Montagne-Saint-Emilion is a 'satellite appellation' of the larger Saint-Emilion appellation, to the east of the Bordeaux wine region of France.
Montagne-Saint-Emilion is the largest of Saint-Emilion's satellite appellations. It surrounds the town of Montagne, 3 miles (4.8km) to the north of the town of Saint-Emilion. The existing conditions of the appellation law state that wines made from the Saint-Georges commune (recognized as an independent appellation in its own right) may also be labeled as Montagne-Saint-Emilion.
The grapes permitted within the Montagne-Saint-Emilion appellation are Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot is by far the dominant variety, most often partnered with Cabernet Franc, known in the area as 'Bouchet'. Cabernet Sauvignon is much less commonly planted in the cooler soils of the Saint-Emilion area in general, and only produces wine of reliable quality when planted in very specific spots. The prevalence of Merlot (an early flowering variety) means that the appellation is susceptible to spring frosts, and can lose the majority of its output in a cold year.
To qualify for the Montagne-Saint-Emilion appellation status, wines must contain a minimum of 11 percent alcohol, and must come from vineyards planted to a density of less than 5,500 vines per hectare. Wines made from hybrid vines or vines under three years old do not qualify.
The four Saint-Emilion Satellites are Lussac-Saint-Emilion, Montagne-Saint-Emilion, Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion and Saint-Georges-Saint-Emilion, and they are all located to the north of Saint-Emilion town. Previously Parsac-Saint-Emilion and Sables-Saint-Emilion were valid appellations, but the four named above are those recognized in the early 21st century. They are known as 'satellites' because the area's more prestigious wine estates historically resented these supposedly inferior wines using the Saint-Emilion name. In the middle of the 20th century several appellation boundaries were changed, and the villages of Lussac, Montagne, Puisseguin and Saint-Georges were granted their own independent Saint-Emilion 'satellite' appellation status.
The Barbanne river, which runs roughly parallel to the Dordogne, marks the southern boundary of three of these appellations. The river is of particular significance here because it is the historic boundary between the 'Langue d'oil' and the 'Langue d'oc' - the northern and southern halves of old France respectively. It is from this that the Languedoc wine region derives its name.
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