Pessac-Léognan

Grapes and style

Pessac-Léognan is one of the few appellations in Bordeaux where both red and white wine of top quality are made. The red wines are based on cabernet sauvignon and merlot, with cabernet franc and petit verdot. They are earthy, smoky and spicy, with ripe red and black fruit.

The white wines are made from sauvignon blanc and sémillon, often matured in oak. They have a rich, complex style with notes of citrus, honey, nuts and smoke.

Location and soil

Pessac-Léognan lies in the northern part of the Graves, around and south of the city of Bordeaux. Some of the vineyards even lie almost up against the urban development. Thanks to the proximity of the city and forests, the area has a mild climate.

The name Graves comes from the gravel that defines the soil here. The gravel is mixed with sand and clay and stores heat, which helps the grapes to ripen. Wines from this area therefore often have a characteristic smoky, mineral note.

Classification and rules

Pessac-Léognan has its own appellation for red and white wine. The best estates are included in a separate classification of the Graves, which covers both red and white wines. An estate may be classified for one or both colours.

This distinguishes it from the classification of the Médoc, which includes only red wines. Besides the Cru Classé wines, there are many unclassified estates with good wines.

Ageing and serving

The red wines from Pessac-Léognan can age for many years and gain earthy complexity as they do so. The white wines keep surprisingly well and develop notes of honey, nuts and dried fruit over the years.

Serve red at 16 to 18 °C and white at 10 to 12 °C. Red goes well with roast meat and game, white with fish, shellfish, poultry and hard cheeses.

Producers in our range

These producers feature in our Pessac-Léognan range: Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Smith Haut Lafitte, Pape Clément, Haut-Bailly, Domaine de Chevalier, Malartic-Lagravière, Carbonnieux, De Fieuzal, La Louvière, Latour-Martillac, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Larrivet Haut-Brion and Couhins-Lurton.

Red and white

Our range includes both red and white wines from Pessac-Léognan, such as Haut-Brion Blanc, La Mission Haut-Brion Blanc and Pape Clément Blanc. From Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion we also have the second wines Le Clarence de Haut-Brion, Les Plantiers du Haut-Brion and La Chapelle de la Mission Haut-Brion.

More from Bordeaux

You will find more wines from Bordeaux under Pauillac, Saint-Émilion, Pomerol, Saint-Julien, Margaux, Sauternes, Saint-Estèphe and Haut-Médoc.