Wine Tasting in Bordeaux

There are lots of wine shops in St Emilion and none of the ones we visited charged. Some of the wines were really pricey and they readily opened any that we wanted to taste. There some caves where the wines, unlabeled, are arranged by year. Just returned from Burgundy and definitely favor Bordeaux wines. Loved St Emilion.

Thanks for the help. Did you happen to actually visit any of the vineyards?

My experience is most of the well known Bordeaux wines are not open to the casual visitor. Some of the lesser known ones are, and also the known wineries will occasionally welcome a well-connected group i suggest reviewing the web site of the various Bordeaux area wine areas and se where that gets you. the classic answer if you are a serious wine drinker and are well known at your local wine merchant see what he can do for you there are some wine tourist Info places and also area wine stores in certain areas- I recall Sauterne and St Emillion for sure

Wine tasting in Bordeaux is somewhat more formal than it is here, say in Napa Valley or the Willamette Valley. In Bordeaux it will facilitate things if you already know what wine(s) you'd like to taste and can communicate the key words in reasonable French. You'll be expected to buy a couple of bottles. They won't expect you to buy a case because they'll know you're American and on the road and can't haul a case. I think Rick's book, France, includes a few pages of tips, kind of a French Wine Tour 101.

Thanks. I have been to Champagne, Alsace, and Burgundy, and have been told that it is a little different in Bordeaux.

I've sent you a PM ;-) When we were planning our not- yet-taken trip to the Bordeaux area, after doing some research I remember thinking I would just shop for a book or three when it came time to actually go on the trip - there are many books on the subject and they (the ones I looked at, anyway) are pretty detailed with maps, opening times, phone numbers, etc. and I didn't want an out-of-date guidebook. I do recall reading over and over again to see Bordeaux for a day or two, that compared to others places Beaune was a wine-tourist trap, but that if you were serious about the wine and chateaux to stay in St Emilion. And that's the extent of my recollection...