Bordeaux Wine Tours

Finish the afternoon with a glass of vin, of course, in an enchanting wine bar. Before dinner, you will have a chance to get freshened up.

Dinner is an elegant affair this evening in the Michelin starred restaurant of L’Observatoire du Gabriel in the gorgeous Place de la Bourse. You will be treated to the tasting menu paired with Bordeaux wines. The menu is seasonal, but you can expect such delicacies as razor clams with young leeks and truffles; braised langoustine with kumquat and citrus sabayon; lobster cooked in a cauliflower cream with perlita caviar; scallops in gravlax, Jerusalem artichoke, and grilled buckwheat; and chocolate tart in various textures with coconut sorbet and Sichuan pepper crème anglaise. A superb welcome to Bordeaux.

Follow with lunch at the Caudalie wine spa estate at the Table du Lavoir restaurant. This warm and rustic space has a huge open fire and a very cozy feeling. The cuisine is country fare, and you might try duck magret roast with figs or a chargrilled steak with béarnaise sauce and homemade frites. After lunch, you will visit the prestigious Smith Haut Lafitte winery on the same gorgeous property. Your host is excellent, and after a tour of the historic chais (cellars), finish the visit in their tasting room, overlooking the vineyards. Tonight, you are staying in a gorgeous privately owned nearby Château, and you will feel like the lord of the manor, with your private chef and all! So check-in and chill out. You could go for a walk through the vines on their quaint estate, take a bath with the luxury bath salts you get in your welcome pack, or watch the sunset while sipping an aperitif. Dinner will be prepared just for you in their intimate dining room. Your chef is exceptionally hospitable and fun, a real treat you will undoubtedly enjoy!

Explore the picturesque Arcachon Basin by boat and pop into the mythical oyster shacks and fisherman huts to taste the world-famous local oysters, paired with champagne, of course. Sail on to Cap Ferret, a woodsy beach town on the peninsula, and sit down at your waterfront table at Café Pinasse. This shabby chic locale attracts all the local celebs and high society, and above all, seafood lovers. You will have a seafood extravaganza for lunch- Aquitaine Caviar, langoustines, mussels in garlic and white wine sauce, and naturally all paired with local wines. After lunch, your driver will take you back to your Château where you can relax, enjoy some free time and have a light dinner tonight.

In the evening, arrive at your luxurious abode for the next few nights, the absolutely stunning Château La Lagune. Be welcomed like royalty by your own private butler and settle into your bedroom with romantic, period furniture. Freshen up and explore the property with its extensive vineyards and parkland. The private VIP dinner tonight is in the prettiest and coziest French country kitchen you could imagine. You will have your own chef and dishes vary by season but might include dishes like lobster bisque, wine poached salmon with black truffles and then finished off with superb, just- made chocolate soufflé. The delicious wines of the estate will be on offer and you can taste their premier wines and discover for yourself why they have been so well received by wine critics and collectors around the world. After dinner, why not sip cognac in the drawing-room? Magnifique.

Next on to Château Giscours; the origins of the actual estate date back to the 14th century when it was a fortified dungeon. Wine has been made on the property since the 1550s and a century later it was being served on France’s sun king Louis XIV’s tables. Your dashing Dutch host has lived in Bordeaux for twenty years and is passionate about his adopted wine region. Tour the estate and learn all about the history of Giscours, taking in the beauty of the surroundings. In the afternoon at your leisure (you could do some wine shopping in Margaux first if you like), return to your private Château. Dinner tonight will be based on your preferences, the chef is at your disposal.

Take in the beautiful cellar and continue with a tasting of various vintages of Cos d’ Estournel and their unique and delicious white wine- a novelty for the region. Next up is a visit to neighboring Pauillac, with its powerful “monster” red wines adored by the likes of Robert Parker. You will visit one of the loveliest and friendliest estates, the Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande. One of our favorites, this estate is located just across the street from the fairy tale Pichon Longueville estate, and it borders vineyards with the 1st growth Latour. We love this winery not only for its terrific wines but for the beauty of the property and the warm welcome. You will also visit their small, quaint glass museum with views over the vineyards and the Gironde estuary. Super!

Don’t worry- lunch is next! And what a lunch, a tasting menu at Cordeillan Bages, a Relais & Chateaux renowned for its cuisine. The cuisine is daring, outrageous and creative, quite out of this world. You will try a variety of tasting dishes paired with wines from around France. Let your taste buds explore new dimensions! The last activity of the day is a fun, relaxed wine blending class in St Julien (only a few minutes down the road) at the highly esteemed Château Lagrange estate. Learn how the winemakers here do the “assemblage” and what makes a Bordeaux blend. In the evening, you will arrive at your boutique hotel, set amid the vineyard. You will probably not be hungry enough for dinner, but for a nibble, you can head into St Emilion. Settle in and enjoy your picturesque surroundings.

In the private family home, enjoy a specially prepared multi-course lunch paired with their best wines (sweeties from Barsac-Sauternes) and with the owners themselves. This is an intimate and friendly experience, and if the weather is nice, you can even sip the aperitif on their scenic terrace, overlooking the vines. Lunch will be in their homey dining room amazingly unfussy, even with its original Chagall painting. It will include perfectly executed dishes like quail piccatta, buttered lobster, monkfish in a lemony sauce, pressed chicken in a terrine. This is a unique and special highlight of the tour at one of the top 1st growths in Sauternes.

There is no rush today, and at your leisure, head back into St Emilion. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore this medieval gem. Dinner tonight is on your own; there are several excellent bistros and wine bars in the village.

Next, enjoy a fabulous wine country lunch at Le Clos Mirande, this lovely, chic-rustic restaurant overlooking the vineyards of Montagne Saint-Emilion, is run by chef proprietor Laurent Supiot. Laurent creates tantalizing Bordelais specialties presented with panache. Now we have selected Château Fonplégade for you, with its beautiful setting, impeccable wines, and excellent hosts. This is the perfect place to conclude your epic wine tasting journey in the region. After a private tour and tasting of 2 or 3 of their spectacular wines, you will return to your hotel to relax and freshen up. Dinner tonight is at the superlative, 2 Michelin starred Hostellerie Plaisance, in St Emilion, where Chef Ronan Kervarrec is at the helm. Dinner is a decadent tasting menu that will include seasonal dishes such as Line-fished lean – Grilled fillet, braised leaks, “Esprit de Pavie” red wine sauce Squab pigeon – Roasted breast, preserved legs flavored with marjoram herbs and Ewe’s milk cheese – Au gratin in a potato, small thin slice of ham and then a sweet finale such as Cherry amaretto – Almond soufflé and cherry sorbet, crisp macaroons. After a splendid dinner, take a walk around St Emilion, lit up and ever so magical at night.