The only non-Medoc first-growth in the 1855 classification, estate since 1521 in Pessac. Merlot-driven blends from iron-rich gravelly soils; Domaine Clarence Dillon owner.
Tasting: Visits by appointment only for professionals.
Signature wines: chateau-haut-brion-rouge, haut-brion-blanc, le-clarence-de-haut-brion
Scores: Wine Advocate 100 (2009), Wine Advocate 100 (1989)
Graves Cru Classe adjacent to Haut-Brion in Talence, sharing the same Domaine Clarence Dillon ownership. 23 hectares producing powerful, structured Cabernet-Merlot blends.
Tasting: Visits by appointment only.
Signature wines: la-mission-haut-brion-rouge, la-mission-haut-brion-blanc, la-chapelle-de-la-mission
Scores: Wine Advocate 100 (2009), Wine Advocate 100 (1989)
Pessac-Leognan Cru Classe de Graves with origins traced to 1300. 32 hectares; Bernard Magrez owner; truffle-enhanced restaurant and botanical gardens featuring a 1,000-year-old olive tree.
Tasting: Hotel and restaurant on-site; visits and tastings available.
Signature wines: pape-clement-rouge, pape-clement-blanc
Scores: Wine Advocate 96 (2016), James Suckling 97 (2018)
Pessac-Leognan Cru Classe de Graves owned by the Cathiards since 1990. 67 hectares including white wine production; Les Sources de Caudalie luxury spa resort on-site.
Tasting: Les Sources de Caudalie hotel with Vinothérapie Spa and Michelin-starred restaurant; open to hotel guests and visitors.
Signature wines: smith-haut-lafitte-rouge, smith-haut-lafitte-blanc
Scores: Wine Advocate 97 (2018), James Suckling 98 (2019)
The tasting salon at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, combining Graves Cru Classe red and white flights with access to the Caudalie spa estate grounds. Premier Cuvee and white vertical programmes available.
Structured wine education workshops at Les Sources de Caudalie adjacent to Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. Half-day guided sessions cover Pessac-Leognan classification, blending trials, sensory analysis, and food-wine pairing.
Iconic Pessac-Leognan wine resort built around Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, with the world's first Vinotherapie spa using grape-based treatments. Michelin-starred La Grand'Vigne restaurant and four other dining venues; organic vineyard walks.
The list: Full Smith Haut Lafitte vertical library; Pessac-Leognan masterclasses; blending workshop; cellar visits with winemaker
Luxury hotel within the historic Bernard Magrez estate at Chateau Pape Clement, featuring a truffle-enhanced gastronomic restaurant and a botanical garden with a 1,000-year-old olive tree. Cru Classe de Graves wine library and winemaker sessions.
The list: Pape Clement vertical tastings; Pessac-Leognan classified growth library; truffle and wine pairing dinners
The world's original Vinotherapie spa, created in 1999 at Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte, uses grape-based treatments: the Barrel Bath (warm Merlot extract immersion), polyphenol wraps, and grape-seed body scrubs. Bookable as standalone day-spa visit or combined with hotel stay.
The Cathiard family's Pessac-Leognan estate and Les Sources de Caudalie resort are Ecocert organic certified. The 67-hectare vineyard uses cover crops, organic composts and no systemic herbicides; the estate's sustainability programme extends to the Vinotherapie spa's grape-based treatments.