred Years War, a conflict between England and France for control of the French throne and control of her territories, which engulfed France from the mid-1400s. After the conflict ended, St Emilion enjoyed a peaceful existence, which lasted until the French Revolution in 1789.
The 1800s were a great time for Bordeaux's winemakers, as their produce was finding massive favour across Europe fuelling a newfound era of prosperity for St Emilion's many chateaux.
See also:
Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France
The Saint Emilion 2012–2022 Classification, Bordeaux
Wine Bars
There is only a very limited number of wine bars in St. Emilion. Here are ma favorites.
Chai Pascal
37, Rue Guadet
My #1 wine bar in St. Emilion. Chai Pascal is a small, relaxed place, with lovely wines and a limited but interesting food menu. Note that there is only one chef in the kitchen.
Chai Pascal is run by Pascal Fauvel, and Catherine Papon-Nouvel, the owner of three St. Emilion chateaux: Château Gaillard, Château Petit Gravet Ainé and Clos Saint Julien. Catherine’s wines are of course on offer but also many of her colleagues’ wines.
L'Envers du Decor
11, rue du Clocher
Owned by winemaker Francois de Ligneris (ex-owner of Chateau Soutard) this lively wine bar and bistro has a great list of interesting wines, with many by the glass. A favorite with locals who sit at the bar for wine by the glass or eat there. Locals call this place an "institution".
The outdoor setting in the courtyard is lovely, especially on a warm summer night.
Le Bouchon
3 place du Marche
Not a wine bar, but still included in the list. The Bouchon is located in the central square of St. Emilion where it occupies a large outdoor space. The food is average, but the wine list is quite serious, including an impressive list of Tertre Rotebeuf wines. Foremost, it is a great location during a warm summer night for a magical moment in the heart of St. Emilion.
Lard et Bouchon
22, rue Guadet
Restaurant and wine bar in a medieval cellar.
Les Delices du Roy
1, rue de la Porte Bouqueyre
Good value and good choice of wine by the glass, including the owner's own Gand Cru St. Emilion.
Le Bistrot des Vignobles
Rue de la Porte Bouqueyre
Schiller’s Favorites
This posting is part of the Schiller’s favorites series. Here is a full list of all Schiller’s favorites postings so far.
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in St. Emilion, France
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Seattle, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Washington DC, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Restaurants, Brasseries, Bistros, Cafes and Wine Bars in Paris, France
Schiller’s Favorite Crab Houses in the Washington DC Region, USA
Schiller’s Favorites at the 2013 Riesling and Co Tasting in New York City, USA
Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) on North America Tour in Washington DC - Schiller’s Favorites
Schiller’s Favorites from the VDP Grosses Gewaechs – Grand Cru – Presentation at Kloster Eberbach, 2012, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in New York City, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in London, UK
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Wine Spots in Vienna, Austria
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City), France
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Budapest, Hungary
Schiller’s 12 Favorite Restaurants of Antananarivo, the Capital of Madagascar
Schiller's Favorite Apple Wine Taverns in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Schiller’s Favorite Spots to Drink Wine in Vienna, Austria (2011)
Schiller’s Favorite Wine Taverns in Mainz, Germany
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars and Other Places Where You Can Have a Glass of Wine in Healdsburg, California
schiller-wine - Related Postings
Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy
Ombiasy Wine Tours: Bordeaux Trip Coming up in September 2013
Saint Emilion Wines and their Classification, Bordeaux, France
The Saint Emilion 2012–2022 Classification, Bordeaux
Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux (City), France
Owner Jean-Bernard Grenié and Wine Journalist Panos Kakaviatos Presented the Wines of Chateau Angélus and Chateau Daugay at Black Salt Restaurant in Washington DC, USA
The Wine Empire of the von Neipperg Family in France, Bulgaria and Germany
A Morning at Château Canon La Gaffeliere in Saint Emilion with Owner Count Stefan von Neipperg, Bordeaux
Vin Bio de Bordeaux - At Château Beauséjour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France
Château Figeac, Saint-Émilion - A Profile, France
An Afternoon with François Mitjavile at his Tertre Rôtebeouf - A Saint Emilion Cult Wine Producer
Lunch at Place de L’Eglise Monolithe in Saint Emilion and Visits of 3 Châteaux: Tertre Roteboeuf, Figeac and Beausejour