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{{Short description|Wine growing area in France}}[[File:Château de Rochemorin Blanc 2004.jpg|thumb|right|A white wine from Pessac-Léognan.]]
{{Coord|44.7597|-0.6041|dim:5km|display=title}}

'''Pessac-Léognan''' ({{IPA|fr|pɛsak leɔɲɑ̃|lang}}) is a wine growing area and [[Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée]], in the northern part of the [[Graves (wine region)|Graves]] region of [[Bordeaux wine regions|Bordeaux]]. Unlike most Bordeaux appellations, Pessac-Léognan is equally famous for both red and (dry) white wines, although red wine is still predominant.<ref>Johnson(1994), p. 98.</ref> It includes the only red-wine producer outside the [[Haut-Médoc AOC|Haut-Médoc]] classified in the [[Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855]], the ''[[first growth|premier cru]]'' [[Château Haut-Brion]], and also includes all of the châteaux listed in the 1953/59 [[classification of Graves wine|classification of Graves]]. These classed growths account for a third of the wine produced in Pessac-Léognan.<ref>Clarke, p. 61.</ref>

==Geography==
Pessac-Léognan, France lies on the left bank of the [[Garonne]]. It is immediately south of the city of [[Bordeaux]] (with a small portion to the west): indeed some of the northern vineyards of Pessac-Léognan are completely surrounded by the housing estates of Bordeaux, as a result of the city's southward expansion.<ref>Clarke, p. 60.</ref> It consists of 8 communes: (from north to south) [[Mérignac, Gironde|Mérignac]], [[Talence]], [[Pessac]], [[Gradignan]], [[Villenave-d'Ornon]], [[Cadaujac]], [[Léognan]] and [[Martillac]].<ref>Johnson(1994), p. 99; Clarke, p. 62.</ref> A significant part of the area is forested.<ref>Johnson(1994), p. 99.</ref> It includes {{convert|1580|ha}} of vines.<ref>Clarke, p. 60.</ref> The soil is very gravelly.<ref>Rowe, p. 252.</ref>

==History==
Pessac-Léognan has a long wine-making history. Red wine from this region (and the rest of Graves) was the wine originally loved by the English as ''[[Clairet|claret]]'', during the 300 years that Aquitaine was under English rule, from 1152 to 1453.<ref>Clarke, p. 60.</ref> The area includes the oldest named property in Bordeaux, [[Château Pape Clément]], founded by [[Pope Clement V]] in 1306.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gothamist.com/2006/06/05/you_dont_look_a_2.php |title=You Don't Look a Day Over 699 |last=Lover |first=Tamara |date=5 June 2006 |accessdate=29 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214065610/http://gothamist.com/2006/06/05/you_dont_look_a_2.php |archivedate=14 February 2012}}</ref> In the mid-seventeenth century, [[Château Haut-Brion]] became the first château of international renown, being praised by [[Samuel Pepys]] in 1663, while the [[Médoc AOC|Médoc]] was still swamp.<ref>Johnson(1994), p. 98; Clarke, p. 60.</ref>

However, the ''appellation'' of Pessac-Léognan is relatively recent, dating to 1987. Before then, the area was part of the Graves AOC, and known informally as ''Haut-Graves''.<ref>Johnson(1994), p. 98.</ref>

==Wine==
[[File:Carbonnieux White Bordeaux.jpg|left|thumb|A white Pessac-Leognan wine from the classified estate Château Carbonnieux.]]

===Red wine===
As with the Médoc to the north, [[Cabernet Sauvignon]] is the predominant grape, but a somewhat greater proportion of [[Merlot]] is typically used in the blend. [[Cabernet Franc]] is also used, with small amounts of [[Petit Verdot]] and [[Malbec]].<ref>Clarke, p. 60; Rowe, p. 252.</ref> Styles vary more widely than in most Bordeaux AOCs, but typical flavours are blackcurrant and cedar, and the wines are often described as 'earthy'.<ref>Clarke, pp. 60-61.</ref>

===White wine===
[[Sauvignon blanc]] and [[Sémillon]] are the grapes used, usually blended. The wine is typically fermented in barrels at a low temperature. Nectarine is a typical flavor when the wines are young, maturing (over 7–15 years) into flavours of nuts, honey and custard. They are said to be among France's greatest whites.<ref>Clarke, p. 61; Rowe, p. 252.</ref>

==Food matching==
The traditional pairing for reds is with roast lamb,<ref>Johnson(2009), p. 26.</ref> although they are flexible enough to have with ham, beef or game. The whites complement fish and seafood.<ref>Clarke, p. 62.</ref>

==Châteaux==
[[File:Rochemorin Pessac.jpg|right|thumb|A red wine from the Pessac-Léognan region.]]

===First growth (1855 classification)===
[[Château Haut-Brion]]

===Classed growths (1959 classification) (by commune)===

====Cadaujac====
[[Château Bouscaut]], Château Bardins

====Léognan====
[[Domaine de Chevalier]], [[Château Carbonnieux]], [[Château de Fieuzal]], [[Château Haut-Bailly]], [[Château Malartic Lagravière]], [[Château Olivier]]

====Martillac====
[[Château Latour-Martillac]], [[Château Smith Haut Lafitte]], [[Clos Marsalette]], [[Château D'Eyran]],

====Pessac====
[[Château Haut-Brion]], [[Château Pape Clément]], [[Château Le Sillage, de Malartic]]

====Talence====
[[Château La Mission Haut-Brion]], [[Château Laville Haut-Brion]], [[Château La Tour Haut-Brion]]

====Villenave d'Ornon====
[[Château Couhins]], [[Château Couhins-Lurton]]

===Other notable châteaux===
[[Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion]], [[Château La Louvière]], Château Rochemorin, Château Cruzeau, [[Château Haut-Lagrange]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==See also==
*[[French wine]]
*[[Bordeaux wine regions]]

==References==
*{{cite book |last=Clarke |first=Oz |title=Oz Clarke's New Essential Wine Book |edition=3rd |year=2005 |place=New York |publisher=Websters International Publishers and Octopus Publishing Group}}
*{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Hugh |title=World Atlas of Wine |edition=4th |year=1994 |place=London |publisher=Octopus Publishing Group Ltd}}
*{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Hugh |title=Pocket Wine Book 2010 |year=2009 |place=London |publisher=Octopus Publishing Group Ltd}}
*{{cite book |last=Rowe |first=David |title=Collins Gem Wine Dictionary |year=1999 |place=Glasgow |publisher=HarperCollins Publishers}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509095420/http://www.crus-classes-de-graves.com/index_en.html Union of Classed Growths of Graves official site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pessac-Leognan}}
[[Category:Bordeaux AOCs]]
{{Wines}}
{{French wine regions}}
{{Wine by country}}
{{Portal bar|Wine|France}}

Pessac-Léognan - Revision history

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