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Located in southwestern France, Bordeaux is a beautiful port city with direct access to the sea. It sits on the broad banks of the Garonne River and borders the Atlantic Coast, making it an important Atlantic port.
The city has many titles — “La Perle d’Aquitaine”, which translates to “The Pearl of Aquitaine”, and “La Belle Endormie”, which means “Sleeping Beauty”. But, its most crucial title has to be “The World’s Wine Capital” since some of the best Grand Vin de Bordeaux is sold to more than 170 countries.
A benchmark for vintners globally, Bordeaux is the heart of fine winemaking and attracts wine connoisseurs from all over the world. 38 sub-regions, 57 different appellations, and more than 6,000 wineries and vineyards make up this wine heaven.
Bordeaux gets its nickname, “The Pearl of Aquitaine”, from being the capital of the Gironde department in the Aquitaine region. Its second nickname, “Sleeping Beauty”, was given in reference to the city’s then lack of popularity and activity compared to other French cities.
Bordeaux’s golden era from the 18th century stands as proof today for the 21st century to admire.
Rich in culture, history, and architecture, the city is brimming with exciting things to do for all kinds of travellers. So, even if you’re not a wine enthusiast, a visit to Bordeaux will still prove to be a worthy escape.
Boasting more than 350 monuments and historical buildings, Bordeaux comes in second place as the city with the most listed monuments in France, right after Paris. It’s also home to dozens of modern art galleries, museums, and castles.
It was the Romans who introduced wine in Bordeaux for local consumption. Since then, the city has been investing in wine production and has seen remarkable growth.
Bordeaux’s vineyards are scenically situated on Gironde’s hillsides. The city’s wine-growing area is the dwelling place to 116,160 hectares (287,000 acres) of vineyards, 10,000 wine-producing estates (châteaux), and 13,000 grape growers.
As the world capital of wine, Bordeaux also plays host to the world’s leading wine fair, named Vinexpo. One of the largest wine exhibitions in the world, Vinexpo takes participants on a journey of the best wine regions globally and even offers tastings and masterclasses.
Spread across the Gironde department of Aquitaine, Bordeaux boasts numerous wine regions. They all differ in size and sometimes overlap each other.
The Gironde Estuary — formed by the meeting of the rivers Dordogne and Garonne — naturally divides the main Bordeaux region into two wine regions:
The Médoc itself is then divided further to include Haut-Médoc, the upstream southern portion and Bas-Médoc, the downstream northern part.
All these regions dive further inland to make sub-regions that collectively make up Bordeaux’s wine realm. For instance, Haut-Médoc’s sub-regions include St-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux, and the areas of AOC Moulis and Listrac. On the other hand, Graves is home to the sub-regions of Pessac-Léognan, Sauternes, and more.
In the Right Bank area, the Libournais’ most famous sub-regions are Saint-Émilion and Pomerol. A wine region named Entre-Deux-Mers lies between the rivers Garonne and Dordogne and is peppered with several lesser-known wine areas.
Bordeaux produces both red and white wines from a blend of different grape varieties.
A red Bordeaux is predominantly composed of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. It may include small portions of Malbec and Petit Verdot. The white blend, on the other hand, will mainly include the Sauvignon blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle varieties.
Before visiting this medieval town, it’s essential to know that the wineries in Bordeaux are never called “vineyards” or “wineries”. Instead, many wine estates here are called a “château”.
With more than 6,000 châteaus in this region, here are some of the best ones for you:
Surrounded by quaint and charming villages and towns, there are plenty of day trip options available from Bordeaux that allow you to explore this wine region.
A direct train transports passengers from Bordeaux to Saint Émilion and some of the other towns listed. But, if you want to visit some of the more faraway chateaux on the edge of these towns and villages, then renting a car is recommended.
One of the most prestigious wine locations in the world, more than a million tourists visit Saint Émilion to tour the many châteaux (wineries) here. World-famous wineries combined with beautiful architecture and famous monuments make Saint Émilion a great place to visit.
Most of the famous châteaux in Saint Émilion are open to wine professionals only, but here’s a list of the wineries you can visit on your trip:
Another wine region famous worldwide, the Médoc, has a wine “route”, a never-ending road with stunning views of endless vineyards. The route (the D2) begins in Blanquefort and ends in Gironde, with over 600 châteaux on the way.
Similar to Saint Émilion, the most famous wine houses in Médoc are open to professionals only. But, luckily, there are still tons of châteaux you can visit on this route, some of the best are:
Although not wine, the alcoholic drinks found in this part of southwestern France are sure to tantalise your taste buds with every sip you take. Cognac is famous for being one of the most luxurious spirits in the world, and you can find the original deal here in its home.
The town’s centre is dotted with famous Cognac houses offering tours and tastings, these include:
This massive wine region truly is a haven for wine lovers. Once here, go vineyard-hopping, indulge in tasting tours, and take up masterclasses by professionals to learn the ins and outs of winemaking. Who knows, maybe you could become a professional winemaker while here?
Put aside the wine and historical landmarks, you can enjoy picnics at one of the city’s many French-style gardens and courtyards. Sip back and relax while also indulging in some of the best food in France.
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