Right bank, right time: A Saint Emilion visitors’ guide

Working in wine in Bordeaux isn’t exactly the most stressful job in the world. There are many tougher lines of work out there, and tougher parts of the world in which to do them. One clear occupational hazard for the humble wine industry professional here, however, is the busman’s holiday, where friends or family come to visit Bordeaux and, invariably, want to drink some wine or, even worse, visit some wineries.

Luckily, I enjoy few things better than visiting wineries and meeting wine people. I’m currently planning such a trip for some loved ones, and there’s one place above all others that comes to mind: Saint Emilion.

Why visit Saint Emilion

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Saint Emilion is a key sub-region of Bordeaux, located on the right bank of the Dordogne river. It’s a big region known for Merlot-driven red wines, ranging in quality from the barely acceptable to the superb and everything in between. Many of the superb wines are “barely acceptable” in terms of price, but that’s another story. The region plays a crucial role in the Bordeaux wine trade, and it’s also a serious tourist attraction, particularly but not exclusively for those interested in food and drink.

Whether you’re a Master of Wine or a teetotaler, the town of Saint Emilion is worth seeing. Wander around its winding cobbled streets and you’ll find quaint little shops, the odd cat here and there and plenty of wine tours. There’s also plenty of religious stuff to do and see if that’s your thing.

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It’s worth pointing out that the village is a lot more lively (and its streets a lot less slippy) during the summer season, roughly from April to November. This is also the best time to visit the region’s wineries and indeed to enjoy other nearby spots including Bordeaux city, Arcachon, Basque country and so on.

I may be biased, but I feel the best of Saint Emilion revolves around wine and/or food. Visiting wineries is my favourite thing to do here, so that’s a good place to start.

How to book Saint Emilion wine tours

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The best way to arrange a wine tour in Saint Emilion is to book in advance. Most wineries are happy to directly take bookings by phone or email once you give them some notice. There are also several online platforms dedicated to booking wine tours, perhaps the best known being the aptly titled WineTourBooking. The Saint Emilion tourism website is pretty good, too.

There are also specialist wine tour operators out there that will take care of the whole thing for you, though you don’t necessarily need them in order to book winery visits. The benefit of such a company is that they will plan everything, including transport, and will accompany you along the way. Good ones don’t tend to come cheap, but if it sounds like your thing, go for it and let them worry about the details.

Do it yourself

Alternatively, just show up at the tourist office in the village and ask them what tours are available that day. This is a good option if you don’t want to set a concrete schedule and/or are dependent on public transport. The obvious downside here is that you’re at the mercy of that day’s schedule and availability, so you may not have a huge amount of choice. In my limited experience, however, you should probably ask for a complete list of what’s available before taking their first recommendation.

The final option is just to show up at a winery’s cellar door and ask for a tour or tasting. Some wineries welcome this sort of thing while others won’t be at all amused. Most places that welcome drop-ins will say as much with big signage outside, so keep your eyes peeled.

Most Bordeaux châteaux charge for visits, though some don’t. They should tell you at the time of the booking to avoid any nasty surprises, so if there’s any confusion you should just ask. For what it’s worth, I don’t think any Saint Emilion winery charges more than around €45 per person. The vast majority charge considerably less than that. Around €10 per person for a standard tour and tasting would be considered fair, I think.

Three wineries to visit in Saint Emilion

Saint Emilion and its environs are home to some of the world’s greatest wineries. They’re also pretty good at wine tourism; there’s a lot to like here and, in my opinion, no other sub-region comes close in its offer. One could spend a week visiting Saint Emilion wineries, and another one in Pomerol and the various satellite appellations. Most people don’t have that luxury, there being only so many hours in the day and all of that. In that case, here are three wineries that I would happily recommend to anybody.

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1. Château Soutard, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé

The impressive Château Soutard and its stately gardens are interesting enough sights on their own terms, but it just so happens that these guys do wine tourism very well. The insurance group that owns this Grand Cru Classé property has invested heavily and it shows. The custom-built lift between the barrel cellar and underground cave makes for a particularly nice moment, and they offer a mean picnic in their courtyard. I’ve been here a couple of times so far and it is a very reliable go-to wine tour, whether you’re in a big or small group. There is a great team here and they will look after you well. Léa Bodin is an asset to the estate.

2. Château Villemaurine, Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé

The word that stuck with me upon finishing the tour at Château Villemaurine was “ambitious”. Another Grand Cru Classé, Villemaurine has a lot going for it, not least of which is its extensive underground caves. It’s also basically within the town itself, the office located in a car park just beside Rue Guadet. There are different wine tours available, and ours was heavily audiovisual with a focus on the wider region’s history. In terms of execution, I felt that there was room for improvement, but I commend the effort and wouldn’t hesitate to go back.

3. Château Pavie, Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé “A”

The somewhat cumbersome title of “Premier Grand Cru Classé A” is a big deal, and there are only four properties in Saint Emilion upon whom it has been lavished. While Châteaux Ausone and Cheval Blanc are virtually inaccessible to tourists (and many professionals, for that matter), Château Pavie embraces wine tourism. The Perse family are heavy hitters in the region and Pavie is the flagship property in a serious portfolio of estates that also includes Monbousquet and Pavie Decesse. This tour isn’t cheap (this is the €45 per person one), but Pavie is a world-class winery and its wines retail for hundreds of euros, so you should get your money’s worth.

