Graves supérieures

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Terroir

• Soils: pebbles, gravels, sands, silts, and clays, resting on limestone, pure sand, alios, or clay.
• Origin: Pyrenean Quaternary glacial deposits rolled by rivers; terraces grow progressively older with distance from the river.
• Drainage: high permeability of the graves combined with a network of left-bank tributaries (Eau Bourde, Eau Blanche, Breyra, Saucats…). (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
• Climate: pine forest to the west (thermal regulation), the Garonne (aeration, frost moderation); oceanic influences.

• Medieval growth on 'poor and stony' soils; in 1152, the marriage of Aliénor d'Aquitaine brought the 'Privilège' prohibiting all competition.
• Dry whites: sémillon (richness, floral notes), sauvignon (freshness and vivacity), muscadelle (musky notes); sweet whites harvested at over-ripeness through successive manual tries.

• White wines (sauvignon, sémillon) draw their finesse and floral/fruity aromas from sandy or clay-matrix soils.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF)
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — CIVB