Bordeaux is one of the iconic centers of the fabled French wine industry. Housing over 7,000 wineries, the city and its stunning surrounding region is every wine enthusiast’s dream destination. And, if you don’t consider yourself a wine expert, you can still find it enjoyable to explore the regions gorgeous vineyards, charming villages and captivating landscape. It will be a different approach just traditional traveling to a city, and should definitely end with wine toss.
One of the largest cities in Europe, Bordeaux lies at the banks of the Garonne River. There are no towering buildings around the city center, just traditional mansions made of stone and grand terraces, giving the city a very picturesque appearance. Bordeaux’s wine-growing tradition dates back to the 8th century. Today, it has the world’s second biggest wine-making industry, producing millions of bottle every year. Thus, it would simply be a great loss to visit the city without touring some of its finest vineyards or tasting some of the local wines. One of the best times to visit Bordeaux is during summer, when the region celebrates its annual wine festival.
You can experience your wine exploration in various ways and you don’t have to go too far to begin your adventure. The Bordeaux Tourist Office offers a two-hour city tour that includes wine tasting of the signature red and white Bordeaux wines. The session is typically conducted at the famed Wine Bar of the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux. This tour gives you a lot of flexibility as it is available from Monday to Saturday.
There are other themed wine tours provided by different operators, so you have the luxury of choosing from several itineraries. One important thing to remember is to make reservations early to ensure a spot upon your arrival. Leaving it to chance can result in disappointment.
Vinostaste arranges wine tasting inside the Château of Bordeaux. The Wine Sign also offers its participants an opportunity to try six different wines at the La Winery and Château d’Arsac as an introduction to proper wine tasting techniques. The company B-Winemaker gives you the unique experience of blending your own wine to suit your taste as well as design a label for it. You can then create an order for your specially blended wine to take with you.
If you prefer an independent wine adventure, consider a self-guided, walking tour around the city, and include visits to the famous wine bars and merchants in the area. Some of the renowned wine bars to visit are the Chez le Pépère, Wine and Soul, Wine More Time, and La Cave du Petit Commerce.
There are also many world-famous château labels near Bordeaux, such as Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Haut Brion, Château Margaux, Château Ausone and Château Cheval Blanc. For a sweeping look at the distinguished chateaux located on the Slopes of Appellation, ride the Grands Crus Road. This small tourist train runs for approximately 35 minutes and covers an area of 7 kilometers. Daily wine tours depart from Bordeaux and go to the neighboring vineyards, which have gained recognition for their distinct wines. One of them is the St Emilion vineyard, which is housed in a medieval village and is widely known for its Merlot. Other notable vineyards include the Graves, The Médoc, and Sauternes.
Hopefully your visit to Bordeaux will not only provide many great memories of this part of France but perhaps will foster a great love for the fine wines produced here!
