Editor’s Note :
Travel is more than movement—it is a way of reading the world.
Cultural Express launches Hidden Pattern, a new column by USC professor Cheng-Ming Chuong and Violet Shen, former Director of Clinical Research at Children’s Hospital of Orange County.
Through words and images, they explore landscape, culture, nature, and science—revealing the traces of time, the path of evolution, and the hidden order of the world.
Introduction:
After a recent journey to Bordeaux, our columnists present a three-part series exploring its historical city, legendary queen, and thousand-year wine tradition—revealing the history and culture flowing through every glass of wine.
Less than an hour east of Bordeaux, golden stone gives way to rolling hills and endless rows of vines.
A church spire rises above the green—and Saint-Émilion, a wine village shaped by a thousand years, quietly comes into view.
Green Hills, Golden Village
Winegrowing in Saint-Émilion dates back to Roman times. In the eighth century, the hermit Émilion is said to have lived in a limestone cave here; followers gathered, and the town eventually took his name.
Over centuries, churches, monasteries, vineyards, and villages spread across the hills, weaving faith, farming, and wine into one enduring landscape.
Today, green vines sweep across limestone plateaus and clay slopes, dotted with châteaux, farmhouses, and church spires.
Each parcel has its own soil, sunlight, exposure, and microclimate, giving every wine a distinct voice.
In 1999, the Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site—not simply for its medieval town or famed châteaux, but for a wine culture shaped by nearly two thousand years of life between people and land.
Bordeaux holds two contrasting treasures: the Port of the Moon, shaped by river and trade, and Saint-Émilion, shaped by vines and time.
One tells the story of a city facing the world; the other, of generations rooted to the soil. Together, they reveal the soul of Bordeaux.
Two Grapes, One Harmony
On Bordeaux’s Right Bank, Saint-Émilion is defined by Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Merlot brings ripe fruit and velvety richness; Cabernet Franc adds fragrance, freshness, and structure.
The true art lies in assemblage—the blending of wines from different grapes and vineyard parcels.
More Merlot brings softness and depth; more Cabernet Franc sharpens aroma and line.
Like music, each wine has its own voice, yet all must meet in harmony. No vintage is ever repeated. Every bottle becomes a memory of sun, rain, soil, and human touch.
Roses Guard, Terroir Remembers
At the ends of vineyard rows, roses still bloom.
Once used to watch for disease and mark where horses should turn, they remain today as a graceful vineyard tradition.
More than markers, the roses seem like quiet guardians of the vines—bright reminders of a time when life followed the rhythm of hands and seasons.
Roses bloom and fade; grapes grow and ripen. Time says nothing, yet leaves its mark on everything.
Oak Holds, Time Ripens
Saint-Émilion’s cellars often lie deep beneath limestone, where rows of oak barrels rest in naturally cool, humid air.
A trace amount of oxygen seeps through the pores of the wooden barrels, softening the tannins while developing aromas of vanilla, cedar, coffee, and cocoa.
In the cellar, the one irreplaceable ingredient has always been time; all the winemaker can do is wait, watch, and taste.
During tasting, terroir suddenly becomes real: soil, slope, climate, grape, craft, and human choice meet in a single glass.
Stepping back into the vineyards, one truth becomes clear: great Bordeaux wine is not simply made. It is slowly shaped by nature, tradition, craftsmanship, and time.
Old Walls, Endless Wine
Among the vineyards stands Les Grandes Murailles, the surviving wall of a thirteenth-century Dominican church.
Its Gothic stone has endured war, weather, and eight centuries, while young vines still bud and bear fruit at its feet.
Ancient ruins and new life meet in one unforgettable view.
At sunset, the vineyards turn deep gold, and roses still guard the vines. The scene recalls our first morning in Bordeaux, when the Garonne and its stone façades awakened in golden light.
What makes Bordeaux unforgettable is not wine alone, but the centuries held within its rivers, streets, churches, vineyards, and cellars.
What we savor is more than fragrance in a glass. It is time, culture, and memory.
And as the final aroma slowly fades, Bordeaux remains—lingering in the heart like the last trace of a beautiful wine.（ Part 3 of 3)
Sidebar Spotlight | A Taste of Bordeaux: Canelé
Beneath its deeply caramelized, crisp shell lies a soft, custardy heart. One bite opens with bittersweet caramel, followed by warm notes of vanilla, rum, and cream.
Small and fluted, the Canelé captures Bordeaux in a single bite. If wine holds the memory of the land, Canelé carries the city’s sweeter side.
In Bordeaux, savor both: wine remembers the terroir; Canelé remembers the city.
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Mystic Plumage: Unveiling the Colors Behind Bird Feathers
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About the Authors
Dr. Cheng-Ming Chuong is a professor of pathology at the University of Southern California. With a scientist’s eye and a gift for observation, he explores the hidden order of nature and the clues of life.
Violet Shen is the former Director of Clinical Research in Pediatric Brain Tumors at Children’s Hospital of OC.
Now devoted to travel and photography, she captures the beauty of landscape and human life through a discerning lens.