Wine Tour Graves and Sauternes
Discover the cradle of the vineyard and the unique know-how of the Bordeaux winegrowers.
1/2 day, 1 day or more!
Wines to be tasted: Reds, Dry Whites & Sweet Whites
With friends, as a couple or solo
French, English, German
Grands crus classés and small producers
"wine tours combining the pleasure of wine and the pleasure of meeting people"
All Bordeaux in one territory
The Graves and Sauternes area is often less visited than the Médoc or Saint Emilion, even though it has some quite remarkable assets. It is the only area where you can find all the diversity of Bordeaux wines : reds, dry whites and sweet whites, with prestigious Grands Crus Classés such as Château Haut-Brion, Château Pape Clément or Château d'Yquem in each wine colour. This area benefits from a singular history and terroir: it is here that the cradle of the Bordeaux vineyard is located, vines have been planted here since ancient the roman era. The wines of Graves were considered « the wines of Bordeaux par excellence » from the 16th to the 18th century.
The blending know-how
The characteristic of Bordeaux wines is that they are particularly harmonious and elegant, as they are created by a clever blend of grape varieties, terroir and human know-how. In the red wines of the Graves and Pessac-Leognan, appellations, this characteristic is pushed to the extreme because they combine very complementary grape varieties in equal parts: Merlot, typical of the right bank, round and fruity, and Cabernet Sauvignon, typical of the Médoc, more abrupt and structured. As a perfect combination of feminine and masculine, the blending know-how creates balanced and refined wines.
An area close to the city to mix pleasures
Another advantage of the Pessac Léognan appellation and vineyard is that it is the closest to the city centre of Bordeaux, which gives you the opportunity to discover in one day both the essence of the city, in what it is alive and current as well as in its historical richness, and the most emblematic wines of the region.
"These are just examples, I design each Wine Tour according to your desires!"
"These are just examples, I design each Wine Tour according to your desires!"EXAMPLE OF CIRCUIT
« Wine tour Graves, Pessac Léognan and Sauternes: the whole range of Bordeaux wines »
An excursion to the Graves, Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes appellations is the best way to understand all the varieties of Bordeaux wines. I propose you a journey through this diversity of flavours. If you wish to discover the grands cru and 1er cru classe of the area, you can imagine the following wine tour over 1 day:
- Morning: visit and tasting of red and white wines in 1 or 2 châteaux of Pessac Léognan such as Smith Haut-Laffite, Carbonnieux, Latour-Martillac.
- Lunch in one of the restaurants of Les Sources de Caudalie, a complex dedicated to vinotherapy.
- Afternoon: visit and tasting of sweet white wines in a grand cru classé de Sauternes such as Château Guiraud or Yquem.
- On the way back, walk through the château de La Brède or Roquetaillade. Another option is to discover this range of Bordeaux wines with a focus on small producers in Graves and Sauternes, some of whom work in biodynamic farming.
"Pessac Leognan and Graves, my favourite terroir"
EXAMPLE OF CIRCUIT
« The essentials of Bordeaux, city and vineyard »
A walk to « take in the eyes and taste buds » and feel what makes me love this city rich in history and its richly flavoured wines. For example, I could suggest the following programme for 1 day:
- Morning: visit of Bordeaux, tour of the emblematic places of the history of the city and of wine. Depending on whether you prefer to do the tour on foot or by car and the time you wish to devote to this visit, we could consider a visit to a château in the Graves.
- Lunch at the château or at a restaurant in the heart of the vineyards.
- Afternoon: visit and tasting in a Pessac Léognan grand cru classé.
- To end the walk, an introductory tasting workshop in a carrelet, i.e. a fisherman's hut on stilts, on the banks of the Garonne.
EXAMPLE OF CIRCUIT
« Wine tour in Sauternes: golden wine and royal pomp »
Sauternes wines are the most prestigious sweet white wines in the world. Their special flavour is obtained thanks to the "noble rot" that sun and humidity create on the ripe bunches of grapes. What is less well known is that the history of this territory is also linked to the royal history of France: the cathedral of Bazas was built for the marriage of the Sun King ,Louis XIV, the royal castle of Cazeneuve is associated with Queen Margot and King Henri IV, the castle of Villandraut was built by Pope Clement… An example of a wine tour in sauternes I could propose to you :
- Morning: Visit and tasting in a château in Sauternes, then a drive through the vineyards to Bazas, where you can visit the cathedral.
- Lunch at a restaurant in Bazas or in a Grand Cru Classé.
- Afternoon: walk to the royal castle of Cazeneuve or Villandraut.
- Visit and tasting in a grand cru of Sauternes such as Guiraud or Yquem.
Do you like this region? Let's prepare your private wine tour together!
Frequently asked questions about this tour
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Wine tour in the Médoc
