Memorable Pessac Leognan Reds

The greater Graves region begins literally in the city of Bordeaux and extends 25 miles to the southeast along the Garonne River. Virtually all the best examples come from the appellation of Pessac-Leognan. Pessac is in the southern outskirts of Bordeaux itself, while Léognan is essentially an area of woodlands several miles to the south. The deep gravel of Pessac produces some of the earthiest, most soil-driven wines of Bordeaux, and their sometimes wild notes of roasted meat, tobacco, leather, iron and hot stones can be a bit of a shock to the uninitiated. These distinctive wines have plenty of tannins to support aging but are rarely austere in the early going.