Wine Tours

What is a Wine Tour in the Bordeaux vineyard ?

First you have to understand that wine tourism is something "new" here in Bordeaux. Before few years ago it was not so usual to welcome the visitors in the estates. Now the minds change but we are not in the "Napa" and don't imagine arriving one day, stop at the fist winery on the road, ring the bell and taste. No ! it does not work like that especially if you come on Sunday or a week during the lunch hour (12-2pm).

Most of the Chateaus will welcome you with pleasure, but it is better to take an appointment, to select the places where you want to visit & taste.
A visit takes around 1h-1h30, they will explain you the history of the estate, the "terroir", the vineyard, the process then you will taste the wines from the estate.
Usually you can visit 3 Chateaus per day.

It exists more than 10.000 wineries in the Bordeaux vineyard but only less than 200 are very renown and famous.

First rule : more the winery is famous, more it is difficult to visit.
Forget about Cheval Blanc, Yquem, Margaux, Lafite & Latour.

At the opposite, some Chateaus want to be open to visitors and have their own employees who make the visit and the tasting :
Mouton Rothschild, Pape Clement, Smith Haut Lafite, Franc Mayne ....you just need to take an appointment.

Second rule : The others 9800 wineries less prestigious have to be also visited. Because it is a family estate and they don't have "staff", most of the time you will meet directly the owner. A wine tasting is not just a glass of wine in your hand it is an unique opportunity to share with him on his passion and his products.

Third rule : The vineyard is large St Emilion, Sauternes, Pauilac are far away from each others. So you need to think about one day per vineyard. One day St Emilion, one day Medoc, one day Sauternes & Graves, one day Blaye & Fronsac.
For a full wine tour it is a minimum of 3-4 days.