Saint-Emilion is an appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine in the Bordeaux wine region of France, where it is situated in the Libourne subregion on the right bank of the Dordogne. Saint-Emilion is registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

Its 5,400 hectares (13,000 acres) represent 67.5% of the total area of wine-producing communes (Saint-Emilion, Saint-Christophe-des-Bardes, Saint-Hippolyte, Saint-Étienne-de-Lisse, Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, Saint-Pey-d’Armens, Saint-Sulpice-de-Faleyrens, Vignonet, and a part of the Libourne commune) and 6% of the total Bordeaux vineyard.

The wines of Saint-Emilion are typically blended from different grape varieties, the three main ones being Merlot (60% of the blend), Cabernet Franc (nearly 30%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (around 10%).

In 1955 the wines of Saint-Emilion in the wine-growing region of Bordeaux were classified.  Unlike the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 covering wines from the Médoc and Graves regions, the Saint-Émilion list is updated every 10 years or so.

Following the initial classification, the list was updated in 1969, 1986, 1996 and most recently in 2006.  However the 2006 classification was declared invalid following a series of legal actions, and the 1996 version of the classification has been reinstated for the vintages from 2006 to 2009.

The region’s Syndicat Viticole started planning for a classification of St.-Émilion wine in 1930, but it was not until October 7, 1954 that the principles behind the classification became official when the INAO agreed to take responsibility for handling the classification. The first list of classified St.-Émilion estates was published on June 16, 1955, and was amended on August 7 and October 18, 1958. The original list contained 12 Premier grands crus classés and 63 Grands crus classés.

As of the new classification in 2012, there are currently four estates at the highest level: Château Angélus, Château Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc and Château Pavie. Previously, Château Ausone and Château Cheval Blanc were the only two estates at this classification level.

The 2012 classification

The 2012 classification was conducted differently than previous efforts, with tastings and inspections outsourced by INAO to independent groups with no involvement by St.-Emilion Wine Syndicate and Bordeaux wine trade, but instead wine professionals from Burgundy, the Rhône Valley, Champagne, the Loire Valley and Provence made up a seven-person commission.

There is no longer a fixed number of châteaus which can be classified, and the new rankings elevated Château Pavie and Château Angélus to Premier Classe A.  Among new Premiers grands crus were Larcis Ducasse, Canon-la-Gaffelière and garagiste producers Valandraud and La Mondotte, while Château Magdelaine was omitted from the list as it will be merged with Château Bélair-Monange.

Château La Tour du Pin Figeac (Moueix) did not apply for the 2012 classification, as it was being merged with Chateau Cheval Blanc.

The classification comprises 18 Premiers grands crus classés and 64 Grands crus classés.