Best Pessac-Leognan & Graves 2021 wines tasted en primeur
Georgie Hindle presents an overview of the 2021 vintage across the Pessac-Leognan & Graves appellations revealing her highest-scoring wines.
Pessac-Léognan & Graves 2021
Average yield:
- Pessac-Léognan 33.2hl/ha. A decrease of 3% from 2020.
- Graves: 23.7hl/ha. A decrease of 38% from 2020.
What you find from the 2021 wines
Frost severely impacted grapes early in 2021, and mildew much more later, with the effects lasting throughout the season to a final average yield of 30.7hl/ha, the lowest of the major appellations after St-Emilion and Pomerol.
Quality is uneven giving different microclimates, but the best reds and whites show lovely estate signature and work with the vintage rather than against it.
Having said this Pessac-Léognan and Graves have turned out some lovely, drinkable and appealing wines.
Top picks:
- Château Haut-Brion, Blanc
- Château Haut-Brion
- Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc
- Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion
- Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc
- Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc
- Château Couhins-Lurton, Blanc
- Château Haut-Bailly
- Château La Mission Haut-Brion
- Domaine de Chevalier
- Château Pape Clément, Blanc
- Château La Louvière, Blanc
- Château Malartic-Lagravière, Blanc
- Château Smith Haut Lafitte
- Château Pape Clément
See the top-scoring Pessac-Léognan & Graves 2021 en primeur wines
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Château Haut-Brion, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Lemongrass, green apple, apricot, creamy peach and lime zest aromas. A little bit closed on the nose compared to La Mission at this stage, takes...
2021
Château Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Château Haut-Brion, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Quite herbal and green on the nose, aromatic but intensely. Full and intense also on the palate, bright lemon and grapefruit, some bitter and spied...
2021
Château Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Château Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, 1er Cru Classé, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Scented flowers and red berries on the nose, lovely aromatics with green peppercorns, herbal blackcurrant leaf and floral scents. Rich and round for a 2021,...
2021
Château Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 2021
A gorgeous aromatic display draws you in: crystalline, floral with iris, peony and violet, herbal, earthy and fruity. Sumptuous, this is a classy wine, beautifully...
2021
Château Les Carmes Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Cool and crisp, this delights from the first sip with juicy lemon - clean and precise. Still youthful but giving so much pleasure with a...
2021
Château Smith Haut LafittePessac-Léognan
Domaine de Chevalier, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Clean and clear, a nice weight to the palate here, slightly oily and full with honeyed lemon tones, some bitter grapefruit and crisp green apple....
2021
Domaine de ChevalierPessac-Léognan
Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Green peppercorns and tomato leaf mingle with blackcurrant on the nose. Quite herbal and savoury, earthy almost with hints of fragranced perfume also. Supple with...
2021
Château La Mission Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Château Haut-Bailly, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Seductive blackcurrant and juniper with purple floral touches on the nose. Smooth texture with high acidity giving sharp strawberry fruit balanced by both savoury and...
2021
Château Haut-BaillyPessac-Léognan
Château La Mission Haut-Brion, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Floral and green fruit aromas on the nose. Juicy and upfront, lively and fun, this has zing and focus. I love the almost sherbet lemon...
2021
Château La Mission Haut-BrionPessac-Léognan
Château Couhins-Lurton, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
A brilliant white in 2021 - this offers a zesty tang that hits straight away on the palate, juicy, alive, sharp in the best way...
2021
Château Couhins-LurtonPessac-Léognan
Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Aromatic nose, perfumed black fruits, bramble tones and a touch of sweet spice. Round and mouthfilling, this has good density and depth for the vintage,...
2021
Domaine de ChevalierPessac-Léognan
Château La Louvière, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Gorgeous nose, so clean, fresh and alive. Well delivered on the palate with punch and presence. Yellow plum, pineapple, apricot and peach all combine on...
2021
Château La LouvièrePessac-Léognan
Château Malartic-Lagravière, Blanc, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
A fresh and fragranced nose with green fruit, apple, pear and lemon touches. Crisp and clean, lots of bitter grapefruit and orange combined with creamy...
2021
Château Malartic-LagravièrePessac-Léognan
Château Pape Clément, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Concentrated and intense nose with subtle violet and perfume flecks. Quite chewy and grippy on the palate, this has more of a chunky frame than...
2021
Château Pape ClémentPessac-Léognan
Domaine de Chevalier, Pessac-Léognan, Cru Classé de Graves, Bordeaux, France, 2021
Cherry blossom and ripe cherry on the nose. Smooth and supple, a nice energy and focus to this straight away with lifted acidity and a...
2021
Domaine de ChevalierPessac-Léognan