I have researched the Bordeaux region extensively to develop my first Bordeaux tour in 2018. My subsequent Bordeaux wine selection has since then, been a resounding import success in North Carolina, where most of these producers are in U.S. exclusivity. I have done several tours in Bordeaux since then, constantly refining the selection and the itinerary. The wine selection now includes a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé, currently in U.S. exclusivity.
I am very proud of this itinerary. It is not your typical cruise, and you will be visiting Bordeaux from an insider angle, learning along the way the differences among the different appellations of the region, taking in the diversity in company of no less than a master sommelier, Serge Opillard, my lieutenant in Bordeaux, who will be one of the two drivers, along with yours truly.
My experience is that people who embark in this tour, do not really know what to expect, as Bordeaux remains a bit mysterious to Americans. But the town, the region, and the the unique experiences that are gifted to us, never fail to conquer the travelers. Please note that this tour requires an ability to walk at least a mile at a time, as one of the pleasures of the tour is to walk from the hotel to the restaurants where we go, for instance, and take advantage of Bordeaux's large pedestrian downtown area. Bordeaux's center is full of gorgeous 18th century and earlier architecture.
This is a rather urban tour, as Bordeaux is a quintessential European city, and one of the trendiest destinations in the world. Bordeaux is utterly pleasant to live in, with its rather mild weather, its 12th to 18th century glorious architecture, which earned it to be on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Bordeaux has a rich past, and a vibrant present. We will stay in the very center of the town, and will take daily trips from that location to vineyards, cultural sites of importance, and villages of legends. Everyday will be a new feast, with gastronomy and wine aligned with the exceptional character of what we will visit.
Food wise, if you like oysters, fish, foie gras, duck, you will be very pleased as these are what the Bordelais tend to feed on, and us as well therefore. If you did not know that, you will also discover that Bordeaux has plenty of superb white wines to pair with some of these foods, made with Sauvignon, Sémillon, sometimes Muscadelle. Of course Sauternes will play its essential role during this trip.
This year, Mary Mehlich owner Wine and Words in Washington NC, will be accompanying us. She is one of the best palate and most knowledgeable wine professional in NC, and I can't wait for her to meet Serge. Mary is a pure delight that will irradiate the tour with her delightful personality.
With the new flying times of the RDU-Paris direct flight, it is now possible to fly from Bordeaux and catch that flight the same day when returning to the U.S. and that while leaving the hotel at a comfortable time. The same is true for a flight to Atlanta for instance, if going to Asheville. This allows to make this exceptional tour shorter and consequently more accessible, by skipping the Paris part, which is nevertheless available, as an option. If your destination is different than the ones mentioned here, please check, chances are you can do the same.
On another hand, it would not be frivolous to arrive in Bordeaux early and use the time gained to acclimate and enjoy the city on your own a bit, as well as visit the Cité du Vin, a popular modern museum on wine, that is not part of the tour. I will offer optional dinners on September 8, 9, 10, 11. See options page, to see pricing for additional nights as well as room options.
Please take a look at the itinerary below and feel free to contact me with any questions. * Saturday September 11: Departure from RDU (or wherever you depart from) to Bordeaux, via Paris, Amsterdam etc.
You could also have chosen to arrive early, to enjoy Bordeaux in a rehearsal mode, relax, do a few things that will be challenging to do when the tours starts, like visit the "Cité du Vin for instance," etc.
If so I can book you one or several additional nights at our four star hotel in the very best possible location. See options.
Optional dinners will be organized for those already in Bordeaux.
* Sunday September 12: Arrival in Bordeaux. You can get from the airport to the hotel in Bordeaux's Golden Triangle by tram. This is the way it is done here, out of respect for the environment. There are of course, also plenty of taxis available, and I can arrange a dedicated ride for you if you need that.
We will take a tram once everybody is arrived, and have a light lunch, oysters, cheese charcuterie, at the covered market. After lunch we'll walk back to the hotel and those willing will start exploring the city epicenter with me.
Dinner on the beautiful square next to the hotel.
* Monday September 13: Serge Opillard joins us, and we start our exploration of Bordeaux with a visit of Chateau Vignol in the Entre Deux Mers, which produces some of the most popular wines in my portfolio--including a stunning Clairet--and are known for their excellence and value. Jean-Thomas who heads the Estate with his brother, is a very endearing fellow that I know you will adore. After a visit of the property, including the beautiful gardens, we will have some oysters and picnic type of food complemented by the wines of the house.
After lunch we head to Chateau Le Chatelet, the Grand Cru Classé that I distribute to NC in U.S. exclusivity.
In the morning we visited one of my most humble, yet superb producers, and in the afternoon we visit one of the very best estate that Bordeaux has. This is Contrast Tours ... Le Chatelet is a tiny estate, less than 3 hectares, located in a top location, relatively close to the village of Saint Emilion, see photograph on the left. The wine is divine, quite concentrated, with ultra polished tannins and beautiful aromas, a real nectar, something that few of us have ever experienced.
