Private Bordeaux And Wine Experience
Private Bordeaux and Wine Experience
Your local, friendly representative will escort you to your comfortable ride, equipped with an internal PA system with live commentaries and descriptions during the drive, audible no matter where you are seated. Your knowledgeable, English-speaking driver / wine guide will offer a very intimate and one-on-one experience with you and your family or friends. Bottled water is provided in your van as you travel in air-conditioned comfort and you will find Wi-Fi available onboard as well.
Classified as a "City of Art and History" and home to one of Europe's largest collection of 18th century architecture, Bordeaux boasts big-ticket attractions such as the neo-classical Grand Theater or Saint Andrews Cathedral. Your professional tour guide is flexible on your itinerary, but will include the most famous landmarks for you to see. You will have approximately 2 hours for a leisurely walking tour that is set at your pace. After your time in Bordeaux, you will depart for 1 or 2 of Bordeaux's wine producing areas. Visit the wine regions of your choice on this highly customizeable private wine tour.
There are several villages around the Saint Emilion region that are permitted to label their wines with this name. Merlot is the dominant grape in the area, followed by Cabernet Franc. The climate and damper, cool soils make it difficult for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to fully ripen, and thus it is less often used. The wines take a little longer to mature than the ones in Pomerol, but are still able to be drunk relatively young for a Bordeaux (4 to 8 years). In favorable vintages, the wines have a good aging potential.
Pomerol was first cultivated by the Romans during their occupation of the area. Up until the early 20th century, the area was known mostly for its white wine production. The famous wines of Pomerol have a high composition of Merlot in their blends, and are considered the gentlest and least tannic and acidic of the Bordeaux wine region. Cabernet Franc, known in this area as Bouchet, is the second leading grape, and helps to contribute to the dark, deep coloring that is typical of Pomerol wines. Due to the reduced tannins found in these wines, they can typically be drunk much younger than other red Bordeaux.
The Medoc wine region includes the four famous communes of St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien and Margaux. Without a doubt, this is one of the most popular Bordeaux wine regions. All the wine made here is red and the main grape variety used is the Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Graves region is considered the birthplace of Claret. In the Middle Ages, the wines that were first exported to England were produced in this area. In 1663, Samuel Pepys' mention of Chateau Haut-Brion was the first recorded mention of French Claret in London.
Sauternes is known for its intensely sweet, white, dessert wines, such as the Premier Cru Superieur classified Chateau d'Yquem. The intense sweetness of these wines is the result of Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that is commonly known as noble rot. In the autumn, the Ciron river produces mist that descends upon the area and persists until after dawn. These conditions are conducive to the growth of the fungus, which desiccates the grape and concentrates the sugars inside. The three main grapes of this area are Semillon, Sauvignon blanc, and Muscadelle. The grapes are harvested individually from the bunch. The wine is then fermented in small oak barrels.
Explore Bordeaux and its wine regions at your own pace on this relaxing and customizeable private tour.
Please Note: Tasting fees in the wineries are not included and are payable upon arrival. Each tasting may cost approximately 30 EUR per person, per tasting. Entrance fees to monuments, museums, or attractions, and meals will be extra and at your discretion. Lunch can be organized in Bordeaux or in the wine region that you have chosen.
- Wine
Shore Excursions Group was created with one goal in mind: to provide exceptional travel experiences to cruise passengers in the ports they visit around the world. To accomplish this, we have compiled an exceptional array of tours delivered by local experts with decades of experience serving travelers and delivering excellent tours. Our owners and management team are comprised of seasoned travel industry executives who leverage their considerable experience to deliver memorie ...
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