Graves (, meaning 'gravel land' in French) is an important wine region of Bordeaux, producing over 20 million bottles each year. It is the oldest appellation of the Bordeaux region, dating back to Eleanor of Aquitaine, who married Henry II, King of England, creating a flourishing trade between both countries : wine versus coal and iron. The region stretches 50 kilometers south east from the suburbs of Bordeaux itself along the left bank of the Garonne river, and despite being principally a producer of red wine, it is the only of Bordeaux's regions to be known for both its red and white wines. The area encompasses villages including Sauternes, Pessac, Talence, Léognan, Martillac, St. Morillon, and Portets. In 1987 the region was split into a second appellation with the creation of Pessac-Léognan, containing most of the producers of its most expensive wines. This has had the effect of devaluing the name and price of wines simply labeled

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