Graves de Vayres Grape Varieties

As in the wider Bordeaux region, the following red varieties are permitted in Graves de Vayres:

• Merlot
• Cabernet Sauvignon
• Cabernet Franc
• Malbec
• Carmenère
• Petit Verdot

White (for dry and sweet wines):

• Sémillon
• Sauvignon Blanc
• Sauvignon Gris
• Muscadelle
• Merlot Blanc (accessory variety)

Graves de Vayres

Under its name, the region produces almost all colors and types of wine (except rosé):

• Red fruity (not aged in barrels)
• Red aged in barrels
• Dry white fruity (not aged in barrels)
• Dry white aged in barrels
• Sweet white

The production of rosé wines is permitted, but under the general name Bordeaux Rosé, or Bordeaux Clairet. The latter is a special type of wine of a dark pink color, in style between rosé and red. Read more about Bordeaux Clairet in my last article.
Graves de Vayres is a small, little-known wine region, located in the shadow of the vast Bordeaux and its famous Grand Crus. But it certainly deserves special attention, and its wines are distinguished by the classic Bordeaux style. Most of the production (70%) goes to the French market, but these wines can also be found on the international market (30% of the production) and are definitely worth tasting.

Tasting notes

Dry white wines

Château Jean Dugay 2023 – a pleasant and quite rich aroma and taste, combining the freshness and tanginess of citrus (lemon), the bitterness of grapefruit, slight minerality, and the floral aroma of acacia. Accessible and airy profile with pleasant tanginess.
89

Château Les Artigaux 2023 – a very aromatic and floral wine with pronounced notes of acacia and linden blossom. The taste has more bitterness than the previous wine (more pronounced notes of grapefruit juice and zest, as well as other ripe citrus fruits), complemented by herbal nuances. Pleasant enveloping texture, long aftertaste, balanced by acidity.
88

Château Pichon-Bellevue 2023 – a wine with a more juicy profile, combining stone fruits (peach, apricot), a sweet floral bouquet (acacia, apple blossom) and refreshing, but not excessive acidity. The taste is balanced, enveloping, with a slight bitterness and pleasant freshness.
89+

Château Juncarret 2023 (barrel-aged blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle) – a wine with a pleasant and delicate profile, combining shades of honey and acacia flowers, fresh and candied lemon, and the bitterness of grapefruit. Harmonious and pleasant wine.
89+

Château Cantelaudette 2023 – compared to the previous ones, this wine has a more acidic (in a good way) profile with shades of green apple, green pear, lemon zest and crisp sour apricot. The piercing acidity matches the freshness of the tastes and aromas.
88

L’Art des Artigaux 2023 – a rather rich and varied profile with a rich taste and aroma of fresh citrus, stone fruits (peach, apricot), acacia, a hint of pineapple and peach in syrup, as well as a light milky and oaky shade. Pleasant bitterness and woody notes in the taste, which have not yet completely merged with the fruits, but overall are harmoniously integrated. It is worth waiting a couple more years for the wine to fully open up.
90

Château Gaudichaud 2023 – aroma of juicy stone fruits and white flowers, the taste complements the profile with citrus acidity and pleasant bitterness of grapefruit. Average length of aftertaste.
88

Château Bel-Air 2022 – enveloping taste and aroma, combining the juiciness of peach, sweetness of vanilla, acacia flowers, citrus jam and honey with a pleasant sourness of red orange and bitterness of grapefruit. Round, pleasant texture and balance.
90

Château La Fleur de Graves 2022 – the aroma combines notes of exotic fruits (passion fruit, pineapple), peach, candied lemon, honey and acacia. The taste is balanced, reflecting a bouquet of aromas, to which a hint of toast, vanilla and pleasant bitterness are added. A long aftertaste with a hint of toasted bread.
89

Château Fage 2021 – a wine with pronounced acidity and citrus character in the aroma and taste. Lemon, grapefruit, bitter orange (which add a delicate bitterness), acacia, apricot. Medium-long aftertaste with citrus notes.
88

Château Pichon-Bellevue 2021 – the bouquet of aromas is quite delicate, but quite rich and complex. The first notes are toast, vanilla, honey, ripe stone fruits. The taste is bright, enveloping, with a subtle floral bouquet (white flowers, acacia).
90

Château Brouscailliou 2018 – a very aromatic wine with notes of apple, pear, pineapple, passion fruit, acacia and a light touch of toast. The taste is rich, balanced, with a slight bitterness.
90+

Château Cantelaudette Réserve 2022 is an aromatic wine with bright barrel shades of toasted bread, hazelnuts, as well as oil and citrus (lemon, lemon zest) and apricot. Balanced and pronounced taste with a slight bitterness of grapefruit.
91

Red wines

Château Cantelaudette Tradition 2020 – (100% Merlot) in the aroma – black cherry, bird cherry, black plum, black currant, licorice and a light herbal shade. The same tastes, with a pleasant bitterness, freshness and high acidity. Refreshing and drinkable wine.

