A 72-Hour Bordeaux Getaway
-With Tips for Planning a trip or cruise - with a Bordeaux Wine Region Classification Guide
Bordeaux has always been a mecca for wine connoisseurs. British royalty, Thomas Jefferson, wine collectors, and the new Chinese rich all have appreciated the finesse of the wines of Bordeaux. In the last few years this famous wine region has polished and updated its cities and villages to welcome the wine tourist. Many visitors fly or drive in from Paris. Bordeaux is now a river cruise stop catering to wine lovers. River cruise lines like AmaWaterways sponsor winemaker-hosted wine cruises for an all-inclusive adventurers, too. Confused by the many AOC’s (Appellation d’origine Contrôlée) or “EU wine regions” in Bordeaux? See A Guide to Bordeaux Wine Classifications by Sub-Region below.
The Summer and Fall of 2021 may be the time we break out of Pandemic-mode and travel to Bordeaux. Finding the right itinerary for Bordeaux may require examining your wine preferences. Do you drink mostly Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated blends? Then the left bank is your place. Do you love the Sauvignon blanc/Sémillon Bordeaux whites and the finest dessert wines in the world? Then focus on the Graves and Sauternes subregions. Do you love the velvet sensations of Merlot-dominated red blends? The Right Bank is your destination. Do you want to bike or visit museums? I have a suggested plan for you. See 3 Tips for Traveling to Bordeaux below.
This 72-hour itinerary caters to all these wine palates. Book a local driver to find your way through the vines and vineyards of some of the world’s most cherished wines and luxurious chateaux.
A Sample Itinerary
Day 1 - Wine Museum, Left Bank Pauillac and Haut Medoc
Following your arrival in Bordeaux city center, start the morning with a visit to La Cité du Vin. The Bordelaise are very proud of their new wine museum and restaurant venue that opened last year. The museum offers a virtual and interactive view of the history of wine and the world’s premier wine regions. Make reservations for lunch with international wine selections at Cité du Vins’s Restaurant Le 7 for a panoramic view of the city. Use a Bordeaux CityPass to access this museum, a bus tour, and walking tour. Make sure you see Place de La Bourse and the Water Mirror, too.
In the afternoon begin your Left Bank exploration at Chateau Mouton Rothschild, a Premier Cru Classé, “1st Growth winery located in Pauillac. In 1855 Emperor Napoleon III ordered a Wine Classification for the Paris Exposition, ranking top chateaux as 1st to 5th Growth. Chateau Mouton Rothschild is only one of five chateaux exclusively ranked 1st Growth. Artists such as Picasso, Chagall, and Dali uniquely create each vintage’s label. The Ch. Mouton Rothschild’s “Museum of Wine in Art” is a destination in itself as it contains exceptional rare art, glassware, and tapestries from many cultures that meld the dialogue between art and wine. Follow this tour of the museum with a tasting of their most recent release. These are among the most expensive wines in the world.
I had a hands-on vineyard experience during my visit to Chateau Paloumey in Haut Medoc, Chateau Paloumey is a family-owned Cru Bourgeois winery that was not old enough to have been ranked by the 1855 Classification. Their superior wines are among the real wine bargains of the Left Bank. Arrange in advance lunch and wine tasting on the vineyard terrace and experience the exceptional hospitality of this welcoming family. Harvesting grapes is much more difficult than it looks!
Return to Bordeaux for a dinner at Le Pressoir D’Argent, Gordon Ramsay’s Michelin 2-star restaurant (2021) situated in Le Grand Hotel. Try the Arcachon sole with caviar and oyster voluté, a specialty.
Day 2 - Graves and Sauternes
First Growth Chateau Haut Brion, the oldest and smallest of the First Growths, is the first visit on the Graves itinerary. They feature an historic film overview of the Chateau along with a tour and tasting. Thomas Jefferson was a big fan of his “OBrion.” The Chateau is in the Pessac-Leognan region one mile south of the city of Bordeaux. Pessac-Leognan is a premier sub-appellation of Graves equally well recognized for its red and dry wine wines. Ch. Haut Brion is one of the only wineries to retain the tradition of having its own cooperage (barrel making business). Watch oak barrels being fired and tempered onsite.
