Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion

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Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion: A Unique Wine-Growing Landscape and Historical Site

The Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion, located in the Gironde department of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France, is a remarkable blend of history, culture, and viticulture that earned it a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998. This jurisdiction, which covers an area of approximately 5,500 hectares, is dedicated solely to vine cultivation, making it a unique entity within the global wine industry.

UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Viticulture was introduced to this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans, and intensified in the Middle Ages. The Saint-Emilion area benefited from its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and many churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the 11th century onwards. It was granted the special status of a 'jurisdiction' during the period of English rule in the 12th century. It is an exceptional landscape devoted entirely to wine-growing, with many fine historic monuments in its towns and villages.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

Criterion (iii): The Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion is an outstanding example of an historic vineyard landscape that has survived intact and in activity to the present day.

Criterion (iv): The intensive cultivation of grapes for wine production in a precisely defined region and the resulting landscape is illustrated in an exceptional way by the historic Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion.

Encyclopedia Record: Saint-Émilion

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