Saint-Émilion, a famous medieval town founded in the 8th century around the grotto of the hermit Emilian, is located 40 kilometres northeast of Bordeaux and 8-kilometre from Libourne. With about 5,400-hectre of vineyard, Saint-Émilion produces about 6 percent of the total production of red appellation wines in the Bordeaux area. The wines of Saint-Émilion fall into two appellations: Saint-Émilion and Saint-Émilion Grand Cru. Among classified growths, some of the owners of Saint-Émilion Grands Crus Classés decided to unite forces to jointly promote both their own wines and those of the region. The association is wholly representative of the various zones in which Grands Crus Classés are planted, thus encompassing all the wealth and complexity of the Saint-Émilion area. Together, these properties make up a surface of about 530-hectare or 90 percent of the total surface area of the Grands Crus Classés.