Graves Supérieures

The place

Graves Supérieures is drawn on exactly the ground of the Graves: a band about 10 kilometers wide on the left bank of the Garonne, from north of Bordeaux to southeast of Langon, around the Sauternes and Barsac enclave, 41 communes and part of a 42nd, Coimères. The soils are the ones that gave the Graves its name, pebbles, stones and gravel mixed with sand, silt and clay, resting on pure sand, on alios, the local ironpan, or on clay, and on limestone in places. In 2010 Graves and Graves Supérieures together covered nearly 5,000 hectares, and the sweet white made 7,500 of their 160,000 hectoliters.

The rules

White with more than 34 g/l of sugar left in it, from Muscadelle, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris and Sémillon, at no less than 5,000 vines a hectare in rows no more than 2 meters apart. The grapes are picked by hand in successive passes, overripe, touched by noble rot or shriveled on the vine, and must carry 221 g/l of sugar. The wine must reach 13.5% of natural alcohol and be sold at 12% at least. 40 hectoliters a hectare with a ceiling of 48. It is raised until January 15 and sold from January 31 of the year after the harvest.

The names

No classification. Graves and Graves Supérieures were recognized by the same decree, on March 4, 1937, and share 1 rulebook, the cahier des charges (the appellation’s official rulebook) homologated on March 3, 2025. The sweet wine is now being folded into Graves, and a white with sugar may still be presented as Graves Supérieures through the 2028 harvest. The growers of Cérons may also make it on their own ground.

Color

Sweet white, more than 34 g/l of sugar

Communes

41 and part of Coimères, the ground of the Graves

Vineyard

7,500 hectoliters of the 160,000 of Graves and Graves Supérieures together, in 2010

Ground

Pebbles, stones and gravel with sand, silt and clay, over sand, alios or clay

Grapes

Muscadelle, Sauvignon, Sauvignon Gris, Sémillon

Density

5,000 vines a hectare at least

Harvest

By hand, in successive passes; overripe or botrytized grapes at 221 g/l of sugar

Yield

40 hectoliters a hectare, ceiling 48

Alcohol

13.5% natural at least, sold at 12% at least

Release

From January 31 of the year after the harvest

Classified

No classification

AOC since

March 4, 1937; cahier of March 3, 2025, the name allowed on labels through the 2028 harvest

Source: FGVB, cahier des charges Graves et Graves supérieures, arrêté du 3 mars 2025