You have ever heard of Pomerol or St Emilion? Know where to spot and what are the main characteristics of these prestigious appellations.

The Bordeaux wine region is one of the largest in France and it is not easy to remember all the chateaux and vineyards. In a previous article, we talked about Bordeaux Left Bank.

A little bit of geography

“Right bank” is used for all the vineyards located on the right bank of the Gironde and Dordogne rivers.

This region is limited by the Bourgeais and Blayes vineyards in the north-west and by the Castillon vineyards in the east. Between those, St Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac vineyards are also part of the right bank.

The soil is mostly clay (Pomerol and St Emilion) or rocky (Fronsac).

St Emilion

Located more than 50km away from Bordeaux on the right bank of Dordogne river, St Emilion vineyards produce some of the most famous wines in the world. The “hill of the thousands chateaux”, as it is called, was classified as world’s heritage by UNESCO.

The main cepage in St Emilion is Merlot. It is commonly blended with Cabernet-Franc and Cabernet-Sauvignon.

Pomerol

Pomerol was made famous by the Merlot cepage and the generous clay soil. The Pomerol appellation is prestigious, yet the quality of the wines is heterogeneous. Pomerol appellation produces fine wines, rich in tannins, with a silky and delicate taste.

Fronsac

The Fronsac appellation is famous for being a birth bed of great wines. Located just after the St Emilion vineyards, the soil of Fronsac is mostly and washed out by the rain. The main cepage grown in the Fronsac is Merlot. Blended with Libournais cepage, the wine produced there are very rich in tannins and made to be aged.

Remember that the right bank region is mainly composed of three appellations, St Emilion, Pomerol and Fronsac. Merlot is the king cepage, and has made the fame of this region. Right bank vineyards produce some of the greatest red wines in France.

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