88

Château Cantelaudette Sans Soufre 2022 – in the profile – only fresh sour fruits: sweet cherry, sour cherry, red and black plum, bird cherry, strawberry. Soft, barely noticeable tannins. Typical wine without added sulphites.
88

Château Les Artigaux 2019 – ripe, slightly sweet chocolate aroma, complemented by notes of black and red plum, strawberry, as well as a coniferous note of pine needles. Soft, enveloping texture, quite a long aftertaste.
89

Château Pichon Bellevue 2020 – a bright fruity bouquet of aromas with shades of black cherry, sweet cherry, sour red cherry, black currant, black pepper and violet. The taste is slightly less pronounced, but quite rich, with a pleasant freshness.
89

Château Jean Dugay 2020 – (100% Merlot) the aroma is restrained, but juicy and fruity (black cherry, black plum, black currant, strawberry). The same in the taste, with a pleasant bitterness and freshness.
89

Château Fage 2020 – a very fresh organoleptic profile, combining sour fruits (red cherry, raspberry, strawberry, red cherry), complemented by licorice, mint and croutons. A long aftertaste with a herbal tint.
89+

Château Gaudichaud 2019 – bright floral shades of peony and violet, ripe fresh berries (raspberry, black cherry, black plum, bird cherry), complemented by cocoa and dark chocolate.
89

Château Panchille « D’une Rive à l’Autre » 2020 – the aroma is predominantly fruity, with a subtle woody and spicy shade (croutons, burnt wood, coffee, chocolate). Soft tannins and a pleasant bitterness in the aftertaste.
89+

Château Haut-Gayat 2018 – the aroma is somewhat restrained, but ripe, fruity, slightly spicy and woody, with delicate tertiary notes. The taste is enveloping, fruity, with restrained spicy and tertiary character. Refreshing acidity in the aftertaste.
90

Château La Caussade 2020 – a rich bouquet of black berries (black cherry, black currant, black plum) with a hint of toast, burnt wood, chocolate and licorice, with a hint of violet. Pleasant, illuminating acidity.
89

Château Lesparre 2020 – juicy berries in the bouquet (black cherry, sweet cherry, black currant, strawberry, raspberry), with spicy hints of licorice, coffee, croutons. The taste is rich and juicy, pleasant tannins with a good structure.

90

Château Petit Puch 2019 – the woody and spicy character of the aromas (coffee, licorice, burnt wood, chocolate) is balanced by juicy ripe fruits (black cherry, plum, blackberry, strawberry). The taste is enveloping and elegant, with velvety tannins and fresh acidity.
92

Château Gonet La Nature Sans Soufre 2020 – (without added sulphites) purely fruity aroma of strawberries, juicy red cherries, red currants. Light bitterness on the palate. Pleasant and drinkable wine.
88

Château Haut-Gayat, Cuvée Quintessence 2019 – quite pronounced woody notes (toasted bread, charred wood, a hint of smoke), complemented by spices (licorice, vanilla), violet and ripe berries (strawberries, black cherries).
90

Château Toulouse 2020 – an enveloping, even textural aroma of juicy ripe berries (black cherry, wild strawberry, ripe raspberry, raspberry jam), complemented by licorice, croutons and chocolate. Good length of aftertaste with a pleasant bitterness.

89

Château Pichon-Bellevue Cuvée Elisée 2020 – notes of sweet cherry, black cherry, black currant and plum appear first, followed by berry jam, licorice and vanilla. Rounded texture and soft tannins.
89

Château La Fleur des Graves 2019 – well-balanced woody(toasted bread, hazelnuts, cocoa), fruit (strawberry, black cherry, ripe raspberry, sweet cherry) and floral (peony, violet) shades. Well-constructed taste with a slight bitterness and high acidity
90

Château Bel-Air Eiffel 2020 – wine with a clear “barrel” character (vanilla, toast, chocolate, roasted hazelnuts), juicy fruits (strawberry, sweet cherry, black cherry), enveloping texture, good acidity and balance.
91

Château Les Artigaux « Cuvée des 3B » 2019 – the bouquet reveals bright notes of aging in oak barrels (croutons, spices – vanilla, licorice, burnt pine needles), ripe and baked berries (black cherry, baked red cherry, strawberry). The wine is structured and rich.

90+

Château Cantelaudette Réserve 2019 – the aroma first reveals notes of aging in barrels (croutons, roasted hazelnuts, licorice, vanilla), then ripe berries – black cherry, strawberry, red currant, and violets. Balanced and bright wine.
90

Château Cantelaudette Grande Cuvée 2019 – the bouquet opens with minty and herbal notes of licorice, wild mint, pine resin, complemented by fresh sour berries (red cherry, black cherry, strawberry, raspberry), vanilla and violet. Quite a long aftertaste and pronounced acidity.
90+

Sweet wines

Château Pichon-Bellevue, Cuvée Milady 2023 – a pleasant, sweet, but not cloying wine, with sufficient acidity and a balance between candied citrus (candied lemon peel, citrus jam) and fresh, very ripe stone fruits (peach, apricot).
90+

Château Jean Dugay Moelleux 2022 is a simple, sweet, purely fruity wine with dominant notes of peach, apricot jam, sweet pineapple and citrus jam.
89