What does Pessac-Léognan mean on the label of a wine bottle?
Pessac-Léognan is a wine-growing area located in the Graves wine-growing region. It is not far from Bordeaux in the south-west of France. Since 1987, Pessac-Léognan has had the status of an Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC for short). You can then find the Pessac-Léognan appellation on the wine label.
By the way: All wineries that belong to the current Appellation Pessac-Léognan belonged to the Appellation Graves Contrôlée. The Appellation Pessac-Léognan Contrôlée was only founded in September 1987. This means that older vintages have the name Appellation Graves Contrôlée on the label.
Read also: What is an appellation?
The Bordeaux wine-growing region is divided into the left bank and right bank of the Gironde. Gironde is a river that flows into the Atlantic, but also a department in the same area. Bordeaux is also a city and the capital of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region.
Let's look again at the Gironde river at its mouth in the Atlantic. There the river divides an area that is world famous for wine growing in Bordeaux. The Gironde river then branches off into the Garonne and Dordogne. Pessac-Léognan is located directly on the Garonne river. Pessac-Léognan is therefore on the left bank of the Gironde, as are the Pauillac and Haut-Médoc appellations above it.
Wine is grown in the Pessac-Léognan wine-growing region. Consequently, the wineries that have their vineyards in this area belong to the Pessac-Léognan appellation. The designation "Appellation Pessac-Léognan Contrôlée" is then listed on the label of a wine bottle.
By the way: The Pessac-Léognan appellation includes the municipalities of Cadaujac, Canéjan, Gradignan, Léognan, Martillac, Mérignac, Pessac, Saint-Médard-d'Eyrans, Talence and Villenave-d'Ornon.
Following the classification of Graves wines in 1953, some wineries from the Pessac-Léognan appellation belong to this classification. Château Haut-Brion also comes from Graves, but was classified in the Premier Grand Cru Classé in 1855 during the classification of Bordeaux wine (Médoc).
AOC Pessac-Léognan: This is an alternative spelling. AOC stands for Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée and means controlled designation of origin.
These well-known Bordeaux wineries are part of the Pessac-Léognan Contrôlée appellation:
1er Grand Cru Classé
Cru Classé de Graves (red wine & white wine)
- Château Bouscaut
- Château Carbonnieux
- Domaine de Chevalier
- Château Latour-Martillac
- Château Malartic-Lagravière
- Château Olivier
Cru Classé de Graves (red wine)
- Château Haut-Bailly
- Château de Fieuzal
- Château la Mission Haut-Brion
- Château Pape Clément
- Château Smith Haut-Lafitte
- Château la Tour Haut-Brion
Cru Classé de Graves (white wine)
- Château Couhins
- Château Couhins-Lurton
- Château Laville Haut-Brion
Now collect wine from Pessac-Léognan!
