Pessac-Léognan is the southern half of the Graves, the only part of Bordeaux where the same estate can bottle both a serious red and a serious white. Château Haut-Vigneau farms its vines under HVE certification, the French framework for sustainable growing, and picks early enough to keep the whites taut. The 2020 is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
- Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, the two white grapes of Bordeaux.
- Pessac-Léognan AOC, the southern Graves, around the city of Bordeaux.
- 2020, a warm vintage that kept its acidity.
- 12.5% ABV, dry, medium body, high acidity.
- Certified Sustainable HVE.
How it is made
Sauvignon Blanc gives the wine its cut and its citrus, Sémillon its weight and its waxy texture. In Pessac-Léognan the two are usually fermented and aged in barrel, and the appellation's gravel soils over clay and limestone drain fast, which stresses the vines and concentrates the fruit.
How it tastes
Grapefruit and lemon zest up front, then white peach, a struck-match flint note and a light touch of toasted oak from the barrels. High acidity, low tannin, a dry finish that stays clean.
Good to know
Pessac-Léognan was carved out of the wider Graves appellation in 1987, the same year the city of Bordeaux was named a UNESCO World Heritage site. The whites from here are among the few in the world built to age for a decade or more.
