Wine lovers, the first time visiting St.Emilion would be a daze of joyous wonder about this renown wine style.
Over time wealthier Pilgrims would arrange for wines from their favorites stops to be transported home and along with a few rumors of miraculous health giving benefits this cemented the reputation of St.Emilion. As the clergy and wine merchants in St.Emilion became wealthy on the profits of the wine they began to become protective of their reputation and in 1189 they obtained a royal charter from King John, England ruled the region until 1453.
The Way of St. James, The Camino and The Invention of Wine Tourism In the period between 740 and 840 AD, the former Roman powerhouse of Bordeaux had become a peripheral, but very active region, a home and political stronghold to Visigoths, whose kingdom ran from northern Spain right the way to Cognac 100km to the north of St.Emilion. In those violent times, wandering ministers and Christian missionaries peppered Europe.
Regulation To have kept their reputation for so long, despite being flooded with tourists for well over 1000 years and put under severe commercial pressure by every wine importer, wine shop and restaurant in the world looking to have a St.Emilion on their list is nor easy or uncontroversial feat.
For the moment, and probably for the next four or five years the current classification stands and visitors who sip the wine and admire the scenery would not even perceive a flicker of sweat in the magnificent façade and global reputation of St.Emilion and its wines.
Irishman Paddy O’Flynn, the founder of the Wine Buff chain of shops throughout Ireland, who is a resident of St.Emilion and owner of a chateau in the region, pointed out one of the proudest secrets of St.Emilion’s 2200 residents.
The four top Class A Chateaux are, Chateau Ausone and Chateau Cheval Blanc who have been there on their own for decades and since the 2012 reclassification they have been joined by Chateau Angelus and Chateau Pavie, two of the longstanding equally high priced and highly regarded St.Emilion wines.
This charter set up standards for wine production, and granted exclusive powers of control and even taxation to what was called the Jurade de St.Emilion. Today, almost 1000 years later the Jurade retains some powers, even though it is largely a ceremonial society now.
Bordeaux St. Emilion Fine Wine are now available at The Oaks Cellars