Bonjour! I am planning a trip to Burgundy and Bordeaux in April. We are staying in Beaune in Burgundy. Does anyone have any recommendations for wine tastings in actual Beaune that would be in walking distance? We will be having a driver one of the days in Burgundy -- so if you have recommendations in other areas of Burgundy for wine tastings?
And recommendations for wine tastings in and around Bordeaux?
Thank you in advance! :)
There are so many great wineries to visit in the greater Bordeaux region. Do you prefer Right or Left bank (or both?) How many days do you have for the Bordeaux area? Are you wanting to stay in Bordeaux and do daytrips? Lots of questions but it is a big area with a wealth of fantastic wine experiences. One place you can start is by checking out Rustic Vines wine tours. When we've had guests in town, we've used them (and plan to use again.) Really great experience. Conversely, it's easy to make your own reservations and visit wineries if you are not interested in a tour guide. Additionally, I'm happy to suggest specific wineries depending on where you'd like to spend your time.
Here is a link to some info on Beaune https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/wine-in-beaune There are probably more threads like this. Happy searching. Also, we found a couple of wine stores that offered tastings for a fee. I am sure there are wine bars but we did not have evening time to look for them.
In Bordeaux check out https://www.ecoleduvindebordeaux.com/en/tasting-workshops When we were there in addition to their workshops they had a cafe with an extensive wine list (tasting sizes) and charcuterie plates. The staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. I don't know if they still do this but it was great. It was pre-covid so who knows. There are also a number of good wine bars in Bordeaux city. https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Wine+Bars&find_loc=Bordeaux+M%C3%A9tropole%2C+Gironde%2C+France
I was most impressed with Ch. Marquis de Terme in Margaux from the perspective of viniculture. They are doing some fascinating things, experimenting with a variety of fermentation and aging methods that I hadn't seen before. Astonishing for a property whose terroir would seem to guarantee excellent high-priced sales without reliance on new techniques.
I'd also strongly recommend taking day tours on both the left (Pauillac, Margaux, St Estephe) and right (Pomerol, St Emilion) banks of the Gironde. And make sure you visit St. Emilion the village. Ophorus was an excellent tour company for us. I'd also strongly recommend the wine shop Le Cellier de St Emilion on Place de l'Eglise Monolithe in the village. They have a good variety of wines to taste in a Cruvinet, and their wine retail pricing is very fair. Ask to taste the Chateau Martet.
For wine tastings, I'd also recommend the Musée du Vin et du Négoce de Bordeaux in the city of Bordeaux, where they'll serve you a range of wines that you're unlikely to encounter outside of the city. A terrific place to visit for anyone who loves wine.
Burgundy? I'm useless; sorry.
We did the bike trail south from Beaune to Santenay in October 2022. Per RS suggestion, we stopped for a tasting at Domaine Lejeune in Pommard. We called ahead and the owner was very gracious with his time (and this was just after harvest). We had a case shipped back. A winery owner (Oregon) had suggested lunch at Le Cellier Volnaysien in Volnay and enjoyed that stop as well. The bike trail was one of our best days. We also enjoyed tastings in Beaune at Domaine Drouhin and Maison Champy.
Some good suggestions that I need to look at for the Beaune area. We're hiring a guide to help us get reservations, etc, as tasting here in France is a bit different than just going to Napa Valley or Livermore for us. In Bordeaux might want to visit Cite de Vin in Bordeaux.
Thank you everyone for your feedback! I truly appreciate it. @KimberlySEA to answer your question -- we are staying in Bordeaux for 3 nights and we want to do 1 day trip left bank, 1 day trip right bank and then 1 day stay in Bordeaux.
wow it looks like people have a lot of good recommendations! But 40, if you are staying in Bordeaux 3 nights, you only have 2 days, but you have 3 full days planned. You may have to cut one of those, or sadly the easiest would be to get to your lodging very early in the morning of your arrival and do Bordeaux things that day and then leave late on your departure day, but depending on your arrival/departure logistics, your days might not be very productive in "doing things".
Hi Katherine! Thanks for the feedback. We'll be there just shy of 3 full days. We get into Bordeaux early morning and will be staying in Bordeaux that day 1, then doing left bank the 2nd day, and right bank the 3rd day - then depart the following morning. So we're good to fit it in the schedule as I detailed :)
That seems to be doable, quick, but definitely doable. There is the annual Portes Ouvertes for the greater Médoc region (Pauillac in left bank) on April 6-7th (https://www.unairdebordeaux.fr/evenements/2024/portes-ouvertes-des-chateaux-du-medoc/) These are usually fun ways to see wineries that are not typically open to the public and/or offer food trucks, special wine events, etc. You could also visit Château Talbot (https://www.chateau-talbot.com/en/), Château Mouton Rothschild (https://www.chateau-mouton-rothschild.com/)
For the right bank, definitely stop in St. Émilion. The town is super charming! You could book a tasting at Château Guadet (https://www.chateauguadet.fr/en) small family winery that has been in same family for a few hundred years and it is located right in the heart of the village. Some others to check out include, Château Yon-Figeac, Château Montlabert, Château Coutet all great and worth a visit.
And, if you have time, in the southern part of the Bordeaux city limits (Pessac area) is Château Pape Clément (https://www.chateau-pape-clement.fr/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=mybusiness) Really beautiful and delicious wine.
Honestly, there are so many great wineries in both region it will be hard to chose. These are mere suggestions. Where ever you decide to visit, you will want to secure reservations ahead of time as that is how they typically operate. Others may say "just drop in!" And while you may find wineries that will let you in, they prefer you have a reservation.
Enjoy your visit!!
Complete newbie here, but I have booked a number of tastings through Beaujolais, Burgundy, Sancerre in the Loire, and the Chablis area of Burgundy through www.ruedesvignerons.com. My criteria primarily were is it on my route and is it open the day and time I will be there. Some wineries are open every day, all day, and others just one day a week. You can also choose from a range of a quick 30 minute tasting in the wine cave to a 3-hour tour of the vineyard in an open jeep. The only Burgundy winery I will be visiting near Beaune is the Chateau de Chamirey in Mercurey. For some reason, Burgundy is two non-contiguous regions, and my other Burgundy stops are near Auxerois and Chablis.
