The cradle of vines in Bordeaux, the Graves AOC, located on a 50 km strip of land in the south of Bordeaux, is named after its smooth stones deposited by the Garonne River. The soil is comprised of alluvial deposits carried by the Garonne River from the Pyrenees Mountains. The ground underneath is almost pure sand or hardpan (iron-oxide cemented sand). It is here that the vines' deepest roots find the nutrients necessary to create great wine. Protected from poor weather by a dense pine forest and from heat by the breeze from the river, the Graves terroir has a perfect microclimate for growing vines.