Nearby, another classified growth, Chateau Haut Bailly, features a terrace wine tasting in a magnificent vineyard setting. Or ask them to schedule a private lunch in their beautifully appointed dining room Chateau Haut Bailly staff understands the new wave in wine tourism trends and they accommodate international wine shipping. The wines are approachable as well as age-worthy.
The most famous celebrated dessert wines in the world are crafted by the terroir in Sauternes. In this region, mist and warmth create the climatic conditions to produce the “noble rot” that concentrates the sugar in the grapes. Honeyed, apricot-scented, and nutty sweet Sauternes wines result with Chateau D’Yquem the most renowned. Next door to D’Yquem is Chateau Guiraud, a Premier Grand Cru Chateau that is all organic. They produce exceptional Sauternes. The staff presents an entertaining and educational Sauternes story, the story of liquid gold.
To close the day, arrange a private dinner at the dining room of Chateau La Lagune, a 3rd growth estate. Their Chef de Cuisine, Catherine Stewart, will select a menu catering to traditional French cuisine. Last fall she featured Braised Lamb Shoulder with Honey Caramelized Carrots, and dessert course, Red Wine Poached Pair with Vanilla Custard and Madeleines. Winemaker Caroline Frey will oversee the wine pairing to perfection.
Day 3 St. Emilion and Pomerol – Right Bank
A surprise for me was how much I preferred the Right Bank wines. In most examples they were more approachable and less tannic than many Left Bank wines. Begin the Right Bank exploration with a scheduled tour of a Chateau Angelus, one of only four St. Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé “A” wineries. As we arrived, the USA national anthem was played from their remarkable bell tower. The newly renovated tasting rooms and cellars are impressive, too. The signature Ch. Angelus wines have aromas of truffled black cherry, tobacco with sexy velvet textures. Wine critics often award 94-98 points for these wines.
Proceed to visit Chateau Gazin in Pomerol, a next-door vineyard neighbor to Pomerol’s most famous and expensive winery, Chateau Petrus. Ch. Gazin, like many Right Bank wines, is 90% Merlot, and is a magnificent example of a premier wine, showing “an iron fist in a velvet glove” texture. The charming owner/brothers Nicolas and Christophe de Bailliencourt offer a casual and personal tasting and vineyard tour.
I suggest having lunch as we did on the patio of Michelin 2-Star, La Table de Pavie, which offers a panoramic view of the cobblestone, moss-covered walls of medieval town of St. Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Chef and Sommeliers here make sure that the smallest details of cuisine and service are gracefully wrought. The Lobster cooked “à la cheminée” (iron plate on a fireplace) with seaweed butter is memorable. Consider checking into the hotel for the evening. It is an elegant sanctuary at vineyard’s edge.
If you cannot decide among all the Right Bank wines, consider visiting one of St. Emilion’s finest wine shops, Ets Martin, and ask Benoit Gaillard to pour you several samples of his selected wines. They utilize a Coravin, the wine preservation and sampling system, to sample the more expensive selections. Ask to see the stash of the world’s most highly prized wines in their underground cellar. I was enthralled by the rare wines they house in their cellar.
Bordeaux River Cruise
Your 72-hour Bordeaux Wine Getaway will set the stage for a future, more in-depth exploration of the World’s most famous wine region. Or, you decide on an all-inclusive venture on a winemaker-hosted AmaWaterways’ Bordeaux wine cruise. I have cruised on AmaWaterways, a first-class cruising experience.
“France continues to top the list as one of the most sought-after culinary destinations in the world, and there is no better way to explore the beautiful country than on one of our Celebration of Wine river cruises. These incredible epicurean experiences are hosted by a qualified wine expert from North America or a featured destination and take guests on a tasting journey to explore both the Old World and New World of winemaking. One of our most popular Celebration of Wine cruise itineraries is the Taste of Bordeaux – where guests sail on the Garonne and Dordogne rivers right into the heart of France’s most iconic wine region. During the seven-night cruise, guests can choose from a wide variety of included excursions – everything from biking and hiking through the vineyard-rich countryside of St. Emilion to an exclusive wine festival and Medoc Grand Cru Classé wine tasting. It is a truly memorable experience for all those who love French wine, food and culture!”-—-Kristen Karst, Executive Vice President and Co-Founder, AmaWaterways
3 Tips for Traveling to Bordeaux
1. Travel during the off-seasons. Travel to Bordeaux in April-early May or October-November. You will miss the European tourists of summer. Traffic will be lighter.
