Celebrating 1252-2022
GEORGINA HINDLE Last year, Grand Cru Classé de Graves, celebrated its 770th anniversary, now heading towards eight centuries of continuous wine production (the vineyard was planted in the 13th century by Bertrand de Got, who went on to become Pope Clement V). A special tasting was held in Paris last November to showcase the estate’s wines: 2009 and 2014-2020 inclusive in red, and 2015 and 2017 of the white. The jewel in Bernard Magrez’s ever-growing empire, purchased in 1980, has seen an incredible renaissance since the 2000s, but particularly following a refurbished vat room in 2007 and more(£130-£165 in bond, widely available) is heady and potent, imposing and broadshouldered but finessed with marked acidity: beginning to enter a lovely drinking phase. (£60-£80ib) was a great surprise, joyful and lightly framed with delicacy and definition. and (both retailing at about £90-£125) are stunning, the former smooth and seductive with energ y and vibrancy, the latter charming and rich, and supremely easy to like.
