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Find The Best Bordeaux Wine Tours For You

By Olivia Cross


If you know the name Bordeaux it is probably from a wine bottle. The region is synonymous with quality wine and has over eight thousand vineyards. Most are open to visitors and provide excellent tours and tasting sessions. Viticulture is the life blood of the area and so it makes a great trip for the novice and keen enthusiast. Finding the best Bordeaux wine tours depends on your knowledge and love of wine.

Bordeaux is the largest wine growing region in France. Wine has been produced in this area for almost one thousand years so there is some extraordinary heritage to explore. The reason for the quality of these wines is the geology of the area which has soils which are perfect for cultivating grapes.

There are various areas within the region which produce wine with different characteristics. One of the most famous is Medoc which is situated on the left bank of the Gironde. The highest quality wines come from the banks of this river and are highly prized by wine lovers. A package tour may include several of these areas of for those wishing to specialize in a particular one there are tailored tours available.

A great way to get introduced to these aspects of wine culture is to go to wine school. They host classes to introduce visitors to the principles of tasting and also describe the region. There are also classes which explain the more technical side of wine making and some even teach blending. Courses last from a few hours to a few days.

A typical tour of a vineyard will include tasting as well as visits to the cellars, vat rooms, barrel rooms and of course, the vines. They normally last around ninety minutes and so it is quite easy to visit a few in one day. Smaller growers will do the tasting with their visitors and love to talk about their passion with interested parties. Larger wineries have hospitality staff.

When thinking about the best time of year to take a trip to Bordeaux a couple of things should be considered. Firstly, the beginning of April is a busy period for the wineries and they do not usually take visitors. Also the winter months are less appealing as the land is quite barren and many producers are busy blending and not interested in doing tours. Also, if you are planning a short trip of only a few days make sure to go midweek and vineyards are usually closed at weekends.

The city of Bordeaux is ancient and interesting. The architecture is stunning, in fact it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Visitors can spend days exploring the city so it is always an option to tag this onto a wine tour. Why not enjoy the local gastronomy and some more booze while soaking up the culture?

There are many companies which offer specialist wine tours and excellent packages in the Bordeaux region. A typical tour will include visits to wineries, tasting, delicious lunches, a guide to teach you all about wine and even trips to local heritage villages. What a lovely way to spend a few days.




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