2. Add a Foodie Tour or Slow Food Movement activity to your agenda. Wine and food are natural pairings. The food in Bordeaux is inspiring.
3. Add a “value” appellation to your itinerary. You will be surprised at some of the bargain wines in many areas the Medoc, if you go outside the large Chateaux. Chateau Paloumey is an example.
----Pascale Bernasse, Co-Founder, French Wine Explorers
Where to Stay
Intercontinental Grand Hotel and Spa de Bordeaux- City Center of Bordeaux; the rooftop bar features a panoramic view of the Garonne River.
Hôtel de Pavie, St. Emilion, a Relais & Chateau property. Spectacular views of the vineyards and medieval village of St. Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Where to Eat
Restaurant Le 7, La Cité du Vin, 4 Rue de Pontac, Bordeaux
Le Pressoir d’Argent, a Gordon Ramsay Restaurant, Bordeaux in the Intercontinental Hotel.
Private Dining at Chateau La Lagune, Haut Medoc, contact@chateau-lalagune.com
La Table de Pavie, St. Emilion
Logis de la Cadene, St. Emilion
Private lunch at Chateau Paloumey, Haut Medoc
Use Quote bar
A Guide to Bordeaux Wine Classifications by Sub -Region
Left Bank Haut Medoc- 1855 Classification of Chateaux (ordered by Napoleon III for the best Bordeaux wines for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris). The levels start at 1st Growth (Premier Cru) through 5th Growth (62 wines). The 1st Growths are: Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Haut Brion (in Graves) and Chateau Mouton Rothschild.
“Super Seconds”- are those 2nd Growths of Haut Medoc that are close to being 1st Growths. Example: Léoville Las Cases.
Note: all other Left Bank wines are unclassified or Cru Bourgeois (Medoc) –Chateau that are examined and certified for quality.
Left Bank Graves- 1959 Classification: Chateaus are rated “Crus Classé” for red or white wine. Sub-region Pessac-Léognan is its own AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlée).
Left Bank Sauternes- Classified in 1855 there are only 3 levels: Premier Cru Supérieur (solely for Chateau d’Yquem), Premier Cru (1st Growth, and Deuxiemes Cru (2nd Growth).
Right Bank St. Emilion: This is the only Right Bank location to classify wines. They classify 4 levels of wines: Premier Grand Cru Classé A (only 4 properties Chateaux Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Angélus, and Pavie) & B (14 properties, Grand Cru Classé (64 properties), and Grand Cru (lowest classed level).
Right Bank Pomerol- This region has no official classification, yet Chateau Petrus is considered to rank with the 1st growths in Bordeaux.
Other Bordeaux wines, including entry level: There are 7 AOC’s (Appellations d’Origine controlée) for these wines: Bordeaux Rouge AOC, Bordeaux Supérieur Rouge, Bordeaux Clairet, Bordeaux Rosé, Bordeaux Blanc, Bordeaux Supérieur Blanc, and Crémant de Bordeaux.
Let's Travel to France in 2021: Wine Wanderings "Thursday Thread" Jan. 28 5-9 PM CST. Drop-in, Pose Questions, Join the Community.
Join Pascale Bernasse, Co Founder of French Wine Explorers, and I as we take your questions on traveling to France in 2021. Let’s explore the wine regions, Paris, and countryside of France together. Just pop in anytime.
Pascale Bernasse and Tricia Conover, DIpWSET will be taking your wine and travel questions this Thursday, January 28 from 5-9 PM Central. Just drop in at any time.. My French Wine Explorers tours in 2016 included touring and tastings in Top Chateaux of Bordeaux, tasting all the Grand Cru wines of Burgundy, visiting Paris landmarks, and touring Top Champagne houses and Grower’s Champagne wineries near Reims. Pascale can answer your 2021 travel questions.
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