On the left bank of the Garonne River, southeast of the city of Bordeaux, rests a sneaky little appellation known by today’s “wine experts” as the “Graves.”
Needless to say, the Graves has a few “skeletons” in its “closet.” Firstly, it is one of Bordeaux’s most historic and versatile “subregions,” encompassing the Graves AOC, which includes the majority of vineyards in the Graves subregion.
Found that confusing? Don’t worry – it was! You see, one of the “neat things” about Bordeaux, is that they love to “nest” their little “AOCs” within other AOCs and/or “subregions,” (sub-sub-regions?) and in spite of being distinct areas, some of them share the same name. Médoc is another such example, but we won’t get too deep into it right now. Suffice to say, today we’re talking about the greater Graves geographic region, which encompasses everything from Pessac Leognan (home of first growth Chateau Haut-Brion) to Sauternes (home of the legendary sweet wine producer Chateau d’Yquem).
But we need not spend fifty bazillion gajillion dollars to get a good bottle of wine from the place. In fact, Graves is often underappreciated and therefore undervalued, which means you can find some outstanding value if you keep your fuzzy little eyes peeled.
DID YOU KNOW… Graves is the only Bordeaux appellation that is “famous” for producing all three of Bordeaux's major “liquid food groups” (dry reds, dry whites and sweet wines).
Terroir, Location, and Climate
The geographic region spans over 50 kilometers (30+ miles) from La Brède to Langon, and though it is the source of some of the most coveted sweet white wines in the world, dry red wines lead in production by volume. The name “Graves,” is a direct reference to its intensely “gravelly soils,” a result of ancient “glacial activity,” which left behind distinctive white quartz pebbles in many vineyards. These dirty little pebbles serve as a welcome distraction from the multitude of “dead bodies” buried below their rocky “under girdles” (NO FACT CHECKING!).
The “terroir” of Graves AOC is defined by a complex mix of gravel, sand, clay, sometimes limestone, and, of course, a little “je ne sais quoi.” These “well-draining” soils facilitate deep root growth, mitigate waterlogging of the precious little vines, and promote mild “water stress,” which can actually be beneficial for wine quality, by “gently encouraging” the obedient little grapevines to concentrate their so-called “energy and resources” on producing smaller, more flavorful berries with thicker skins (LIKE ME!) in the absence of overabundant water supply. The result is wines with greater concentration, complexity and flavor intensity.
The Graves AOC is bordered by pine forests to the west and south, which help buffer temperature extremes, and the Garonne River to the east, which provides essential humidity during dry periods and is critical to the climatic conditions that allow for the production of botrytized wines like Sauternes.
The climate is temperate and oceanic, influenced by the nearby Atlantic, resulting in mild winters and warm, but not overly hot, summers. This “perfect storm” of microclimates allows Graves to produce a remarkable diversity of wine styles.
Varietals and Wine Styles
Graves is planted with the classic Bordeaux grape varieties. For reds, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are the primary “grapes,” often blended with Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. These wines are typically medium to full-bodied, with a signature “gravelly” minerality, “supple” tannins, and aromas and flavors of black fruit, earth, and spice.
In white Graves wines, Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon dominate, sometimes supported by Muscadelle and Sauvignon Gris. The dry whites are known for their freshness, aromatic intensity, and a balance between vibrant acidity and creamy texture, often displaying notes of citrus, stone fruit, and flowers. The southern part of Graves is also famous for its sweet wines (most notably Sauternes), made from grapes affected by a friendly case of “noble rot” (Botrytis cinerea), which concentrates sugars and flavors (we’ll do a deep dive into this unhinged “category” at “another time”).
Winemaking Traditions and “Prestige”
Like most of the “credible” red wines of Bordeaux, the winemaking process for Graves reds typically involves fermenting Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon (often with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec) with their skins to extract color, tannins, and flavor, followed by aging in oak barrels to add complexity and structure.
For whites, blends of Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc are pressed off the skins before fermentation, which is generally conducted at cool temperatures to retain freshness and aromatic purity.
“Entry-level” Graves Blanc (like the one that we “sampled”), is usually fermented and aged in stainless steel, which prevents oxidation or oak influence, resulting in crisp, fruit-forward wines. “Premium cuvées” may undergo barrel fermentation and lees stirring for added texture and complexity.
A “formidable” “highlight” of the region is Château Haut-Brion, one of Bordeaux’s five “First Growths” and the only one located in the humble Graves subregion.
Haut-Brion is known for its elegant, structured reds, which combine depth, refinement, and the capacity to age gracefully, as well as for its complex, barrel-aged whites that have been lauded for their richness and aromatic intensity.
It “clocks in” at the cheapest price of the 5 first growths, a testament to the “value” in the region at the highest level. Still, while Haut-Brion’s wines are among the world’s most sought-after, many less expensive Graves wines (especially from neighboring estates) offer a glimpse of the region’s “signature style,” with vibrant black fruit, balanced structure, along with telltale “minerality” and earthy notes, providing a sense of Graves “terroir” at a much more accessible price point.
This wine is vibrant, concentrated, and aromatic, with every type of “citrus” note “under the sun,” tons of floral aromatics, a honeyed character, a token “wet rock” (or two), and a hint of gas station fumes (THE GOOD KIND!). The “mouthfeel” is quite viscous, thanks to the predominance of Sémillon in the blend, which tends to add “body” and “richness” to white Bordeaux blends.
Profile: Blackberry, black cherry, black plum, prune, blueberry, violets, forest floor, wet rock, milk chocolate, graphite, tobacco. Palate: Dry, full body, medium+ acid, high tannin, long finish
Blend: 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot
Beautifully balanced and concentrated wine with a quintessential “Graves” flavor profile of black fruits, earth, “stoniness,” and well integrated oak spice along with tertiary notes from 10 years of well spent “evolution” in the bottle. Unreal value for $30.
So many “questions”, such as:
1. Why does Bordeaux make its appellations and subregions so confusing?
2. Why are they called first growths when there are five of them?
3. Why are my eyes fuzzy??
Some mysteries we may not be meant to uncover the truth of
Holy shit best wordplay in a title yet! Like, in all of substack!!!