Ep 583: The Greats of Bordeaux - Graves and Pessac-Léognan

Wine for Normal People

Alcohol, Lifestyle, Arts, Education, Food, Wine, Dining, Grapes

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 30 October 2025

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Lying just south of the city of Bordeaux is one of the oldest winemaking regions in the Bordeaux AOC -- Graves. Graves, along with it sub appellation of Pessac-Leognan are covered in this show as two of the great of Bordeaux.

Graves has a wine history stretching back to 100 BCE when the Romans first settled this area and realized that its gravelly (graves=gravel) soil was excellent for viticulture. That was the start and Graves has been continuously making wine for more than 2000 years. I discuss this wonderfully historic area, some of the challenges that it has faced, and the things that make it so special.

Map: Vins de Bordeaux

After discussing Graves, I take on Pessac-Léognan, the northern area of Graves, just south of the city of Bordeaux. It is the home of the most famous châteaux of the southern Left Bank including Haut Brion, the first growth in the 1855 classification.

As with all "The Greats" shows, I cover the history, terroir, grapes and winemaking, and then discuss key châteaux but after this show I encourage you to seek out a bottle of the larger Graves AOC and Pessac-Léognan to see the similarities and differences between each of these regions. I think you will then understand why Pessac-Léognan is so different, in spite of the fact that it is part of Graves!

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Wine for Normal People, the podcast for people who like wine, but not the snobbery that goes with it.
0:15.7	I'm your host Elizabeth Schneider, author of the Wine for Normal People book and Certified Wine Dork.
0:21.5	This podcast is brought to you by Wine Access, my exclusive sponsor.
0:26.2	Don't forget to join the Wine Access Wine for Normal People Wine Club.
0:29.3	You get four shipments a year, $150 each, and it's six bottles that I hand select with the
0:35.9	Wide Access team.
0:36.9	They revolve around the theme, and they are fantastic wines at a great price.
0:41.5	Check it out today.
0:42.2	Wine Access.com slash normal and listen in the middle of the show for more details.
0:47.4	I need to take a moment to relax because I have been on the road so much in the month of October,
0:54.1	and I'm just so glad to finally be back in been on the road so much in the month of October and I'm just so glad
0:55.2	to finally be back in front of the mic recording and not foreseeing any big travel coming up
1:02.5	for the next little bit here. I was in Croatia as I told you guys at the beginning of October
1:07.9	and then I just came back from an amazing tour of Cicely with the
1:12.0	Wine for Normal People patrons. Again, if you want to become a patron and support the show,
1:16.9	p-a-t-R-E-O-N dot com slash wine for normal people. It's the only way you get to go on these trips, too.
1:22.6	What a great group. Lots of people that I have known for a really long time online or have met briefly,
1:28.6	and we got to spend so much time together exploring the gems of Sicily. If you're on Patreon,
1:34.0	you can follow along. I have posted some things on Instagram and Facebook also. Wonderful
1:38.8	trip, great producers, beautiful time of year to be there. Everybody bonded so much. Except what a nice group.
1:46.2	I love the patrons. I love you guys. This audience rocks. So, of course, before we get to the show,
1:50.3	I have to thank the patrons who have joined Patreon for the year. You guys are awesome. I'm really
	...

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