We will be given a tour of the property nested in the corners of some of the absolute biggest names in Saint Emilion: Clos Fourtet, Chateau Canon, Beau-Séjour Bécot, Grand Pontet. Then we will peak at its cellar carved in the rock, before enjoying a bit of a vertical tasting.
Dinner back in town, in a restaurant faithful to the spirit of Bordeaux.
* Tuesday September 14: Today we drive to Sauternes, about 45 minutes away from Bordeaux's center. Sauternes is of course the little village that gave its name to the profoundly aromatic liquoreux wine, native of this region of the Bordelais with beautiful rolling hills and skies as ultimate ornaments of tony wineries.
We will visit Chateau Haut Bergeron, a long established producer. This estate is the best kept secret in Sauternes, due to the fact that it is not classified, yet produces some of the best wines in the appellation, and wins a lot of the blind tasting competitions.
The lunch with the winemaker at the estate will be a culinary treat, with pairings that will demonstrate the versatility of Sauternes, and its incomparable richness.
Since we are in Sauternes, we will visit the elegant gardens of Chateau d'Yquem, which offer a chance to peak into world class aristocracy.
Lighter dinner at an iconic restaurant in Bordeaux
* Wednesday September 15: Today we go to Chateau Coulonge in the Entre Deux Mers region. Nicolas Roux is the descendant of a long lineage of humble wine makers, and produces outstanding whites and reds, including a stunning Malbec as well as the only 100% Muscadelle wine known to men. These wines are some of the best sellers in Contrast Wines portfolio.
Nicolas is as authentic as it gets, and he will open his farm to us and share his wine making vision. It is worth noting that Chateau Coulonge is an organic producer, which is still uncommon in Bordeaux, Nicolas also uses low sulfites.
This is always one of the most interesting visits of the tour, as Nicolas is really a quintessential farmer, who lives in total harmony with nature and his land. This is how he can produce so relatively easily, organic wines in an environment, Bordeaux, where this is quite challenging. Nicolas will explain his techniques, which include a herd of sheep, and I have little doubt that you will gain a fervent admiration for this grower's philosophy and talent.
After visiting the vineyard and cellar, we will have oysters, with of course his organic Sauvignon Blanc. Then we will have lunch with he and his wife, experiencing second to none Bordeaux hospitality (a member of Chateau Coulonge's staff is an ex star restaurant sous-chef ...), and allowing ourselves a momentary immersion in this true winemaking life.
We will go back to Bordeaux moderately early, as I know that you want enjoy Bordeaux which by now you cannot get enough of.
Lighter Dinner in Bordeaux.
* Thursday September 16: Today we drive to Langon the capital of the Graves region, and of Serge's Kingdom. The Graves is where wine production started in Bordeaux, and where some of the best wine values may be found.
And it is where we find Chateau Lehoul, a stupendous producer, whose wines have instantly become popular when I introduced them in North Carolina. I am proud to be their only U.S. importer, as they are overwhelmingly recognized to be a cut above, and maybe two, in the Graves appellation. This visit will be a chance to discuss in their vineyard how they consistently produce such stellar wines, and delve into their science.
We will have a tasting of course.
Lunch will be at one of the best restaurants of the region, where Serge was sommelier for 30 years, and whose original chef, Raymond Oliver, was the French Julia Child on TV, when I was a little boy. Expect a lunch of a level unknown where we come from.
For digestion we will visit Toulouse's Lautrec's castle, where he lived with his mother and died. We will explore not only the property, but also this artist's often little known decisive impact on art, notably through Picasso, and others who defined art in the 20th Century.
Dinner in quintessential Bordeaux.
* Friday September 17: Today we go back to Saint Emilion, the marvelous village whose charm has seduced the world, for a full scale exploration.
We start by Clos des Abbesses, a family owned Grand Cru in Saint Emilion. Saint Emilion is of course a spectacularly beautiful village entirely dedicated to wine, and where it seems that all the millionaires of the world compete to acquire their plot of greatness. Clos des Abbesses is an exception, in that it is owned by a French family, and goes for wine excellence, but without the frou frou often found elsewhere. I am very proud of this producer who deserves all the attention that I am attempting to shine on him.
We will have a thorough visit with Clément, followed of course by a tasting.
After that we will have lunch in a creative restaurant, on the left bank of the Dordogne, not far from Clos des Abbesses and Saint Emilion. This restaurant is an absolute gem, that always provides a memorable experience in a rather casual yet styled format.
After lunch we will go to the actual village, and start with a visit of the historic "troglodyte" church of Saint Emilion, a breathtaking edifice, carved inside the rock during medieval times, and defying imagination.
After this, you will be able to stroll on your own the Saint Emilion's streets, taking in their unique charm.
Dinner probably in my favorite restaurant in Bordeaux, unless we went there yesterday.
