Pessac-Léognen is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the Bordelais, although not under this name. This region, which now covers almost 1,800 hectares, was once part of the neighboring Graves region, which began directly south on the outskirts of Bordeaux. The Romans planted the first vineyards here over 2,000 years ago, and the Roman poet Columella subsequently wrote enthusiastically about these wines. In 1987, the northern part of the Graves region, whose name refers to the siliceous soil, was converted into the independent Pessac-Léognan region, so that this region now directly adjoins the wine metropolis of Bordeaux, and the Graves region has since started a few kilometers further south. In Pessac-Léognan lies Chateau Haut-Brion, founded in the 17th century, the oldest top chateau in Bordeaux, whose wines already enjoyed a legendary reputation long before the chateaus from Margaux or Pauillac achieved fame and honor. No wonder, then, that Chateau Haut-Brion was included in the classification as the only chateau outside the Haut-Médoc and received the highest level 1er Cru Classé. Today the expanding city has long since reached the chateau and surrounded it with residential buildings. This alone has not done the slightest damage to the exceptional status of the wines. The climate in Pessac-Léognan is mild and humid, surrounded by forests and therefore protected from the wind. The soil consists of pebbles with sand, clay and also lime. This terroir is often compared to that from the Haut-Médoc, but the wines differ significantly in style. While the best wines from the north of Bordeaux are often said to have greater precision, the wines from Pessac-Léognan are usually described as partly charming, richer in finesse and earlier accessible. Regardless of this, the best ones also have enormous ripening and aging potential. The Pessac-Léognan origin applies to both white and red wine, because around 1/6 of the vineyard area is planted with the white wine varieties Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, from which remarkable wines are made, including absolute world class ones. The classification, introduced in 1959, sometimes applies exclusively to the white or red wines of a chateau, but sometimes also to both. Further south, Chateau Haut-Brion has found a real competitor for the region's crown with Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion. Other famous and highly recommended chateaus include Domaine de Chevalier, Chateau Fieuzal, Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte and Chateau Malartic-Lagravière. To the west of Chateau Haut Brion lies another striking jewel of the region, Chateau Pape-Clément. The founder, the Archbishop of Bordeaux, who built the winery from 1300 onwards, went down in history not only as the later Pope Clement V. He also influenced the winemaking history of another important region of France - Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
