BORDEAUX

CHATEAU PICHON BARON, PAUILLAC

CHATEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE

BEAUTIFUL LUNCHES AT THE CHATEAUX

BORDEAUX

1

BORDEAUX

1

CHATEAU PICHON BARON, PAUILLAC

1

CHATEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE

BEAUTIFUL LUNCHES AT THE CHATEAUX

BEAUTIFUL LUNCHES AT THE CHATEAUX

1

THE BEAUTIFUL CITY OF BORDEAUX

BORDEAUX WINE TOURS

A private tour just for you to the epicenter of fine wine.

TAKE A PRIVATE LUXURY WINE TOUR TO
BORDEAUX ON YOUR OWN SCHEDULE.

Fine Vintage offers a spectacular 3-day tour of Bordeaux to visit a selection of the most famous wineries. You can book this as a private tour, just for your group, which can be as small as 2 people or a maximum of 6. You can choose to be guided by a Master of Wine, or the chauffeur and winery hosts will graciously guide you.

Every morning you will be picked up by your chauffeur in a luxury vehicle between 9 and 10 a.m., depending on the itinerary. Pick-up is at a hotel of your choice in the city of Bordeaux. Every evening you will be dropped off at your accommodation by 7 p.m.

On the first day your driver will whisk you off to the Medoc for visits to 2-3 majestic wineries that are grand castles, known as a ‘chateau’. We typically visit Chateaux Mouton-Rothschild, Palmer, Lascombes, Cos d’Estournel, Pichon Baron, Lynch Bages and others. You will enjoy tours and tastings at the wineries, as well as a spectacular 3-course gourmet lunch with premium wine pairings.

On the second day your chauffeur takes you to discover the great chateaux of St Emilion. We typically visit Chateaux Pavie, Figeac, Angelus, Canon, La Dominique and more. You will enjoy a delicious lunch at a chateau or in the town of St.Emilion, which is a UNESCO world heritage site and arguably the prettiest wine village in the world.

The third and final day is an exploration of Pessac-Leognan and Sauternes. We usually start the day at Chateau Pape Clement where you will learn to blend your own wine, and you even get to leave with the bottle you crafted. After a classic French lunch at Smith Haut Lafitte or Guiraud, we cap off the tour with a visit to an iconic Sauternes property, such as Yquem.

The price is approximately $4,000USD per person for the three-day tour for groups of 3-6 people, and approximately $4,500USD per person for groups of 2. This includes your transport during the tour, all winery visits and tastings, a gourmet lunch every day with excellent wines, and all taxes and gratuities. 30% is due once you confirm you want us to organize the tour for you. The balance is due once we give you the final itinerary.

When you go on a Fine Vintage wine tour you get VIP treatment at wineries. You will have access to places and people that others can’t. Finally, you have the option to be guided by a Master of Wine. It’s a luxurious experience, and certainly one for the bucket list.

I invite you to join us.

 

JAMES CLUER, MASTER OF WINE

HOW IT WORKS

We need 90 days notice to organize a tour for you. The more lead time we have the easier it is to make appointments at the very best wineries.

Step 1: You complete the form below, letting us know what dates you would like to book and how many people in your group. We will investigate the possibilities and reply to you within a few days with a proposed itinerary and final price per person.

Step 2: Upon acceptance of the proposed itinerary, we will send you a booking form and a payment link for 30% of the tour price. This payment must be made for us to proceed making all the bookings. You are responsible for booking your own accommodation (hotel or Airbnb). We will give you hotel suggestions.

Step 3: We present the final itinerary to you within approximately 2 weeks. A payment link is sent for the remaining balance, which is 70% of the total price. We will then send you tips on what to do in Bordeaux, where to eat, and what to wear during the tour. We will also send you the contact details of your local Bordeaux team and your driver, along with the final itinerary.

Please try to avoid the following French holidays as most wineries are closed:

January 1, Easter Monday (April 1, 2024, April 21, 2025), May 1, May 8, Ascension (May 9, 2024, May 29, 2025), Pentecost Monday (May 20, 2024, June 9, 2025), July 14, August 15, November 1, November 11, December 25.

Yes, the French do love their holidays!

Request a Private Tour

Name(Required)
Please enter a number from 2 to 6.
MM slash DD slash YYYY
Your tour must be over three consecutive weekdays – not weekends as the wineries are closed
Would you like a Master of Wine to guide you?(Required)
You can choose to have Mini Constant, Master of Wine, accompany you on your private tour. She can guide you for just 1-day or all 3 days. The cost per day is approximately $1,650USD, which includes all expenses and gratuities.