Saint Emilion restaurants

What’s wine without food? No trip to Saint Emilion would be complete without at least a bite to eat, and there is no shortage of restaurants from which to choose. If money is no object, I think it would be hard to beat the Pavie-owned La Table de Plaisance. Head a little way out of town and you’ll find that some wineries boast their own restaurants, such as La Terrasse Rouge at Château La Dominique and Les Belles Perdrix at Château Troplong Mondot.

I haven’t had the good fortune to dine at any of these places just yet, though they’re on my list. I have had lunch several times at the three places below, and would very happily recommend them for any weary wine traveler looking for some sustenance. Word of advice: Dairy-free and vegan cuisine are not yet local specialties.

1. Chai Pascal

Unfussy, with a well-priced menu and a focus on local dishes, Chai Pascal has become my go-to place for lunch in Saint Emilion. Proprietor Catherine Papon-Nouvel also owns a number of nearby wineries including Château Petit Gravet Aîné. They frequently offer some of their own wines and other local stuff by the glass. It’s not all Bordeaux either, with some interesting bottles from the Rhône Valley, Alsace, and Champagne. I like the magret de canard. Keep an eye out for various local château owners sitting at the bar.

2. L’Envers du Décor

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A classic though unpretentious French restaurant and wine bar, L’Envers du Décor is another favourite of mine. The terrace out the back is hard to beat on a hot day. Given its very central location, I don’t find it to be overly touristy, in either its menu offering or its pricing. The the same can’t be said for some of its near neighbours, however, so be careful. Since 2017, it’s been owned by Gerard Perse of Pavie and La Table de Plaisance.

3. La Pizzeria du Vieux Lavoir

Just to upset any French readers, here’s a nice Italian joint to round out my top three. La Pizzeria du Vieux Lavoir has a nice big dining room and terrace, meaning the chances of getting a table on a busy summer’s day are a lot better than at some other places. Service is quick and usually quite friendly, there’s a decent wine list and, as the name may suggest, they do pretty good pizza.

Buying wine in Saint Emilion

You’ve visited some wineries, tasted some wines and eaten well. Before you say goodbye to Saint Emilion, you’re probably going to want a souvenir or six.

I’m not sure precisely how many wine stores (“cavistes“) there are in town, but suffice to say there’s enough to keep you occupied. Jean-Luc Thunevin, the owner of Château Valandraud, has almost ten stores alone. Most cavistes will speak at least a little English, though a well-timed “bonjour” will always be appreciated nonetheless.

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While many shop windows will proudly display bottles of Angélus, Pavie and Cheval Blanc, there’s a lot more on offer than the Grand Cru Classé and their equivalents, and you don’t need to spend a fortune to go home with something special. For those visiting from outside France, most stores can offer some sort of international shipping solution.

Many cavistes will offer wine tasting to visitors, and many will charge you for it. The best thing for both sides is to discuss ahead of time what the policy is so that there are no unpleasant surprises. Some stores will charge a flat rate, some will waive the fee if you buy something, and so on.

You can’t swing one of the town’s several cats without hitting a wine shop, but here are three places worth a look.

1. Maison du Vin de Saint Emilion

Saint Emilion’s Maison du Vin has a very complete range of wines from Saint Emilion and its surrounding areas. There’s no shortage of staff on hand to talk you through them, whether you’re looking to pick up a Premier Grand Cru Classé or something more modest. There’s quite a nice collection of large formats and old vintages, and prices aren’t crazy.

2. The Wine Buff Saint Emilion

I’d be shot if I didn’t mention the Irish guy. Paddy O’Flynn and partner Pilar Manzano’s The Wine Buff is just off one of the village’s main squares, very central yet sufficiently off the beaten track. It’s a homely spot to come in, sit down and chat through an interesting range of wines. They’ve got a nice little terrace outside that is a very pleasant place to sit and chill out on a hot summer’s day. The wine range is a little atypical in that it isn’t totally Bordeaux and Saint Emilion-centric, but that doesn’t hurt it at all.

3. Ets Thunevin

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Jean-Luc Thunevin, the “bad boy” of Bordeaux, has a lot of stores in Saint Emilion. There are two right next door to each other on Rue Guadet if you enter the village from that side, one called L’Essentiel and the other, as far as I know, just called Ets Thunevin. You can usually tell a Thunevin store by some signage outside with little cartoon sheep with names like Bad Boy, Bad Girl or even Baby Bad Boy. These stores unsurprisingly focus quite a bit on Thunevin’s own properties, branded wines and those at which he consults. Many stores have a strong tasting setup.

Getting to Saint Emilion from Bordeaux

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Driving from Bordeaux to Saint Emilion usually takes around 40 minutes. To give yourself the most flexibility and the opportunity to see more of the region, you should look at renting a car.

If that’s not an option, the SNCF runs a handy train from Gare Saint Jean to Saint Emilion. The station is about 15-20 minutes’ walk from the village, though there are usually shuttles (read: little rickshaw things) operating during the summer months. The walk itself is very pleasant, though, and a lot safer than its equivalent in, say, Margaux. There are footpaths and everything. On approach to the town, you also get a great view of the limestone slopes and their vineyards, with Ausone being particularly eye-catching.