The Graves region, located south of Bordeaux city along the Garonne River, represents one of Bordeaux's most historic wine areas and the birthplace of the great châteaux tradition, producing exceptional red wines from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends alongside some of Bordeaux's finest dry white wines from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. The region's unique terroir of deep gravel beds (graves means "gravel" in French) provides excellent drainage and heat retention that allows grapes to ripen fully while maintaining elegance, with the northern section designated as Pessac-Léognan AOC in 1987 to recognize its superior quality potential. The Graves Classification, established in 1953 and updated in 1959, differs from the famous 1855 Classification by recognizing both red and white wines from 16 châteaux, including legendary properties like Haut-Brion (the only non-Médoc estate in the 1855 First Growth classification), La Mission Haut-Brion, and Domaine de Chevalier, with classified properties allowed to use "Grand Cru Classé de Graves" on their labels. This classification system, while smaller in scope than the Médoc's hierarchy, has proven remarkably stable and accurate over time, with Graves producing some of Bordeaux's most consistent and food-friendly wines that offer exceptional value compared to their Left Bank counterparts while maintaining the complexity and aging potential that defines great Bordeaux.