The Wine-Growing Area of Bordeaux
The Medoc
This is the region of the legendary Grand Cru Classé 1855 and Cru Bourgeois. Big chateaux and vineyards, beautiful cellars and delicious wines. Of course you also have small chateaux and producers.
In the Medoc you find the famous appellations of Margaux, Moulis, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe and also of Haut-Médoc and Médoc. Discover the difference in the terroirs and the vineyards going as far as your eyes can reach through the beautiful chateaux route.
It is here that the Cabernet Sauvignon grape is king, on the gravely soil, layered here after the last ice age, draining the soil and letting this grape variety ripen to perfection. Blended mostly with Merlot, it gives us a structured, aromatic and harmonious wine, which on the good terroirs, can be kept for centuries.
©Marlene Award
©Marlene Award
The Medoc
This is the region of the legendary Grand Cru Classé 1855 and Cru Bourgeois. Big chateaux and vineyards, beautiful cellars and delicious wines. Of course you also have small chateaux and producers.
In the Medoc you find the famous appellations of Margaux, Moulis, Saint-Julien, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe and also of Haut-Médoc and Médoc. Discover the difference in the terroirs and the vineyards going as far as your eyes can reach through the beautiful chateaux route.
It is here that the Cabernet Sauvignon grape is king, on the gravely soil, layered here after the last ice age, draining the soil and letting this grape variety ripen to perfection. Blended mostly with Merlot, it gives us a structured, aromatic and harmonious wine, which on the good terroirs, can be kept for centuries.
Saint-Emilion
Romantic and hilly, as known for it’s village as for it’s wine (both are part of UNESCO World Heritage), Saint-Emilion is situated on the Right Bank of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. Here you find wines with a majority of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Very diverse soils of limestone with a thin layer of clay on the plateau just around the village otherwise it is clay, stone or sand or a mixture of all…
The Grand Cru Classé chateaux from Saint-Emilion as well as the less known chateaux are normally smaller than in the Médoc. Nevertheless, they make a delicious wine with a great finesse.
The Medieval village of Saint-Emilion is definitely worth a visit, with it’s little square in it’s middle, ideal for a refreshment. You also find numerous restaurants, small shops and the famous macarons de Saint-Emilion, made from a recipe from 1620.
Saint-Emilion
Romantic and hilly, as known for it’s village as for it’s wine (both are part of UNESCO World Heritage), Saint-Emilion is situated on the Right Bank of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers. Here you find wines with a majority of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Very diverse soils of limestone with a thin layer of clay on the plateau just around the village otherwise it is clay, stone or sand or a mixture of all…
The Grand Cru Classé chateaux from Saint-Emilion as well as the less known chateaux are normally smaller than in the Médoc. Nevertheless, they make a delicious wine with a great finesse.
The Medieval village of Saint-Emilion is definitely worth a visit, with it’s little square in it’s middle, ideal for a refreshment. You also find numerous restaurants, small shops and the famous macarons de Saint-Emilion, made from a recipe from 1620.
Pomerol
In this small appellation of 800ha with big wines, you will find wines with it’s nabouring appellation Saint-Emilion. It is from here that comes the famous Chateau Petrus as well as many other marvelous wines.
The wines are sometimes made of 100% merlot thanks to the special clay soil of Pomerol with it’s iron layers and the microclimate of making the merlot have the perfect conditions for ripening. The wines are both aromatic, round and silky with notes of black cherry.
Pomerol
In this small appellation of 800ha with big wines, you will find wines with it’s nabouring appellation Saint-Emilion. It is from here that comes the famous Chateau Petrus as well as many other marvelous wines.
The wines are sometimes made of 100% merlot thanks to the special clay soil of Pomerol with it’s iron layers and the microclimate of making the merlot have the perfect conditions for ripening. The wines are both aromatic, round and silky with notes of black cherry.
Graves / Pessac-Léognan
A winetour to Pessac-Léognan and Graves will bring you to the “cradle of Bordeaux-wines”. Some chateaux date from the Middle Ages and the particularity of this appellation: they produce both delicious red- as well as white wines on its gravely soil which gives the name to the appellation (Graves = gravel).
Pessac-Léognan is a sub-appellation to Graves in which all Grand Cru Classé de Graves as well as the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé 1855, Chateau Haut-Brion, are located.
Very particular to this appellation: some chateaux and their vineyard are situated in the suburbs of the city of Bordeaux!
Graves / Pessac-Léognan
A winetour to Pessac-Léognan and Graves will bring you to the “cradle of Bordeaux-wines”. Some chateaux date from the Middle Ages and the particularity of this appellation: they produce both delicious red- as well as white wines on its gravely soil which gives the name to the appellation (Graves = gravel).
Pessac-Léognan is a sub-appellation to Graves in which all Grand Cru Classé de Graves as well as the famous Premier Grand Cru Classé 1855, Chateau Haut-Brion, are located.
Very particular to this appellation: some chateaux and their vineyard are situated in the suburbs of the city of Bordeaux!
Sauternes
A sweet wine with a golden colour as a sunshine in your glass. It is fascinating to see how you produce this wine in order to get the right balance between sweetness, acidity and the complex aromas of for example citrus or exotic fruits. It is hard to believe, but this wine is produced from rotten grapes!
It is a noble rot (Botritys Cinerea) which does not ruin the grape but dries it out, thanks to the special microclimate with fog in the morning and sunshine in the afternoon.
Sauternes is situated in the southern part of the Graves appellation and a wine tour in Graves/Pessac-Léognan can easily be combined with a visit of Sauternes.
Sauternes
A sweet wine with a golden colour as a sunshine in your glass. It is fascinating to see how you produce this wine in order to get the right balance between sweetness, acidity and the complex aromas of for example citrus or exotic fruits. It is hard to believe, but this wine is produced from rotten grapes!
It is a noble rot (Botritys Cinerea) which does not ruin the grape but dries it out, thanks to the special microclimate with fog in the morning and sunshine in the afternoon.
Sauternes is situated in the southern part of the Graves appellation and a wine tour in Graves/Pessac-Léognan can easily be combined with a visit of Sauternes.
Other Appellations
The white wines of Entre-Deux-Mers, the red from Côtes de Bourg, the sweet from Sainte-Croix-du-Mont…..
Do you wish to make a wine tour in another appellation around Bordeaux? There are approximately 9.000 Chateaux in the 65 appellations around Bordeaux! I am here for you to listen to your wishes as all my wine tours are tailor-made.
Other Appellations
The white wines of Entre-Deux-Mers, the red from Côtes de Bourg, the sweet from Sainte-Croix-du-Mont…..
Do you wish to make a wine tour in another appellation around Bordeaux? There are approximately 9.000 Chateaux in the 65 appellations around Bordeaux! I am here for you to listen to your wishes as all my wine tours are tailor-made.
Cognac / Armagnac
Cognac: Only 1 ½ hour north of Bordeaux you can visit this beautiful town with it’s Elixir of the Gods called Cognac.
Visit the most prestigious Cognac houses, play alchemist und become Master Blender for a day while you blend your own Cognac.
Armagnac: this time two hours to the south of Bordeaux, you will find Armagnac, the oldest brandy of France in the heart of the Gascogne region.
Cognac / Armagnac
Cognac: Only 1 ½ hour north of Bordeaux you can visit this beautiful town with it’s Elixir of the Gods called Cognac.
Visit the most prestigious Cognac houses, play alchemist und become Master Blender for a day while you blend your own Cognac.
Armagnac: this time two hours to the south of Bordeaux, you will find Armagnac, the oldest brandy of France in the heart of the Gascogne region.