About
Bordeaux
Bordeaux's vineyards lie at the extreme northern limit
of successful cultivation of the varietals planted here.
The long hours of summer sunshine ripen the grapes, but
moderate temperatures ensure a long growing season that
allows the grapes to reach a full physiological maturity.
There is ample rainfall over the year,
so irrigation is not necessary (in fact it is not allowed).
Normally, however the rain will hold off until after
the harvest, which usually occurs from late September
to mid October.
From Bordeaux west to the Atlantic Ocean
lies one of the most renowned wine regions of the world.
The Medoc begins just outside the suburbs of Bordeaux,
and stretches some 80km (50 miles) alongside the Gironde
estuary in a NNW strip between 5 and 11 km wide. The
Gironde forms the Eastern boundary, and the immense
pine forest of Les Landes abuts the vineyards to the
West and South. The Gironde estuary is the largest
in Europe, and exerts a major influence on the vineyards
of the Medoc. For this reason, the most desirable vineyards
are located where "the vines can see the water",
and this indeed is where most of the First-Growths
are to be found.
The other major influence is the gravel
soils, deposited first by the Pyrenean glaciers and
then covered in parts by river sediments. Where the
gravel beds are very deep and form outcroppings on
the surface they produce excellent drainage, and also
hold and intensify the sun's heat, reflecting the precious
warmth back up under the leaf canopy to ripen the grapes.
Here we visit the famous classified growths like Lafite,
Latour, Mouton, Margaux, Palmer, Lynch-Bages, Montrose
as well as a few that you might not have heard of but
will never forget once we've introduced you to them!
The Medoc boasts a marvellous 36-hole
golf course, just a few minutes from our accommodation.
Many of our guests are tempted to spend a glorious
spring morning or tranquil fall afternoon driving alongside
some of the local winemakers, many of whom are members
of the club.
St. Emilion and Pomerol
The most picturesque village in the Bordeaux region also
produces some of it's finest, rarest and often most
expensive wines. We are fortunate to have access
to several of the most exclusive vineyards of St.
Emilion and Pomerol. Many of these wines are known
only to a handful of connoisseurs throughout the
world, and we taste them whilst we discuss methods
and philosophies with the owners of these unique
chateaux.
Below the village are acres of limestone
caves and the unique monolithic church, standing guard
over the precious wines maturing slowly over decades
in their silent, dark depths. The village is packed
with wine boutiques, art and antiques and will keep
you enthralled for hours wandering it's cobbled streets.
St. Emilion is also the venue for some
spectacular events during our tours. We are privileged
to be invited to the private banquets of the Jurade
of St. Emilion, the governing body of the region's
winemakers. This ancient order takes it's roots from
the Medieval traditions of the monastic rulers of the
village, and is a rare opportunity to be immersed first-hand
in the ritual and splendor of some of France's oldest
culture. These events are held twice each year, for
the Flowering of the Vines in Spring, and the Harvest
in September, and we normally arrange a limited number
of places to join us in these celebrations as part
of one of our tours.
The Graves region is one of the oldest
of Bordeaux, and perhaps less well-known in the USA
than it should be. The reds of Graves are sturdy wines,
reflecting the gravel beds from whish the area gets
it's name. This is the only region of Bordeaux, however,
to have classified growths in both red and white wines,
and this is where Bordeaux's true connoisseurs come
to taste the Savignon Blanc and Semillon grape at their
absolute best.
We include of course the top Graves chateau,
and whether it be the historic Haut Brion, the superlative
Domaine de Chevalier Blanc, or the equally stunning
white Fieuzal, this is one of the highlights of any
trip to Bordeaux.
Sauterne brings us rolling countryside,
ancient chateaux still owned by the old French aristocracy
and the most painstaking production of wine possible.
A harvest that can stretch over two months helps develop
the sugars, flavor and power of the awe-inspiring wines
of this appellation.
We take you to the heart of this unique
land, where we show you the workings of producers from
the incomparable Chateau d'Yquem to extraordinary micro-vineyards
such as Doisy-Dubroca or de Fargues.
Of course, you’ll dine in a variety
of fine restaurants, from gourmet 'Haute-Cuisine' to
wonderful local cafés where you’ll eat
authentic regional delicacies. Many of our meals are
arranged in the wineries themselves, and the experience
of tasting these fabled wines in the company of those
who make them is never forgotten. Picnics by the Gironde
and sightseeing in the quaint villages and countryside
fill the time between visits, and you can always visit
the coast or spend time in Bordeaux itself if you wish. |
|
Wine
Escape to Bordeaux
From $1719
pp* double
occupancy including
all services, accommodations, tastings and meals listed.
