If you enter the Graves region south of today's wine metropolis Bordeaux, you will find yourself in the original birthplace of the Bordeaux region, because it was here around 2000 BC. The first vineyards were planted by the Romans in the 1st century BC, from where they continued to spread over the centuries. The Romans called the region, located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Garonne River, which also plays an important microclimatic role, Aquitaine. They christened the flourishing city with the name Burdigala, from which the later name Bordeaux developed - "Au borde de l'Eau", which means something like "On the banks of the water". The region is characterized by great Bordeaux history. One of these numerous stories is that the then Archbishop of Bordeaux Bernard de Goth, who later became Pope Clement V, founded a chateau around 1300 that would become famous for its wines centuries later under the name Chateau Pape-Clément. At the end of the 19th century, the vineyard area amounted to a good 10,000 hectares, which was subsequently significantly reduced by phylloxera and the growth of the city of Bordeaux. In 1937 the region received the right to its own designation of origin. The vineyard area was drastically reduced again in 1987, when the northern part of the region directly adjacent to Bordeaux was separated and given its own origin under the name Pessac-Léognan. This meant that Graves lost all of its classified chateaus, as the 1953 classification had included 16 chateaus, all of which were in the newly created Pessac-Léognan origin. The name Graves says it all, because it refers to the large pebbles or stones that determine the nutrient-poor soil in the vineyards. On cool nights, these pebbles fulfill an important function because they give off heat to the vines. However, in today's times of climate change, this can become a problem because too much heat also noticeably increases the alcohol content in the wine. However, one can still speak of overall very favorable microclimatic conditions. Grave's origin applies to both white and red wines, with the focus clearly on red wine. Today this is grown on an area of around 2,500 hectares and is essentially made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. In addition to the typical pebbles already mentioned, the terroir also has alluvial sand and clay deposits. These wines can mature and age well for a period of up to 15 years, and some even longer. Approximately 750 hectares are made up of white wine, made from the Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grape varieties. Both varieties find ideal conditions on the pebbly soil mixed with sand, sandstone and clay. These wines are usually drunk relatively young in the first 5-6 years, but the best ones have good ripeness and aging potential. A 10-15 kilometer long strip, Graves extends for around 60 kilometers to the south. On average, around 20 million bottles are produced annually. Since there are no classified chateaus in the region, it lacks a little of the reputation and glamor that is typical of the famous communities in Bordeaux. The wines (still) offer a fairly good price/performance ratio.
