Appellation
Pessac-Léognan
Identity card
VillageAOPRedWhite
Bordeaux › Graves · Recognised on 9 September 1987
- Village
- Regional
Key points
- Ten communes south and west of Bordeaux, some hemmed in by the suburbs.
- Over 80% red; bottled by the grower who made the wine.
- Barrel cellar required for at least a third of the red wine.
Grape varieties
Red
Allowed varieties
Cabernet SauvignonMerlotCabernet FrancPetit VerdotCot
A sixth variety on the list, on an equal footing: Carmenère
White
Allowed varieties
Sauvignon BlancSémillonMuscadelle
A fourth variety on the list, on an equal footing: Sauvignon Gris
Production rules
54
hl/ha
Maximum yield
11
% ABV
Minimum natural alcohol
6,500
vines/ha
Minimum planting density
Minimum ageing: At least until 15 Sept. (reds) or 15 March (whites) of the following year
- Maximum yield
- How much wine a hectare may produce under the appellation (a higher, exceptional ceiling often exists). The lower it is, the less can be made: one of the levers on how concentrated the grapes are. For reference: 35 hl/ha to 80 hl/ha across 128 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum natural alcohol
- The alcohol the grapes' own sugar must be able to give, without enrichment: a ripeness threshold at harvest. For reference: 9 % ABV to 14 % ABV across 78 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum planting density
- The fewest vines allowed per hectare. For the same yield, more vines means fewer grapes on each. For reference: 4,000 vines/ha to 9,000 vines/ha across 136 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum ageing
- A minimum ageing period the specification requires before the wine may be sold to consumers.
Terroir
- Soils: Gravel and pebbles, at times over 3 m deep, on limestone
- Lie of the land: Gently sloping, well-drained gravel mounds
- Climate: Mild, moderated by the Landes forest and the ocean
Wine style
- Red
- deeply coloured
- firm tannic structure
- blackcurrant, smoke, spice
- very long-lived
- White
- fruity and taut
- floral notes with age
- freshness
Boundaries: INAO, AOC vineyard plot delimitation (September 2026 edition) · Open Licence
Specification
10 December 2024
Labelling terms
- "Cru classé de Graves" may replace "Vin de Graves"
Nearby appellations
Sources
- Official sourceCahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée « Pessac-Léognan »— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO)
- Reference bookThe Oxford Companion to Wine— Oxford University Press
- Official sourceLe classement GCC 1855 par appellation — Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855— Conseil des Grands Crus Classés en 1855 (Médoc & Sauternes)
- Official sourceDélimitation parcellaire des AOC viticoles de l'INAO (jeu de données ouvert)— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) / data.gouv.fr
- Trade bodyVins de Bordeaux — site officiel du Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux— Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB)
Created in 1987 on the northern part of the Graves, at the very edge of Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan makes Cabernet Sauvignon-led reds and dry whites, mainly from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, often aged in barrel. It is home to Château Haut-Brion, the only red wine outside the Médoc in the 1855 classification, ranked a first growth.
Classifications
The Official Bordeaux Wine Classification of 1855 — Médoc and Graves
| Tier | Estate | Since |
|---|---|---|
| First Growths | Château Haut-Brion | 1855 |
Mini-challenge
Pessac-Léognan
3 questions on Pessac-Léognan, all answered right, and the appellation is mastered in your Atlas.
Preparing the mini-challenge…