Graves
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For people named Graves, see Graves (surname). For the medical condition, see Graves-Basedow disease. For graves as in burial, see Grave (burial).
Graves (pronounced /grɑ:v/, meaning 'gravel land' in French) is an important wine region of Bordeaux, producing over 20 million bottles each year. It is the oldest appelation of the Bordeaux region which goes back to Alienor of Aquitaine, who married King Henry the 2nd, creating a flourishing trade between both countries : wine versus coal and iron.
The region stretches 50 kilometers south east from the suburbs of Bordeaux itself along the left bank of the Garonne river, and despite being principally a producer of red wine, it is the only of Bordeaux's regions to be known for both its red and white wines. The area encompasses villages including Sauternes, Pessac, Talence, Léognan, Martillac, St. Morillon, and Portets.
In 1987 the region was split into a second appellation with the creation of Pessac-Léognan, containing most of the producers of its most expensive wines. This has had the effect of devaluing the name and price of wines simply labelled with the Graves appellation.
The area's red wines are generally considered to be more robust than those of Médoc, and are made using a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon, with smaller amounts of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The dry white wines are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
A well known sweet white dessert wine is made in the commune of Sauternes which is located in the southeast corner of the Graves region.
[edit] Classification
Despite its importance, the region was largely overlooked by the famous Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, and only a single producer, Château Haut-Brion, was included, being one of only four wines to be assigned the status of Premier Grand Cru Classé.
After the Second World War the omission of the wines of Graves from the official classification was having a noticeable effect on the price and desirability of wines from the region, and so in 1953 the region announced its own classification of red wines, with white wines being added in 1959. Sixteen wines were given the title Grands Crus Classés, though most now fall in the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
- Château Bouscaut (red & white)
- Château Carbonnieux (red & white)
- Château Couhins (white)
- Château Couhins Lurton (white)
- Château Domaine de Chevalier (red & white)
- Château Fieuzal (red)
- Château Haut-Bailly (red)
- Château Haut-Brion (red)
- Château La Mission Haut-Brion (red)
- Château Latour Haut-Brion (red)
- Château La Tour Martillac (red & white)
- Château Laville Haut-Brion (white)
- Château Malartic-Lagravière (red & white)
- Château Olivier (red & white)
- Château Pape Clément (red)
- Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte (red & white)
Other wines that pass the requirements are labelled Appellation Graves Controlée. In addition, the appellation of Graves Supérieurs Controlée is reserved for the region's sweet white wines.
