Discover Bordeaux (Tour code: 11959)

Upon arrival at Bordeaux train station or airport you will be escorted by private transfer to your centrally located hotel and check in.

In the afternoon, enjoy some free time to discover the lively city of Bordeaux! Bordeaux is classified a "City of Art and History" and has been inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble". It is home to one of Europe's biggest 18th century architectural urban areas and stands out as one of the first French cities to have entered an era of urbanism and metropolitan big scale projects, with the team Gabriel father and son, architects for King Louis XV, under the supervision of two Governors, first Nicolas-François Dupré de Saint-Maur then the Marquis de Tourny.

Overnight stay in Bordeaux at Hotel de Sèze.

Bordeaux

After breakfast, meet your English speaking driver guide at Bordeaux Tourism Office and start your full day small group tour to Medoc with wine tastings.

On this highly recommended full day small group tour in the Medoc, you'll discover one of France's most admired wine-growing regions. Beginners and seasoned wine connoisseurs alike will find plenty to love on this guided wine tasting tour of Medoc led by local expert wine guides. Drawing on local knowledge and a real love of wine, our tour guides will fill you in on this unique and beautiful region, and you'll discover what make Medoc wines so special.

Your first stop will be at a winery located along the Castle Road. This small winding road, also known as the D2, is lined with some of the most prestigious wineries of the Medoc including Chateau Palmer, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Latour and many others. It crosses through the different appellations that make up the Medoc such as Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac and Saint Estephe. Upon arrival at the winery, start your tour with a visit of the property. Then, you will be taken to the technical installations so that you may understand the whole wine making process. After the visit, it will be time to experience your first commented wine tasting session. This will be a chance to gain an excellent understanding of the wines produced here, whether as an introduction to wines or to expand on your existing knowledge..

Unlike other wine tasting sessions that you might have followed around the world, the tastings in Bordeaux are very refined. The amount of wine poured is not what many would expect but here it is all about elegance, fruit, quality, aromas and flavors rather than quantity. If you want to further your wine experience, it is always possible to buy some bottles at the winery.

After your first visit, your drive will continue and if time permits your driver/guide will probably stop along the way for great photo opportunities. The number of Wine Estates that can be seen along the famous wine route is also a perfect element of commentary for your guide who will explain the historic facts behind the building of some many estates in this area.

As you arrive in Pauillac, it will be time for lunch on your own. Your guide will point out the different options but please note that due to strict timing for the winery visits, we suggest that you opt for a light lunch that will not be time consuming.

After lunch, it will be time to slowly make our way back towards Bordeaux. Along the way, we will stop in two different carefully selected wineries so that your full day wine tour from Bordeaux to the Medoc is complete. On a typical day, we will include different appellations. This is an important aspect of the tour as the wines in France are based on the importance of the terroir (a combination of the soil, the climate and the expertise of the winemaker).

Another interesting aspect that can be approached during your winery visits is to see how the Bordeaux wines are traded. There are 300 trading houses (or maisons de négoce) which, for several centuries, have been a major financial and economic force known by the name of “Place de Bordeaux". Wine trading began in Bordeaux around the 11th century with the development of business between Bordeaux and England. At the time, practically all of the wines were bought in bulk at the estate then aged in the cellars owned by the négociants who were then in charge of selling them. Today, their principal role is selling selected crus and producing wine: négociants blend, age and sell wines under their own brand names, providing consumers with a guarantee of know-how, and retailers with a guarantee of regular supply.

After the visit and wine tasting session in the two wineries, return to Bordeaux around 6.00pm.

Overnight stay in Bordeaux at Hotel de Sèze.

Wine tasting

After breakfast, meet your English speaking driver guide at Bordeaux Tourism Office and start your full day small group tour to Saint Emilion with wine tastings.

Depart for your small group St Emilion wine tour. It covers a full day of visits starting in the morning with a scenic drive from Bordeaux through the vineyards and rolling hills of the St Emilion wine producing region located on the right bank. Before visiting the UNESCO world heritage site of Saint Emilion village, the wine tour kicks off in the surrounding countryside with a visit and wine tasting session in 2 Classified Growth Chateaus of the right bank.

Not included in the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wines, Saint Emilion wines have their own system that included top rated Premier Grand Cru Classé wines such as Château Cheval Blanc, Chateau Ausone, Chateau Pavie or Chateau Angelus. Petrus is not classified as it is a winery located in the Pomerol appellation and the wines there do not have a classification. All wineries visited during our tours are at least Grand Cru classified.

After a short drive of about an hour, reach your first stop at a selected Grand Cru Winery. All winery tours in Bordeaux include the visit of the technical installations first. This is where a local guide of the winery will go through all the wine making process so that you can better understand how from a complex blending of different grape varieties and storage in oak barrels the local wineries obtain one of the world's most delicious wines.

A second Chateau visit is also planned for the morning. Again, after the visit of the property and the installations, you will participate in a commented tasting of the Chateau wines. All the Bordeaux wine tastings are commented by the local guide of the winery. However, your driver/guide who will be with you throughout the day is also there to answer any questions that you might have. The driver/guides have great knowledge about wines and they will be happy to share any basic or more technical information concerning French or Bordeaux Wines. Whether you have questions about history, technique, flavours, aromas, food & wine pairings don't hesitate to ask them anything that relates to wine to make this day a very special one.

Then, arrive in Saint Emilion. The village of Saint Emilion is named after a monk who left his region of origin and settled down in the area hundreds of years ago. The village is a rare example of a largely intact medieval town whose geography has not been modified over the centuries. Here, you will enjoy a short walking tour taking in important historical sites like the Romanesque cloister and the monolithic church carved into the limestone cliffs (also known as the underground monuments – not included in the tour).

Following the village tour, enjoy a nice lunch in the village (own expenses).
Please note however that due to strict timing for the winery visits, we suggest that you opt for a light lunch that will not be time consuming. This is also a great option if you really want to take some time to stroll through the narrow streets and discover the village on your own.

In the afternoon, leave Saint Emilion village for a visit and a wine tasting in another Classified Growth Chateau. Since our goal is to have you discover the different types of wineries that are present in Saint Emilion, we usually select very different Chateaux during the day. Our winery selection includes some very progressive ones that have decided to invest in the latest technology to help them craft the best possible Bordeaux wines. Other wineries are family owned and have kept their wine making process as traditional as possible, using techniques that have been passed on from generation to generation. Some wineries are quite large, while others produce wine on no more than 12 acres. This final visit can also be a great opportunity for you to find out about the unique way in which most of the Bordeaux wines are sold and the secret world of the 'Negociants'. After the visit, experience a commented wine tasting session of the Chateau wines and then it will be time to return to Bordeaux around 5.30pm.

The rest of the day is yours to explore Bordeaux.

Overnight stay in Bordeaux at Hotel de Sèze.

The village of Saint Emilion