Road Trip! Saint-Emilion StylePosted on 1st November 2022

A recent trip to Bordeaux, more specifically Saint-Emilion has just left me in awe of the region and emphasized just how special this wine really is.

As we pull off the motorway in rush hour traffic, slowly moving away from the centre of Bordeaux we start to see rows upon rows of black grapes, and this stuff is planted everywhere! We head east for about an hour and eventually the traffic disappears and you feel like you are stepping back in time to simpler days.

 Before long we get to the small commune that is Saint-Emilion. A tiny village of little under two thousand people all  ready to put in the graft to produce some of the best wine in the world. 

 We park up and take a wander into the village in search of the red nectar. Admittedly, it did not take us long. With  wine shops dotted everywhere sandwiched between restaurants ready to serve you at sunrise what’s not to love!?

 We made an afternoon out of visiting wine shops and taking notes in preparation for a project coming soon. So  keep your eyes peeled!

While walking shop to shop we are constantly being handed glass after glass of wine. These tasters are complimentary and made us feel very welcomed by the village. 

Before long we stumbled across Chateau La Couronne Grand Cru Classe. An instantly recognisable label and something I hadn’t sampled in a few years. Within the hour we are back at our lodgings, the cork is off and the glasses are full. A classic left bank blend made up of 60% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc grown on old vines that are around 25 years old makes for a complex but easy drinking experience. Producing only 60,000 bottles per year this Grand Cru Classe bottle is a rarity, and one that we believe should be tried by everyone! 

This year the Chateau and surrounding area have experienced a lack of rainfall and extreme heat. This impacts yields negatively and decreases the amount of wine produced. The Greta Thunberg’s out there will quite rightly point out that this is due to global warming. But that doesn’t stop these dedicated producers doing what they love and producing some phenomenal wine. 

This wine is currently on offer at £14 per bottle which is superb value for money! 

Whoever said good wine has to be expensive?