Bordeaux Wine & Walking Tour

Arrival in BORDEAUX. Meet and greet by your tour guide at the scheduled group pick-up time at 3:00 PM at Bordeaux St. Jean Rail Station from where you will transfer to your small hotel.

Tour and Tasting in Pessac prior to arrival at the hotel. Travelers enjoy a first taste and introduction to the classified producers of Bordeaux with a wine tour and wine tasting in Pessac with our friends at one of the original chateaux to be classified in 1855 under Napolean III. This producer, Chateau Haut Brion, is also the only chateau of the original five situated in Graves rather than Médoc, and therefore the only Chateau on the list that is allowed to sell a dry white wine under the same name and appellation as its’ red wine.

Winery Tour and Tasting. Enjoy a fun and unpretentious tour with an introduction to the history of chateau’s wine production and the evolution of the chateau.

Walking the Saint Emilion Wine Jurisdiction, Two Classified Winery Tours and VIP Wine Tasting, Private Gourmet Picker’s Lunch at a Classified Wine Chateau (wine producer’s estate),

Morning: Departure to Saint Emilion village, rated one of the most beautiful, historical villages in France

Embark on a guided walk through the 1st (first) growth vineyards of the Saint Emilion Jurisdiction, the most renowned “Merlot” producing region of Bordeaux. Each winery tour includes an introduction to the producer’s history, harvest practices and unique vinification, barreling and bottling practices.

LUNCH: Walkers and NON-Walkers alike – Welcomed to our privately hosted “gourmet picker’s lunch” at Saint Emilion first classified “Grand Cru” wine producer (Premier Grand Cru Classé) Chateau Troplong-Mondot. Lunch is comprised of local specialities accompanied by the estate’s “Grand Cru” wines – Private winery tour and wine tasting prior to our lunch – meet the estate owner. AFTER LUNCH: We conclude our walk in Saint Emilion village where guests enjoy some leisure time to explore and discover Saint Emilion’s history, as well as visit local artisan and wine boutiques. Most of the wine merchants offer wine tasting prior to purchase and all ship internationally should you wish to add to or begin a personal collection of Bordeaux wines, or simply send a selection home of wines tasted during your trip.

Morning Visit at the School of Oenology in Sauternes, Gourmet French Picnic Lunch at Chateau d’Yquem, Sipping Sauternes and Our Favorite “Grand Cru” Red Wines at Lunch, Winery Tours and VIP Wine Tasting during Our Walk including Chateau d’Yquem.

Morning: Private winery tour and wine tasting (two vintages) at the famous French Oenology school, first growth, Grand Cru Chateau, La Tour Blanche, in Sauternes, classified growth wine producer and teaching school for up and coming cellar masters.

The Sauternes Walk through the prestigious sweet grape appellation, home to the semillon, muscadelle and sauvignon blanc grape varieties – “cepages” as they’re called in French.

Lunch: A gourmet French picnic amidts the vineyards at Chateau d’Yquem.

Today two authentic behind the scenes experiences await travelers, as we again tour inaccessible areas at each producer and enjoy exceptional VIP wine tasting at the conclusion of each visit.

Leisure Day in Historical Downtown Bordeaux including a Walking Tour of the City’s Historic sites

Buffet breakfast. Morning: Departure for a leisure day in historical downtown Bordeaux. Home to beautiful historic monuments and museums, excellent shopping, wine boutiques and exceptional scenery walking along the Gironde River, there are endless ways to spend the day here. Exploring Bordeaux is a true step back in French history, and has something to offer and interest every traveler.

LUNCH: Independently in Bordeaux or at the hotel for those not venturing into the city today. Mid-afternoon return to the hotel.

Early Evening and DINNER: Hands-on cooking class with our friend and Master Chef Antoine at his home in Sauternes. We will prepare a three course meal of Bordelais recipes. Afterwards, cocktails with Antoine and a gourmet dinner of the recipes we prepared during class, accompanied by Antoine’s professional selection of classified wines.

Walking in Pessac-Léognan Countryside (Graves Appellation), Three Winery Tours & Wine Tasting including Chateau Carbonnieux, Chateau Haut Bailly and Smith Haut Lafitte, Private Gourmet Lunch in a Wine Producing Castle,

“Graves: Pessac-Léognan: Gods of the Vineyard”. The third walk of our Bordeaux Harvest takes travelers through not only the most prestigious of the Graves appellation vineyards, but also exposes travelers to some of the largest classified estates of the Graves appellation, and a chance to witness extremely different harvesting and vinification processes from what has been witnessed in Saint Emilion, Sauternes, the Medoc and at Chateau Haut Brion in Pessac.

Winery Tours and Wine Tasting throughout the walk. As with each of our walks during this tour, we are walking through prestigious vineyards from winery to winery (producer to producer) where travelers are welcomed for exclusive tours and wine tasting. Each winery tour includes an introduction to each producer’s estate and its history, harvest practices and unique vinification, barreling and bottling practices and an exclsuive visit of the VAT rooms and “chais” (wine cellars) followed by VIP wine tasting.

LUNCH: Walkers and NON-Walkers alike – Enjoy the VIP treatment as personal guests during a private gourmet lunch together with “Grand Cru” wines at classified wine producer Chateau Haut Bailly. Lunch is a privately hosted lunch exclusively for our group. We will be dining in the owner’s personal dining room, and lunch is comprised of Champagne welcome cocktail followed by an exquisite lunch of regional specialties accompanied by the property’s classified “Grand Cru” wines – Private winery tour and wine tasting prior to our lunch.

Today three authentic behind the scenes experiences await travelers, as we again tour inaccessible areas at each producer and enjoy exceptional VIP wine tasting at the conclusion of each visit.

Buffet breakfast. Trip concludes today with a 10 AM arrival to St. Jean TGV Rail Station in Bordeaux, France.