GuideBordeaux, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France10 min read
A Week in Bordeaux Wine Country
Left Bank, Right Bank and a city made of limestone
Average rating 4.3 out of 5
4.33 reviews
How we plan a first week in Bordeaux: four nights in the city, three among the vines, and which châteaux to book.
Two banks, two grapes, one river
Bordeaux is the easiest great wine region in the world to visit without a car, and the most rewarding to understand. The rule of thumb is simple. On the Left Bank of the Gironde, in the Médoc and Graves, gravel soils suit cabernet sauvignon, and the famous names of Margaux and Pauillac make structured wines built to age. On the Right Bank, around Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, clay and limestone favour merlot, and the wines are rounder and earlier to drink. Between the two rivers, Entre-Deux-Mers makes crisp whites, and to the south Sauternes makes some of the finest sweet wine anywhere.
We plan a first week as four nights in the city and three among the vines. Bordeaux itself has been transformed in the last twenty years: the eighteenth-century limestone quays have been cleaned and pedestrianised, trams glide past the Place de la Bourse, and the whole riverfront is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Cité du Vin, a museum of wine shaped like a swirl in a glass, is a good first morning.
Harvest runs from mid-September into October. It is the most exciting time to visit, but some châteaux close to visitors while they pick; book tastings well ahead and confirm a week before.
City and vines
Our week
- Days 1-2: the old town, the quays, the Chartrons wine bars and the Cité du Vin
- Day 3: a full day in the Médoc, with two classed-growth tastings
- Day 4: Sauternes in the morning, Graves in the afternoon
- Days 5-7: Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, staying among the vines
Book the châteaux first
Drink the Right Bank while you wait for the Left Bank to be ready.A Saint-Émilion winemaker
Place de la Bourse
About this story
Olivia OwnerAuthor
Demo Travel AgencyPublisher
Reviews
Write a reviewAverage rating 4.3 out of 5
3 reviews- SLSophie Laurent5 out of 5 stars12 Sept
Followed this almost to the letter over a long weekend and it was spot on. The early-morning tips alone saved us hours of queueing.
- MRMarco Rossi5 out of 5 stars2 Sept
Third Demo guide I have used this year and they never miss. Realistic timings, great food and no tourist traps.
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