Grands vins - Pessac-Léognan - Graves

Pessac-Léognan

Famous appellation long before the Médoc's creation, with beautiful winegrowing terroirs located around Pessac and Léognan, resulting from the separation in 1987 with the Graves appellation, producing mostly red wines (1300 ha, 67 000 hl) and a few dry white wines (265 ha, 15 000hl). Its vineyard is located in 10 towns south and southeast of Bordeaux and includes every Graves Grand Cru Classé such as Château Carbonnieux, Château Haut Bailly and Château Pape Clément as well as first growth Château Haut Brion.

Main grape varieties : Cabernet-sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, malbec, petit verdot for red wines ; sémillon, muscadelle for white wines.

Soils : Gravel, rolled pebble stones.

Style of wines :

Red wines : cherry color with hints of black for these rich and elegant Bordeaux wines. Nose with intense aromas of ripe red fruits, violette, blended with notes of smoke, grilled almonds and resin. In the mouth, fleshy, well-balanced and full-bodied with tight tannins and delight finish on fruits and liquorice.

White wines : light golden color, intensifying with age, for these dry white wines. Intense and complex nose with aromas of stone fruits (peach, nectarine), citrus, flowers, with a hazelnut and beeswax touch. In the mouth, well-balanced between vivacity and fruit, roundness and power. Persistent finish on every aroma of the nose.

Graves

Named after its soils, the Bordeaux Graves. Its wines are all very different as a result of the vineyard's geography, spread over 2700 ha on a 50-km strip. The production is dominated by red wines (1 000 000 hl) but includes a third of the great sweet and dry white wines marketed under the Graves Supérieur appellation.

Main grape varieties : Merlot (mostly), cabernet-sauvignon, cabernet franc for red wines ; sémillon, muscadelle, sauvignon for white wines.

Soils : Gravel, pebbles

Style of wines :

Red wines : deep garnet color for these elegant and sensual Bordeaux wines. Complex nose with aromas of red and black fruits, floral notes and a touch of spices, vanilla, roasting and smoke. In the mouth, robust with a long and generous finish for these great Bordeaux wines which develop fullness and aromatic complexity.

Dry white wines : Glossy golden-green color. Fresh nose with aromas of white fruits, citrus, floral notes and a touch of spices and beeswax. In the mouth, well-balanced between vivacity, roundness and richness with a long and fresh finish on fruits and alcohol.

Sweet white wines : deep yellow color. Aromatic nose with notes of white fruits, citrus and acacia. In the mouth, voliminous and structured with a long finish on fruits.