Left-Bank Bordeaux Wines: Saint-Julien AC

Located in the middle of the Haut-Médoc district of the Left Bank in Bordeaux, Saint-Julien is the smallest of the fantastic four appellations which include Saint-Estèphe and Paulliac to the north as well as Margaux to the south.  So what sets Saint-Julien apart from the rest of the Haut-Médoc ACs? 

For starters, while its fellow appellations are subject to considerable variation from vintage to vintage, Saint-Julien's wines are thought to exhibit more consistency from year to year.  Stylistically, Saint-Julien wines are said to hold the middle ground amongst the tannic, rustic St. Estephes, the austere, concentrated Paulliacs, and the delicate, perfumed Margaux, and are known for both their structural substance and bouquet as well as their smoothness and finesse.

Another fact that stands out about Saint-Julien is that though in the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wines it had not a single châteaux that ranked in the Premiers Crus (First Growths) category, neither did it have any in the fifth and lowest category, Cinquièmes Crus (Fifth Growths).  In fact, Saint-Julien has the highest percentage of classified châteaux of all the Haut-Médoc ACs -- boasting a total of 11 Crus Classés (Classed Growth) wines.  Also notable is the fact that a full three-quarters of the wine produced in Saint-Julien comes from these 11 Châteaux.

The most highly regarded of Saint-Julien's classified wines are those of Léoville which borders on the Paulliac AC and is centered around the town of Saint-Julien.  Though at one time the largest estate in this appellation, Léoville has since been divided into three separate properties (listed in generally-accepted order of superiority): Château Léoville-Las-Cases, Château Léoville-Barton and Château Leoville-Poyferré, all of which are classified as "Deuxiemes Crus" or Second Growths.