Varietals: 60% Sémillon, 35% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Muscadelle
 
Winemaker Notes
Crisp, fresh, and refreshing with notes of citrus, cut grass, and subtle tropical fruits. Bordeaux may be best known for its grand red wines, but this region along France’s Atlantic coast also produces blancs that sing as apéritifs or alongside the daily catch. Situated southeast of the left bank’s prestigious châteaux, the appellation Graves is among the best sources for delicious and versatile white wines. Its clay-and-limestone soils 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.
 
Food Pairings
It goes as well with oysters as it does with roasted beets and goat cheese or buttery-garlic crab legs, along with many more autumnal culinary possibilities right around the corner. Also, try it with Eastern cuisine—sushi, dumplings, Szechuan dishes, light curries, and vermicelli bowls all jive. Try a glass or two with saag paneer, butter chicken, and naan. The Graves’ acidity is a refreshing foil to the meal’s garam-masala-scented richness.