Taste Wine Like the French with the Bordeaux Wine Tour

Everyone is aware of France’s popularity when it comes to producing wine. And most would certainly be aware that some of the best French wines are produced in chateaux and vineyards of Bordeaux.

Known for its 18^th century chalets, walkways and avenues that overlook a glistening countryside, Bordeaux offers a kaleidoscope of history, heritage and unparalleled beauty for its visitors. If you’re a lover of all fine things – especially wine – a tour of the Bordeaux and all the vats of wine stored in the cellars there is exactly what the doctor’s ordered.

So, let’s have a quick 101 on how to taste wine like the French with the Bordeaux wine tour.

How to Plan Your Bordeaux Tour

First things first, you need to plan things right. Not an awful lot can go wrong with a Bordeaux wine tour, but it still pays (literally and metaphorically!) to be well-informed beforehand about a few things. Let’s discuss some of those.

Mid-April and from September onwards, Bordeaux wine tasting tours are a bliss, so you might want to book around those times. Bear in mind that each tour should take you around 90 minutes, and getting from vineyard to vineyard can be quite a ride so plan your tours accordingly. You don’t want to pack in too much in a day’s schedule, since you’ll be huffing and puffing from one winery to the next without really enjoying the tour in all the rush. For convenience’s sake, try to plan for three tours a day.

Timing Your Tour

There are a few times in the year when it wouldn’t be quite so rewarding to visit Bordeaux. Try not to visit during the month of January, since it is very cold and barren and some of the better wineries – such as the Medoc – are busy brewing their wines, which means they won’t allow visitors. Also avoid visiting during the first week of April, since the wine trade is in full session and en primeur tastings mean that wineries won’t be able to take time out for you.

During the Vinexpo (taking place every odd year in the second or third week of June), the world’s largest wine and spirit convention is held so might find things to be a tad crowded, to say the least. Private tours will be hard to facilitate. Finally, during the harvest season (which varies for every vintage) and in the month of August (when most of the winery staff is taking a leave), Bordeaux is best avoided.

Any other time of the day, and you will be getting enviable insights into wine-making in the world’s most renowned wine-producing regions.

Where to Go?

 

The usual rule of the thumb applies here: go to the wineries that produce your favourite wine. You’ve already formed a bond with the winery on account of loving the taste of the wine and that, in itself, will guarantee a wonderful tour of the vineyards. However, if you would like to experiment, and wish to get a glimpse of some of the most famous vineyards in the region – we have a few suggestions:

Medoc

Medoc of Graves is perhaps the most famous of the regions in all of Bordeaux – and that’s saying something. Celebrated for some of the finest vintages ever produced, Medoc deserves at least half a day spent touring the left bank in search of the perfect red wine. You’ll find a number of sommeliers willing to let you in on their secrets of wine making, and giving you a full insider’s view on how wine is made in this region. Afterwards, you can enjoy a luxurious feast with your chosen vintage of the day.

Arcachon Bay

Set along the coast, Arcachon Bay makes for a splendid half-day wine tour spent on oyster farms and vineyards, soaking in the sun while you enjoy some of the finer things in life. After your tour of the winery and vineyards is over, treat yourself to an oyster lunch accompanied with the brew of the region while you are sprawled along the coastline, enjoying the kind of outing that the French love to indulge in every now and then.

Margaux

If you’re looking for the consummate wine tour experience that lets you imbibe the best of wine-making in a region celebrated for its tipples – Margaux is where you should be heading. Perfect for wine amateurs and connoisseurs alike, Margaux is renowned for its Grand Cru Classe: Chateau Margaux. Make sure you take the services of an expert guide who’ll take you through the region and fill you in on its wonderful heritage. 

St. Emilion

The history of this UNESCO-listed village makes it all the more wonderful to have your wine tasting tour. Do try and stay a while here, or make a full day’s tour of it – it promises to be very rewarding. St. Emilion is best explored on a bicycle, so hire one and ride to the beautiful chateaux and vineyards strewn across this village. Afterwards, break for lunch at the chateaux before taking a bicycle ride through the village with a knowledgeable English-speaking guide who will enlighten you on the remarkable history of St. Emilion.

Boy, that is a mouthful, isn’t it? Hopefully, this gives you a better idea of how to plan your next wine tour experience at that most renowned of regions in France: Bordeaux!