Any true pilgrimage for wine lovers must take them to the city of Bordeaux, and its surrounding wine growing regions. And just 45 minutes from the famed city is the quaint UNESCO Heritage Listed village of St. Emilion.
Fortified with ancient stone walls and criss-crossed by steep cobblestone roads, exploring the medieval village is very much like travelling back in time.
The village was named after a monk from Brittany, who arrived there in the middle of the 8th century to escape persecution, and lived a hermitic life in a cave for 38 years. He developed a reputation for performing miracles and curing illness and infertility, and many followers flocked to the village even after he died. Today, the medieval hilltop village receives more than a million visitors every year.
Although the Romans planted vineyards in the area as early as the 2nd century, it was the monks who followed St. Emilion who started up the commercial wine production. This brought more prominence to the village, which also happened to be opportunely situated along the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain.
The village itself can be explored in a few hours, although one could certainly spend days there, appreciating its rich history, peaceful surrounds and of course fine wines. Scattered throughout are many alfresco dining venues, where the fresh local cuisine can be enjoyed in the warm sunshine and fresh country air. Be sure to try the famous St-Emilion macaroons, the marrons glacés, candied chestnuts and Cannelés Bordelais which are similar to a small sponge cakes.
The most famous landmark is the Monolithic Church. Constructed in the early 12th century, it is partly subterranean with its three naves, and small catacomb beneath dug into the rocky hillside.
Originally the small cave where St. Emilion lived, over 15,000 cubic meters of rock were extracted to allow for the construction of the current church. The arches are 20 meters high, and there are a number of fascinating carvings, including astrological signs of Gemini and Sagitarius, side by side with more recognisable religious iconography.
The cave, or hermitage, of St.Emilion can still be visited, and rising above the church is a dramatic 53-metre high belltower, reaching up above the town and overlooking the picturesque rolling hillsides.
Adjacent to the church is the beautiful Relais & Chateaux Hostellerie de Plaisance, certainly one of finest lodging and dining options in the town. The building is a 200-year-old stone structure, built on the 14th century foundations of a former monastery, and features 18 ornate rooms each named after a famous Chateau, and three suites.
The interior is superbly refurbished with rich draperies and fabrics, elegant furniture and modern amenities, and the rooms offer breathtaking views of the village and surrounding countryside. A modern touch – Wi-Fi access is free for guests throughout the hotel.
The hotel also features a 2-Michelin star restaurant where the wonderful creative talent of Grand Chef Relais & Châteaux Philippe Etchebest can be savoured and matched to selections from the exceptional wine list.
The hotel is owned and managed by husband and wife team Gérard and Chantal Perse, who also own arguably the most renowned winery in the area, Château Pavie. The history of this winery dates back to Roman times like many of its neighbours in St Emilion, where there were orchards of lovely deep-colored peaches or ‘pavie’ in French.
At the end of the 19th century, Ferdinand Bouffard bought a few plots of land from different families to establish Château Pavie, which is more or less the shape of the present winery. Bouffard invested huge amounts of capital and resources to improve the vineyard and winery. Unfortunately phylloxera destroyed most of the grapevines in Bordeaux. Bouffard was not able to continue the business and sold it to Albert Porte, who owned the business until 1943 when Alexandre Valette bought the property. After his death, his grandson Jean-Paul Valette, took over the management of the winery and successfully managed to elevate Château Pavie to Premier Grand Cru Classé B in 1954.
Then in 1998, Valette sold to the current owner Gérard Perse. With big plans and no expenses spared, Perse rebuilt it as a completely modern winery, and also hired the famous flying wine maker Michel Rolland as his consultant.
Nowadays, the wines of Pavie are around 60 percent Merlot, 30 percent Cabernet Franc and 10 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, with an average vine age of 40 years.
Famous wine critic Robert Parker has given consistently high ratings for Château Pavie since Perse took over, with no less than two 100-point wines.
On the 2000 vintage which received 100 points, Robert Parker said: “this is the kind of phenomenal wine that Perse’s critics were afraid he might produce, a no-compromise, immortal wonder that represents the essence of one of Bordeaux’s greatest terroirs, life is too short not to own and consume the 2000 Pavie”.
One of the biggest news stories in the wine world recently, has been the promotion of Château Pavie from Premier Grand Gru Classé B to Premier Grand Gru Classé A, on the classification scale by Saint-Émilion 2012.