Excludes air.
Bordeaux
5 Night-6 Day Self-Drive Itinerary
Program
can begin on either Monday or Tuesday
Detailed driving instructions and contact information
are supplied for each visit.
PLEASE
NOTE: FOR OUR CLIENTS WHO DO NOT WISH TO WORRY
ABOUT DRIVING AND FOLLOWING OUR SPOT-ON DIRECTIONS, WE
PROVIDE A PRIVATE CHAUFFEUR DRIVEN VERSION OF THE SAME
ITINERARY BUT WITH THE WONDERFUL LOCAL KNOWLEDGE, INSIDER
INFORMATION AND FLAVOR THAT ONLY AN EXPERIENCED AND FRIENDLY FRENCH
DRIVER / GUIDE CAN GIVE.
And,
before you decide which means of touring you’d prefer,
here’s an idea you should consider…Since there
is nothing more fun and memorable than traveling with like-
minded friends in search of the perfect wine and culinary
discovery. And so, for those of you who can gather more
than 6 fellow wine, dinner, cigar, golf or tennis club
members or any other "affinity" group, or “just
plain friends”, we'll customize a insider trip that
should satisfy all your wine and culinary tastes. And,
the cost per person goes down at least a litre or two!
Day
1 (Breakfast and Dinner)
Arrive
Bordeaux airport or train station and pick up your rental
car. The rental car offices are just outside the airport
baggage claim, inside the building. Follow directions supplied
to your hotel in the Médoc.
Your
afternoon is free to explore the wine countryside and orient
yourselves for tomorrow’s tours.
Dinner
tonight is in the gourmet restaurant of your hotel, overlooking
the Grand Crus vineyards of Margaux an awesome setting
that will set the stage for your entire trip of wine and
culinary discovery.
Day
2 (Breakfast
and Lunch)
Today is your day for tasting the wines of the Médoc.
We have arranged one visit for you this morning at 10:00,
and two more tasting visits this afternoon at 3:00 and 4:30
PM (times may vary according to specific itinerary).
Lunch
is included at Chateau Maucaillou, after your visit to
the excellent wine museum and tour and tasting at the winery.
By advance
request, we will at no extra charge happily arrange your
Lunch and/or dinner experience in any of our recommended
restaurants or, you can of course choose to make your own
arrangements
Day
3 (Breakfast)
Your
morning tasting today is at 10:00, taking you further up
the peninsula so you get a complete view of the Médoc.
We have arranged for one more winery visit this afternoon,
We’ve
left he rest of the day free for you to spend as you please – exploring
the Médoc or shopping in Pauillac, or perhaps driving
across the peninsula to the Atlantic beaches for a swim.
By advance
request, we will at no extra charge happily arrange your
Lunch and/or dinner experience in any of our recommended
restaurants or, you can of course choose to make your own
arrangements.
Day
4 (Breakfast)
Check
out of your hotel after breakfast and drive about an hour
to Sauternes in the Graves region, south of Bordeaux city. Sauternes
is one of the greatest unique wines in the world – Chateau
d’Yquem was the only property to be classified Premier
Grand Crus Superieur in 1855 (above famous names like Latour
and Lafitte) and the sweet white wines of this region are
delicious. We’ve arranged a tasting of Sauternes
at 10:30.
Then
stop for lunch in the village – we recommend “Les
Sapriens” (and can reserve for you) where you can
choose your whole menu based around Sauternes if you wish,
as you sit by the vineyards of Chateau Giraud. Close by
is the fascinating Chateau de Roquetaillade, which you
may tour if you are interested (driving directions are
included) or just enjoy driving through the lovely hills
of Sauternes.
Follow
our detailed driving directions to your next stop in Entre-deux-Mers,
where you will another unique experience learning about
one of Bordeaux’s prized delicacies, fois gras. On
a small family farm you can see some of the best cared-for
animals raised anywhere (top quality fois gras comes from
stress-free ducks and geese) and enjoy a tasting of several
styles of preparation of this delicious treat.
Continue
from here across the pretty countryside of Entre-deux-Mers
to your next hotel in St. Emilion, about 45 minutes away.
By advance
request, we will at no extra charge happily arrange your
Lunch and/or dinner experience in any of our recommended
restaurants or, you can of course choose to make your own
arrangements
Day
5 (Breakfast
and Dinner)
Today is spent tasting the wines of the St. Emilion and Pomerol.