* Saturday September 18: Today we are going to the tip of the Graves region, in a lovely 16th century little town. It is market day, and this is a market and a town that provides a somewhat Renaissance impression. The market is a true and lively market that brings a gentle chaos to the town. It takes place on the main square in front of the Cathedral, one of the very nicest churches in the region, which casts an almost surreal, movie like ambiance.
This town is also known for its beef, and we cannot pass on that. We will have lunch in a popular "steakhouse," right on the market place, with some of the very best beef there is. The owner is actually American and has a connection with North Carolina.
After our sinful lunch, we will seek redemption by visiting the beautiful Cathedral which is on El Camino, one of the many roads to Compostello, and explore its hidden gardens for a relax time.
After relaxing, the day will affirm its aristocratic character. We will head to a nearby Castle. This one is a castle fort, seemingly the father of all castle forts, which caused it to be featured in several films, including a James Bond. This remarkable castle goes back to the 12th Century, and is linked to the history of the entire region. Sébastien, the heir of the family which has owned this castle for 700 years (that's right, 700 years!) will guide us through an exceptional VIP visit detailing the history and art presented to our eyes. He will also explain the importance of the renovation by Violet le Duc, and how this architect from the 19th century, to whom we owe the Notre Dame we know, influenced dramatically a lot of New York's architecture, notably the Empire State Building.
Dinner in Bordeaux in one of the places we prefer.
* Sunday September 19: Today we drive to the Côtes de Blaye, on the north side of the Gironde. This is where Domaine du Cassard is, the most prominent producer of Crémant de Bordeaux. This wine is served in substantial amounts at the French National Assembly. We will take the cute road along the river and just before Blayes, will stop to have lunch at a Guinguette.
After lunch for digestion, we will take a long stroll in the Citadelle, a fortified small town on the edge of Blayes, which was there to monitor the Gironde.
Toward the end of the afternoon, we will visit the newest addition in Contrast Wines' Bordeaux producers. Chateau Bel Air La Royère in the Côtes de Blayes, owned by Corinne Chevrier. It is also an organic estate, with also some Malbec production. The wines are sublime, no exaggeration, and we will enjoy Corinne's hospitality and cooking.
Dinner at the farm.
* Monday September 20: Today we go to the Médoc. We will pass by Margaux and see the lovely castles route which goes by most of the famous estates known all over the world.
We will eventually push until Chateau Castera, one of the oldest wine producer in the Medoc, going back to the middle ages, well before this whole part of the Bordeaux vineyard, was developed into a wine devoted territory in the 19th century. Chateau Castera used to be in the larger Montaigne family. We will have an historic visit explaining the long past of this Cru Bourgeois producing estate, which now also produces a white, a novelty in the Médoc. We will of course visit the chais and explore the blending aspects of wine making, something rather specific to Chateau Castera.
We will have an aristocratic picnic at the Castle under a 300 year old cedar tree, enjoying again one of the highest grade of Bordeaux hospitality, with local produce from the Médoc.
After this rare, high brow but relaxing visit, we will head back to bordeaux with a gentle ride across the Medoc and by the Gironde.
Dinner in Beautiful Bordeaux.
* Tuesday September 21: For our last day, we go to Arcachon. We'll first catch a tram across from the hotel to the train station, then train to Arcachon. After a stroll through town down to the dock, we will take a boat across the bay to arrive to Lège Cap Ferret. There we will walk to one of the best oyster cabane for a lunch of oysters. We will probably have between 12 and 24 oysters each depending on your appetite, with bread, butter, lemon, peppers that I travel with for this, and a thorough sampling of some of the white wines from Bordeaux in my portfolio, that may be paired with oysters, including Sauternes.
After lunch, we will do a tour of the lovely shops at the Cap Ferret, which feels a bit like Saint Tropez, and then a boat ride back to Arcachon, and train to Bordeaux.
Memorable last Dinner in Bordeaux where we like..
* Wednesday September 22: This is the day when you either fly back home, join the Paris part of this tour, or fly with your own wings.
If you return home, you will have asked the hotel to order a taxi for you at the desirable time.
If you are going to Paris, make sure to get a good breakfast, as we will skip lunch in order to catch our train to Paris. We will get to the train station by tram, a straight shot from the hotel, for the ultimate, stress free train catching. High speed 2 hours ride to Paris.
Our Paris hotel is a very comfortable one in Saint Germain des Près, a 10 minutes taxi ride from the train station, and in the most perfect location, Saint Germain des Près, an artsy and legendary part of Paris going back to the 50's when it was harboring Jean-Paul Sartre's, Simone de Beauvoir, and their entourage of intellectuals. It is very central, lovely and close to the Seine River as well as a ni=umber of museums, including the Musée d'Orsay and the Rodin Museum.
Dinner in Paris Fashion and night stroll in the city.
Please check the Paris Option.