1978 Château La Tour Haut Brion

Château La Tour Haut-Brion was a 12-acre estate in the Graves appellation. Prior to 1983 it was the second wine of neighboring Château La Mission Haut-Brion. Both estates were owned by the Woltner family. In 1983 both estates were sold to Domaine Clarence Dillon, an American enterprise, and La Tour Haut-Brion was marketed independently from La Mission Haut-Brion in an attempt to give it a unique personality. In 200, however, Domaine Clarence Dillon added the vineyards of Château La Tour Haut-Brion to Château La Mission Haut-Brion, so production of La Tour Haut-Brion ended with the 2005 vintage.

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.