bordeaux
“you had me at merlot”
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Bordeaux is the big one. A wine and region even non-wine lovers have heard of, and it is the location for many of the most prestigious names in fine wine, such as Petrus, Lafite, Latour and Mouton-Rothschild. Any good guide to wine travel wouldn’t be complete without Bordeaux.
The vineyards of Bordeaux lay outside of the city centre, broken into complex appellations defined by Terroir, a term that has no English equivalent but encompasses the soil, climate, and other natural aspects of the growing environment. Fear not, you do not need to understand these complexities to have a fantastic time tasting wine in Bordeaux.
Travel through the French countryside and you’ll be surrounded by vineyards everywhere you look.
Here's the best part: Despite it’s reputation, it is actually very easy to enjoy a weekend wine tasting in Bordeaux.
the info
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After arriving Friday night, you will enjoy an entire day in the French countryside sampling wine and admiring the exceptional architecture. On Sunday, spend some time in the city to further learn about, and taste, wine.
When in Bordeaux, it is essential you have appointments for the Chateaux you wish to visit.
For full details on how to visit Bordeaux for a weekend, see Bordeaux Itinerary.
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Look out for ‘Canelé’ from one of the many shops selling them out of their window in Bordeaux. These delicious gooey, honeycomb cakes are an understated and tasty by-product of wine making, popular in Bordeaux. They are made from leftover egg yolks (the egg whites are used to clarify the wine) and sometimes rum is added too.
For dinner pairings, think big and heavy. Red Bordeaux can stand up to the biggest dishes and accentuate them. The red wine pairs well with meat with rich sauces drizzled over dauphinoise potatos. Roast lamb, roast beef and steak will complement it perfectly.
Just make sure you finish your red wine before dessert comes, otherwise the sweetness of your dessert may mean the powerful red wine leaves a horrible taste in your mouth. For dessert, order a chilled Sauternes instead to perfectly match the sweetness.
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Many places will insist you eat to order alcohol. Keep this in mind, as it can feel hard to have a glass of Bordeaux in Bordeaux at times.
Do not turn up to wineries unannounced. The winemakers are at work themselves and you should book an appointment, turn up on time and ensure your sobriety levels are detectable.
Check the opening times of restaurants and make a reservation where possible. many are closed on Sundays, and some even on Saturdays too.
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Ready to live the Weekend Wine ife in Bordeaux?
You can find a suggested travel itinerary with recommended hotels, restaurants and how to make your reservations right here;
what is Bordeaux wine?
Whilst most famous for its red wines, Bordeaux also produces white, rose and sweet wines. Thirteen grape
varieties grown in Bordeaux are allowed to be labelled as Bordeaux wine, and five dominate.
- Cabernet Sauvignon (Red)
- Merlot (Red)
- Cabernet Franc (Red)
- Sauvignon Blanc (White)
- Semillon (White)
You may also hear the term ‘Bordeaux blend’ - this essentially means Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
How does it taste?
Powerful. Very rarely would (red) Bordeaux be described as light or delicate, these wines will dominate your taste buds. Merlot based wines will generally be softer and juicier, showing flavours of red and black cherry, red plum and sometimes chocolate. Cabernet Sauvignon dominant wines will often show blackcurrant, mint, and bell pepper characteristics.
Red Bordeaux can be very tannic when young. Tannins refer to the drying, teeth coating sensation you have after drinking some red wines. Next time you are eating a red grape peel some of the skin away and eat that – the texture in your mouth will be comparable to tannins.
Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc has a minerally complexity, and its Sauternes are some of the finest sweet wines in the world. You’ll have a rich, viscous feel of the wine with flavours of apricot with these.
useful terminology
Left Bank – The Médoc. This is the region found to the left of the Garonne River, where Cabernet Sauvignon usually dominates the blend. Wines listed as Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Margaux, St.Julien, Pauillac or St.Estèphe will be from the left bank.
Right Bank – St. Émilion. It follows that this region will hence be found to the right of the Garonne River, but here the softer Merlot dominates in the blend. Wines listed as St. Émilion or Pomerol will be from here.
Bordeaux blend – a mixture of the grapes grown in Bordeaux (as above). Some new world wines will describe their wines as a ‘Bordeaux blend’ although they have not been grown or made in Bordeaux.
Claret – this is what English folk call Bordeaux.
Vintage - the year the grapes were harvested. Vintage really matters in Bordeaux because the weather is not consistent from one year to the next. Bordeaux has a maritime climate and can have high rainfall and humidity. For example, if too much rain falls at the wrong time of year it can reduce the quality and quantity of the grape yields, or if frost hits it can destroy the vines. Winemakers need to pay very close attention to how they manage their vines to ensure they increase their chances of growing healthy grapes. A really great vintage, such as that of 2005 and 2009, will command a much higher price than that of the same wine grown in a different year.
This vintage variation is the main reason that almost all wines produced in Bordeaux are blends of different grape varieties. The weather is too risky to invest all your eggs (grapes?!) in one basket and rely on one grape variety ripening well, so the risk is spread across many varieties.
Terroir - a French word with no English equivalent for the soil, climate and other natural features that contribute to the grapes growing environment. of the growing environment
Many books have been written on the history of Bordeaux, and here I will summarise…..
The Romans first brought vines to Bordeaux, discovering that the area was the perfect combination of the right soil for growing grapes,
with easy transport links via the Garonne River.
Fast forward to 1152 and Englishman Henry Plantagenet (to be King Henry II of England) marries the French Eleanor of Aquitaine, acquiring a large part of western France. The end of the 100-year war in 1453 transferred the land back to French rule, but the established wine trade with England continues. By the early 18th century Bordeaux merchants were supplying the rising middle classes of Britain, and in 1855 the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce produced an official list of their best red wines from the Medoc (left Bank) and white wines from Sauternes. This is the famous ‘1855 Classification’, which still remains today despite the classified Chateaux’s undergoing changes in number, size and ownership.
In the mid 1870’s disaster struck - the microscopic Phylloxera louse was accidently brought from The United States to Europe, where it infested vineyards and almost completely wiped out wine production. Fortunately, it was discovered vines could be grafted on to American rootstocks that were resistant to the louse, and vineyards were replanted with these new graftings. Phew.
In the 1930s the French Government established the ‘Appellation d’Origine Contrôllé (AOC)’ system, whereby regions in France named their wines in the place they were produced (which was later applied to other agricultural food products such as cheese). These geographical boundaries generated specific interest in the uniqueness of wines from certain Chateaux’s and regions.
Fast forward again to today, where Bordeaux wines are considered benchmark wines for some of the key grape varieties grown there. It is the largest fine wine producing region in the world, making approximately 800 million bottles of wine each year. Past interest from famous historical figures, plus more recent rave reviews from influential wine critics such as Robert Parker have led to the prestige and popularity of Bordeaux wines that we see today. Unsurprisingly, some of the world’s most expensive wines ever sold have been from Bordeaux.
