For the Love of Wine
Bordeaux, France
THE WINE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD – Bordeaux is located in southwestern France about an hour from the coast of Bay of Biscay. We flew from London to Bordeaux on a Thursday afternoon to experience a weekend of wine, food and history. The area is one of the best and oldest locations in the world for wine production. The Romans occupied the area around 45AD and they made use of the perfect climate and soil to grow grapes. Grape vines are growing in 80% of the soil with almost 6,000 wineries that make up 6 wine regions of Bordeaux.
Bordeaux has over 350 historic sites and the city is a true dream for anyone who loves history. The ruins of Gallian Palace, a Roman amphitheatre, still remain which was built in 2AD. It is located in the Palais Gallien District which is where we stayed. During the French Revolution in 1790’s, the palace was home to the guillotine where many aristocrats lost their heads.
Start doing your homework. Go to your local wine store and start exploring the different wines of Bordeaux. Total Wine is a great place to go and most associates are very familar with French wines.
There are a few options to get to Bordeaux from London (a 2 hour flight) or Paris (2-1/2 hours by train or 6 hours by car ). If you plan on renting a car in Bordeaux, make sure to check if parking is available in the area you are staying. Parking is limited and can be expense in the City Center. It is a walkable city with access to buses, the tramway, river shuttles and bike rentals. There are also plenty of taxis.
The Food – Bordeaux has over dozen Michelin Star restaurants that make up the large variety of eateries. Make sure to secure reservations way in advance if this is on your list. There are different types of places to eat in France. It will help in your food planning during your stay.
Breakfast & Lunch:
Boulangeries = Bakeries – Typical hours are 7am to 7pm.
Breads, Croissants, Pastries & Sandwiches
Perfect for take aways as they generally don’t offer seating. This is perfect option if you are on a budget.
Brasseries & Cafe’s – Typical hours are 8am to 6pm
Breakfast, Lunch & Early Dinners are typically on the menu
They offer a range of alc0holic beverages and seating is available.
Le Palais Gallien Hotel & Spa – 5 star Boutique Hotel
We spoiled ourselves for the weekend by staying at Le Palais Gallien Hotel & Spa. Our view was the courtyard with the pool. Pure serenity! The hotel offers a restaurant & bar, room service, a spa and more. The staff was great! It’s located in a quiet part of town but close to everything. The hotel is about a 15 minute walk to the center of the city or a 6 minute walk to the “Fondaudege” train/metro station. Stop by Maison Perrin Boulangerie, which is located right by the station, for amazing crossaints, coffee and other goodies.
Friday afternoon south of Bordeaux
Our first adventure was Off the Beaten Path offered by Vert Bordeaux. We met our small group of 8 at 2pm in front of the La Citi Du Vin, aka the wine museum. Consider arriving at La Citi Du Vin early for the 1st stop of the day. It’s easily an all day affair but an average visit is around 3 hours. You can purchase tickets through their website and one tasting is included.
The trip was a 90 mile loop through the countryside to visit the region of Entre-Deux-Mers and the Pessac-Leognam appellation. Both vineyards focused on substainable and enviromental practices.
Wine tasting at Chateau Le Grand Verdus
The vineyard is in Sadirac which is located in the region of Entre-Deux-Mers (translation is “between two seas”). The region is one of the largest winemaking regions in Bordeaux and is known for it’s dry white wines.
Organic Certified in 2023
The tasting included 4 wines:
LeGrand Verdus -Sauvigion Blanc,
Vertiage -Semillion
Mondet – Cabernit-Franc
Graviere – Syrah
Wine tasting at Chateau Couhins
Cur Classe de Graves -INRAE
The 10 acre winery is owned and operated by the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique. Research is conducted and their expertise is shared to all.
The tasting included 4 wines:
Saturday afternoon in St. Emilion on the Right Bank
We booked a St. Emilion Afternoon Winery Tour with A la Francaise! It was a 2pm picked up with a 6:30pm return at Quinconces Square in Bordeaux. St. Emilion is about 50 minutes east of Bordeaux. The history is amazing and it is known for the underground tunnels through out the city. The medievil village dates back to 8th century and the history of the area dates back to 27BC. The Romans planted the first vineyards in 2 AD. The monolithic church and catacombs were carved out of a limestone cliff in the 11 centry.
Birth place of the Macaron ~ No trip is complete without stopping at Veritables Macarons de Saint Emilion for this little almond treat. Macarons originated in St. Emilion in 1620 by the Ursuline Nuns and is made from almond paste, egg whites and sugar and is only one cookie and no filling. The same recipe which has been passed down through the centries.
Wine Shopping ~ You will pass by a number of wine shops as you are walking through the charming streets of St. Emilion. Don’t leave the town without at least buying one bottle to enjoy back at your hotel. You can also have the wine shipped home.
Wine tasting at Chateau Cote Baleau
The grounds are beautiful with buildings dating back to the 1700’s. Our tasting was in the castle which was built in the 1800’s. A tray of cheese, sausage and chocolate was part of the pairing along with french bread to clean the pallet. Our tasting include 4 wines.
Chateau Le Grand Verdus – Rose’ 2023
Chateau Les Riches Blanches – Saint Emillion – 2020
Chateau Cote de Baleau- Saint Emillion Grand Cru – 2013
Chateau Cote de Baleau- Saint Emillion Grand Cru – 2018
The vines that are grown at the Chateau are 80% Merlot, 15% Cab Franc and 5% Cab Sauvgnion.
Bordeaux, France ~ June 2024
