Pessac-Léognan

Pessac-Léognan lies south of Bordeaux on the left bank of the Garonne and stretches from the city's suburbs such as Pessac and Talence to Léognan and Martillac. The appellation has been independent only since 1987; before that it belonged to the Graves. The vineyards lie partly amid urban development, partly in woodland and heath. Château Haut-Brion is located here, the only red-wine estate outside the Médoc to be included in the 1855 classification.

The soils are gravel mounds deposited by the Garonne, mixed with sand and clay; they drain well and store heat by day. Near the city, urban warmth adds to this, so harvest often starts early. The climate is oceanic, with the Garonne and the pine forest of the Landes tempering temperatures.

Red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot show smoky, mineral notes; the dry whites from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon rank among the most important dry white wines of Bordeaux. Well-known estates include, besides Haut-Brion, La Mission Haut-Brion, Pape Clément, Smith Haut Lafitte, Domaine de Chevalier and Haut-Bailly.