2008 Château Laville Haut-Brion Blanc

Château Laville Haut-Brion is a 10-acre estate in Talence, in the Pessac-Leognan appellation. It produces only one, highly regarded wine, which is a white blend of 70% Semillon, 27% Sauvignon and 3% Muscadelle. The domain is owned by Domaine Clarence Dillon SA, a family-run organization that was established in the 1930 when an American businessman named Clarence Dillon started buying domaines in Bordeaux. The company also owns Château Haut-Brion and La Mission Haut-Brion. Robert M. Parker Jr. calls Laville Haut-Brion “one of the world’s greatest dry white wines…The production is tiny, adding to the rarity value of this wine.” Annual production is about 10,000 bottles.

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.