We have arranged two visits for you this morning at 09:30
and 11:00, and then we leave the rest of the day open for
you to explore the village, its famous monolithic church
and other places of interest (times of visits may vary according
to specific itinerary).
Dinner
tonight is on us at our favorite restaurant in St. Emilion – also
a neighborhood favorite of the local ‘culinary cognoscenti’ that’s
always busy with local winemakers, so don’t be surprised
to see someone you’ve tasted with earlier!
Day
6 (Breakfast)
Check out of your hotel after breakfast and either continue
onto your post-wine discovery experience or head for the
airport and home. If you wish to depart later in the day
the hotel staff will be happy to take care of your bags until
you are ready to depart.
Pricing
for Top10TravelWorld’s Bordeaux 5 night Independent
Self-Drive Wine Tours
Self-Drive
- Per Person Double Occupancy. Please inquire about single
supplement pricing.
#
pax in party |
2 |
4 |
6 |
|
Midsize
Scenic |
Laguna
wagon |
7-seat
Espace |
Chateau
Maucaillou / Marojallia &
Chateau Franc-Mayne |
$1,739 |
$1,729 |
$1,719 |
Chateau
du Tertre &
Chateau Grand Barrail |
$2,459 |
$2,449 |
$2,439 |
Inclusions:
5 Nights hotel in shared double/twin room.
Rental of car for tour period with Basic insurance (upgrades
and additional insurance available).
5 Breakfasts
1 Lunch at Chateau Maucaillou, including fine wines
2 dinners, without wine
8 Winery visits, including tasting fees
Air is additional. You can use your mileage if seats are
ever available or we can arrange individual discounted economy
or Business Class fares or similar fares for any size wine
group.
Pricing
for Top10TravelWorld’s Bordeaux 5 night Private Chauffeur
Wine Tours
Chauffeur
- Per Person Double Occupancy. Please inquire about single
supplement pricing.
#
pax in party |
2 |
4 |
6 |
|
Midsize
Scenic |
7-seat
Espace |
9-seat
VW Bus |
Chateau
Maucaillou /Marojallia &
Chateau Franc-Mayne |
$3,539 |
$2,631 |
$2,184 |
Chateau
du Tertre &
Chateau Grand Barrail |
$4,149 |
$3,241 |
$2,799 |
Inclusions:
5 Nights hotel in shared double/twin room.
Private chauffeured vehicle for tour period with wine expert
driver/guide, including transfers
(Note: transportation to/from dinner is not included, and
will be arranged with local taxis as needed).
5 Breakfasts
1 Lunch at Chateau Maucaillou, including fine wines
2 dinners, without wine
8 Winery visits, including tasting fees
Wineries
Visited:
Properties will be a selection of “Classified” growths
and small producers. Normally we will include at least one
1st Growth chateau. Choice of chateaux is dependent on time
of year and advance booking notice as all visits are requested
on an individual basis and chateau schedules can fill well
in advance at certain times of the year. Visits are personally
selected by Peter Smith our Wine Master and are based on
his extensive experience in the region, and the visits are
often with winemakers who are personal friends of his. You’ll
love his choices. We do.
Accommodations:
Chateau Maucaillou is a working winery,
and has 5 guest rooms in one wing of the owner’s
chateau. The rooms are not air conditioned, but are in
a 19th century stone-walled building where there is normally
no problem with temperature. Located in Moulis, about
8-10 minutes from the village of Margaux.
Chateau Marojallia is a recently renovated
property that is managed by a hotel in the village of Margaux.
The Chateau rooms are very nicely decorated, and hotel is
about 100 yards away.
Chateau Franc-Mayne is an intimate 5 room
chateau-hotel about 1 km outside of St. Emilion, on a working
winery. Rooms are very comfortable; not air-conditioned,
but are in an old stone-walled building where there is normally
no problem with temperature.
Accommodation
Upgrades:
Chateau du Tertre is a beautiful, very
exclusive chateau with 5 guest rooms, located in Arsac
about 5 minutes from Margaux. Appointments are excellent,
and the wine is truly superb.
Chateau Grand Barrail is a full-service
hotel, converted from a chateau in the vineyards about 2
km outside of St. Emilion. It has a spa, an excellent restaurant
and superior service. It is worth trading up to…
Call
866-441-8086 for reservations.
<<
BACK TO HOME AND FAREFINDER |
