Saint-Estèphe wines are powerful, concentrated and rich, with sometimes austere, gritty tannins in their youth, and hallmark notes of cassis, tobacco, cigar box and crushed stone. These full-bodied blends of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot can age extremely well. Saint-Estèphe is situated in the northern end of Bordeaux's Haut-Médoc, with grapes grown on gravel soils atop a clay base. The soils here have poor drainage, which delays ripening and often results in wines with a higher acidity than those from further south in the Médoc.