Château Haut-Brion's vineyard belongs to the Pessac-Léognan appellation, to the north of the Graves wine-growing region. This expansive elevated reach of gravelly terrain is a gem to most of Château Haut-Brion's vintages as the soil type embodies a distinctive character for the varieties of quality grapes such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc Petit Verdot, Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. Many years have passed and Château Haut-Brion which was conceived and laid out beginning in 1533 by Jean de Pontac, is still widely-recognised as the oldest wine estate in Bordeaux till today.

Pessac-Léognan is a wine growing area and Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée, in the northern part of the Graves region of Bordeaux. Unlike most Bordeaux appellations, Pessac-Léognan is recognised for both red and (dry) white wine, although red wine is still predominant. It includes the only red-wine producer outside the Haut-Médoc classified in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855, the premier cru Château Haut-Brion, and also all of the châteaux listed in the 1953/59 classification of Graves. These classed growths account for a third of the wine produced in Pessac-Léognan.