Bordeaux’s Right Bank: Pomerol & St. Émilion
Driving from the Médoc in Bordeaux’s left bank and into the Libournais, Bordeaux´s right bank, something I noticed that was visually different was the landscape. There seemed to be more rolling hills on this side of the river, especially around Pomerol and St. Émilion compared to the left bank regions I visited earlier. The other thing that stood out to me were the estates of the right bank, even the most famous châteaux like Pétrus and Cheval Blanc were more modest, smaller in size and with less grandeur architecture, and most were smaller family run vineyards.
You may have heard people talk about right bank versus left bank Bordeaux wines, and this is rightfully so because there is a difference in style and taste. On both sides of the Garonne river (as well as the area in between called Entre-Deux-Mers) the wines are usually blends made primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc grapes. However, wines from the right bank tend to be heavier on the Merlot, whereas wines on the left bank have more Cabernet Sauvignon. This is because of the ¨terroir¨. On the right bank the clay soil is more ¨Merlot friendly¨ as compared to the gravel/ rocky soil on the left bank that beautifully supports the Cabernet Sauvignon.
On the drive through the Libournais region, I stopped (for photo taking) at Château Pétrus and Château L’Evangile in Pomerol, and Cheval Blanc and Château Angelus in St. Émilion before continuing to the medieval hilltop village in historic St. Émilion.
POMEROL wines are known for their power and elegance. They are smooth and easy to drink with concentrated flavors and with structured but soft tannins.
Château Pétrus
Château L’ Evangile
SAINT ÉMILION wines are diverse which makes it hard to give
Château Angélus
In beautiful Saint Émilion…
The medieval village of Saint Émilion is quaint and charming and if ever visiting Bordeaux is a place you probably don’t want to miss. There are cobblestone streets winding up and down through the town and so comfortable walking shoes are highly recommended.
I learned about Ets Martin on a YouTube video about Saint Émilion. Open bottles are available for tasting and include (of course) mainly wines of Saint Émilion, but also of other regions nearby.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many wine shops in one concentrated area before! The nice things about buying from here is that most merchants will ship directly to the US.
