2005 Château La Garde

Château La Garde is a 124-acre estate in Parempuyre, in the Pessac-Leognan appellation. The estate was founded in the 18th century and since 1990 has been owned by the negociant Dourthe. The estate makes red and white Bordeaux. For the red wines, the vineyards are planted to 52% Cabernet Sauvignon and 48% merlot. The 10 acres of white grape vineyards are planted to Sauvignon Blanc. Nearly 160,000 bottles of Château La Garde rouge are produced annually. There is a second red wine called La Terrasse de La Garde and some 100,000 bottles are produced annually.

Pessac-Léognan was created in 1987 from the northern part of the left bank Graves appellation. Before then it was simply part of Graves, or sometimes it was called Haut-Graves. Unlike many other Bordeaux appellations, Pessac-Léognan is known for both red and dry white wines, although its reds are more famous. The appellation includes ten communes and the area’s most important châteaux, including Château Haut-Brion, the only non-Médoc estate included in the 1855 Bordeaux classification. There are 2,964 acres of vineyards in Pessac-Léognan and 16 classified growth estates. The main red grapes grown are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, along with a small amount of Cabernet Franc. White grapes grown are Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, with a little Muscadelle. Pessac-Léognan is considered to have the best terroir of the greater Graves region.