Notify me
2021 Graves Blanc
Château Graville-Lacoste


Bordeaux is often thought of as red-wine territory. One of France’s most renowned wine regions, it boasts many of the most coveted Cabernets and Merlots in the world. Yet this slice of the country’s Atlantic coast also produces very worthy whites that are perfect as apéritifs or paired with the local catch, like cod. If you want to sample the region’s best blancs, look no further than Graves, an appellation south of the left bank’s prestigious châteaux.
Although the view here is not as awe-inspiring as it is in various other wine regions—Bordeaux is relatively flat— the ground is hallowed, with clay-and-limestone soils that are ideal for growing Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle: grapes that are used for both sweet Sauternes and dry Graves. All three varieties feature in this white from Hervé Dubourdieu’s Château Graville-Lacoste.
Because Hervé’s vines are five decades old and therefore have access to deep water reserves, and because their location is in one of Graves’s cooler microclimates, this blanc is incredibly consistent, year in and year out: crisp, fresh, and refreshing with notes of citrus, cut grass, and subtle tropical fruits. It remains among the best values in all of France and a wonderful expression of Bordeaux’s white-wine possibilities.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 60% Sémillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle |
Appellation: | Graves |
Country: | France |
Region: | Bordeaux |
Producer: | Château Graville-Lacoste |
Winemaker: | Hervé Dubourdieu |
Vineyard: | 45-48 years, 13 ha |
Soil: | Clay & Limestone on fissured rock |
Aging: | Vinification and aging in stainless steel |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12% |
More from this Producer or Region

2021 Graves Blanc HALF BOTTLE
France | Bordeaux
There could be no better way to enjoy this crisp, invigorating Graves than with a platter of fresh seafood.

2010 Canon-Fronsac
France | Bordeaux
A nose brimming with pure red fruit and cassis, with whiffs of earth and mint, and a palate as soft and supple as a Debussy nocturne.

2004 Fronsac
France | Bordeaux
“Wild” isn’t a word frequently associated with Bordeaux, so here is a rare exception.

2020 Sauternes
France | Bordeaux
This is truly artisanal Sauternes—made by hardworking farmers who are willing to sacrifice quantity for excellence.

2020 Atlantique Blanc “Déclinaison”
France | Bordeaux
Artisanal white Bordeaux like you have never tasted before!

2021 Bordeaux Blanc “Les Joualles”
France | Bordeaux
Ripe and opulent, this cuvée further blossoms with an hour in a decanter.

2020 Bordeaux Blanc “Définition”
France | Bordeaux
A simply stunning white that seems to not just elevate the food on your plate, but your entire mood. Your surroundings will melt away as you get lost in your glass.
About The Producer
Château Graville-Lacoste
About The Region
Bordeaux
Often considered the wine capital of the world, Bordeaux and its wines have captured the minds, hearts, and wallets of wine drinkers for centuries. For many, the wines provide an inalienable benchmark against which all other wines are measured.
Bordeaux is divided into three winegrowing regions with the city that gives the region its name in the near geographical center. The “right bank,” or the area located east of the Dordogne River, produces wines that are predominantly Merlot with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The “left bank” is located to the west of the Garonne River and produces wines dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, with Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
The third region, Entre-Deux-Mers, lies between both rivers and produces white wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle. Though technically in the left bank, it is worth noting the appellation of Sauternes, which produces arguably the world’s most famous sweet wines from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle as well.
Though many top Bordeaux wines are sold en primeur (in advance of their bottling) and often through a middleman known as a negoçiant, Kermit has always preferred to purchase directly from the winemaker. For more than three decades he has sought out small producers, who make classic Bordeaux wines and are willing to play outside the negoçiant system. This ethic has led to longstanding relationships, excellent prices, and perhaps most important—wines of great value and longevity.
More from Bordeaux or France
2016 Lalande-de-Pomerol
Château Belles-Graves France | Bordeaux
2016 Fronsac
Château Haut-Lariveau France | Bordeaux
2015 Haut-Médoc
Château Aney France | Bordeaux
2012 Haut-Médoc
Château Aney France | Bordeaux
2016 Canon-Fronsac
Château Moulin Pey-Labrie France | Bordeaux
2009 Vin de France Blanc “Héréthique”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2010 Canon-Fronsac
Château Moulin Pey-Labrie France | Bordeaux
2020 Bordeaux Blanc “Définition”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2019 Pomerol “Pom ‘N’ Roll”
Château Gombaude-Guillot France | Bordeaux
2020 Sauternes
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2016 Pomerol
Château Gombaude-Guillot France | Bordeaux
2020 Bordeaux Blanc “Les Joualles”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2016 Lalande-de-Pomerol
Château Belles-Graves France | Bordeaux
2016 Fronsac
Château Haut-Lariveau France | Bordeaux
2015 Haut-Médoc
Château Aney France | Bordeaux
2012 Haut-Médoc
Château Aney France | Bordeaux
2016 Canon-Fronsac
Château Moulin Pey-Labrie France | Bordeaux
2009 Vin de France Blanc “Héréthique”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2010 Canon-Fronsac
Château Moulin Pey-Labrie France | Bordeaux
2020 Bordeaux Blanc “Définition”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2019 Pomerol “Pom ‘N’ Roll”
Château Gombaude-Guillot France | Bordeaux
2020 Sauternes
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
2016 Pomerol
Château Gombaude-Guillot France | Bordeaux
2020 Bordeaux Blanc “Les Joualles”
Domaine de l’Alliance France | Bordeaux
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
A good doctor prescribed the wine of Nuits-Saint-Georges to the Sun King, Louis XIV, when he suffered an unknown maladie. When the king’s health was restored the tasty remedy enjoyed a vogue at court. Lord, send me a doctor like that!
Inspiring Thirst, page 117