Lascaux IV prehistoric cave © Dan Courtice Mammoths, rhinos and aurochs - cave art in the Dordogne In the cool dark of the cellar, an apprentice sommelier showed off a 400-year-old bottle from the winery’s earliest days, and we sampled several (much more recent) vintages. We stopped at a small winery, run by the same family for four centuries, and I met the three generations who live there now. Irrigation is forbidden here, if vintners want the coveted Grand Cru or Premier Grand Cru classification, so the air was slightly hazy where the horses had kicked up dust. The roads are narrow and sleepy, with few cars, so I felt perfectly safe as my guide, Mikael, led me past rows of green vines flourishing in the spring sunlight. Some fields are planted with merlot and cabernet franc and cultivated with horses instead of tractors, to help protect the soil’s delicate substrate.

Here, the chateaux are smaller than the grand Médoc houses, so as not to waste any land that could be growing grapes. I settled on just 35% merlot, which Rémy put into a demi bottle for me and labelled with my name.įor a different but equally intimate look at the region’s vineyards, you can also take a bicycle tour of Saint-Émilion, a small appellation on the ‘right bank’ of the Garonne. Next, using a tall graduated beaker, you begin to sample different ratios - 70% cabernet sauvignon was too much for me, but an equal mix was insufficient. We discussed my preference for big reds and grippy, bold tannins. Then he launches into an explanation of the eponymous Bordeaux blend and how cabernet sauvignon’s tannins are mellowed by the fruity notes of the merlot. His class begins with a refresher on the familiar rituals of wine tasting, as well as an introduction to the area’s history of wine production and the regions inside the Bordeaux appellation. His passion for the region’s wines comes through in every gesture and word. If you prefer a more intimate insight into the Bordeaux wines, I suggest you take a private blending class.īoasting a tousled mane of blond hair and an infectious smile, Rémy is a trained sommelier who was born in Bordeaux. One of France’s largest appellations, its sunlit vineyards create some of the most storied (and expensive) wines in the world, including Dauzac, Lafite Rothschild and Margaux, all located in the Médoc region.Ī driving tour offers you a well-curated glimpse at the inner workings of some of these celebrated houses and the production process. You can see it in the very architecture of the city - historic buildings along the river have wide doors and gentle ramps for moving barrels down to waiting boats.īordeaux’s historic downtown has been recently renovated, and I suggest allotting at least a day to enjoy the glories of its 18th-century architecture and world-renowned food.Īs compelling as the city is, I visit the region for its wines. Straddling a bend on the Garonne River, the city of Bordeaux has been the heart of a wine region since the Middle Ages.

Bordeaux dordogne map