In the average American household, no special dinner will ever be complete without having a bottle of Bordeaux to fill your wineglasses with. Whether you’re having some friends over and serving some everyday table wine – or if you’re celebrating your anniversary with an expensive bottle of red – there is a variety of Bordeaux wine that will suit your taste.
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But haven’t you ever wondered where these luscious bottles of wine are made? As you may already know, Bordeaux wines are produced in the region of the same name in France. When you actually travel to the city to take Bordeaux out of your dinner table into where the wine is made from, you are in for a pleasurable experience that will soothe not just your wine-spoiled palate but also your eyes.
Travelling to Bordeaux
Also known as the “Little Paris” of France, Bordeaux is a flat city which is built on the banks of the Garonne River. It’s also one of the largest cities in Europe where there are no towering skyscrapers. The landscape is dominated by wine yards and modern buildings, although the town center is populated with traditional stone mansions and terraces.
If you’re travelling to Bordeaux from Paris, it’s a one-hour flight away. You can also take the high-speed TGV train if you want to travel by land. Before dishing out the delights which await you when you go on a wine-tasting tour in Bordeaux, here is a quick list of the many tourist attractions in the city for your reference.
First, there’s the Les Quais which is a nice place for tourists to visit. Second, you can get your fill of the historical monuments in La Victoire. Other Bordeaux attractions include the Musee D’Art Contemporain, Musee D’Aquitaine, Gambetta Square, Quinconces Square and Meriadeck.
Which Vineyards in Bordeaux Offer Wine-Tasting Tours for Tourists?
Now comes the good part. Since you are purposely visiting Bordeaux to go to where the actual wine production is, which vineyards offer wine tasting tours for tourists? Being the second largest wine-growing region in the world which produces more than 700 million wine bottles annually, you will not be lacking for vineyards to visit in Bordeaux.
However, not all of them offer walking tours. For those which do offer walking tours, make sure that you have advanced reservations – appointments are generally required. Take a look at some of the most famous, beautiful, Bordeaux-producing vineyards in the region:
Chateau Coutet
Located between the Garonne and Ciron rivers, this chateau in Bordeaux is known for producing the best sweet wines in the region. The most famous product of this chateau is their Premier Crui or first growth wine, as well as the Cuvee Madame.
Chateau Canon
If you want to have a tour of a winery which combines old school and fairly new technology in winemaking, visit the Chateau Canon.
Chateau du Tertre
This chateau produces the 35-year old Cabernet Sauvignon and their other popular product is the Petit Verdot.
Chateau Haut-Bailly
Situated in the Pessac-Leognan region, you can take your pick from wines produced by either 35 or more than 100-year old vines.
Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte
There’s also the chateau which popularised the Cabernet Franc vines. Have a sampling of some sweet wine or deep reds here during your visit.
Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Perhaps this is the only chateau in Bordeaux which readily welcomes visitors without introductory letters of pricey pre-bookings. The Chateau Mouton Rothschild is home to one of the world’s greatest red wines, which also showcases a collection of artworks used for the labels in an artifacts museum.
So what are you waiting for? Hop on to the next flight to Paris and venture out into Bordeaux, France – where the wines that you most enjoy in your dinner table was exquisitely made with love, tradition and a sense of regional pride and history.