YOU BOOK YOUR OWN ACCOMMODATION

When we send you the proposed itinerary for your tour, we include recommendations on where to stay. We suggest 4 different hotels at varying budgets, along with links to their websites and advice on how to book directly at the best rates. However, you are free to stay anywhere you wish (including Airbnb) so long as it is in the city of Bordeaux.

You must inform us of the name and address of your accommodation on your final booking form so we can inform the chauffeur.

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Included in the price is your local transport in a luxurious chauffeur-driven vehicle. All winery visits and tastings are included, as well as a gourmet lunch every day. All taxes and gratuities are included.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Once you have paid for the tour it is 100% non-refundable. We are unable to modify the dates. It is possible to request to increase the number of guests in your group, but not to decrease the numbers. We can change the names of the guests.

PLANNING TIPS

Before the tour we will send you some useful pre-trip information to help you with your planning.

Here you’ll find advice on how to get there, tips on what to wear, other things to do in and around Bordeaux, and what you might like to read in advance.

TIMING

We run private tours 12 months of the year. The tours must take place on weekdays. Our 3-day tour must start on either a Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.

Anytime is a great time to visit Bordeaux, including the winter months. The weather is ideal in May-June and September-October. Generally, we would recommend avoiding August as many of the French take summer holidays, but we still run private tours in August if that is what works for your schedule.

Please try to avoid the following French holidays as most wineries are closed:
1 January, Easter Monday (1 April 2024/ 21 April 2025), 1 May, 8 May, Ascension (9 May 2024/29 May 2025), Pentecost Monday (20 May 2024/9 June 2025), 14 July, 15 August, 1 November, 11 November, 25 December.

ABOUT THE TOUR & REGION

Visit the Holy Grail

Many consider Bordeaux to be the capital of the wine world.  Certainly it is home to many of the most famous and revered names, wines that dominate the auction scene, command the highest prices and have the greatest ageability.

We take you inside these exclusive chateaux to meet the people and taste the stunning wines.

Visit the Holy Grail

Many consider Bordeaux to be the capital of the wine world.  Certainly it is home to many of the most famous and revered names, wines that dominate the auction scene, command the highest prices and have the greatest ageability.

We take you inside these exclusive chateaux to meet the people and taste the stunning wines.

Chateaux Margaux

Chateaux Margaux

CHATEAU PALMER

CHATEAU PALMER

CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD, PAULLIAC

CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD, PAULLIAC

CHATEAU PICHON LALANDE, PAULLIAC

CHATEAU PICHON LALANDE, PAULLIAC

CHATAU COS D'ESTOURNEL, ST ESTEPHE

CHATEAU COS D’ESTOURNEL, ST ESTEPHE

Chateaux Margaux

CHATEAU PALMER

CHATEAU LAFITE ROTHSCHILD, PAULLIAC

CHATEAU PICHON LALANDE, PAULLIAC

CHATEAU COS D'ESTOURNEL, ST ESTEPHE

SAMPLE ITINERARY

day 1

FIRST GROWTHS & ICON CHATEAUX

The driver picks you up at 9.00 a.m. and you head north to the Medoc, the most prestigious wine region in Bordeaux. About one hour later you’ll find yourself mesmerized by the grandeur of the chateaux.

Your first visit is in the appellation of Margaux. We typically visit Chateaux Palmer, Lascombes, Rauzan-Segla, Brane-Cantenac and others. Your guide will explain the grape growing and winemaking process.

It’s time to drive further north to Pauillac and St Estephe. It’s lunch time and you will enjoy a sumptuous 3-course lunch paired with classic Medoc Grand Cru wines. Lunch is typically at Cos Estournel, a 2nd growth, and a stunning property, or at Lynch Bages, and you can expect to taste some legendary wines.

The last visit of the day is often at the 1st growth Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. You will learn more about viticulture and winemaking at this historic property, as well as admiring their art collection. This is a prized visit based on our long relationship with the chateau.
After 3 winery visits and a spectacular lunch the driver will take you back to your accommodation in Bordeaux, arriving by 7.00 p.m.

THE MEDIEVAL VILLAGES OF ST EMILION

THE MEDIEVAL VILLAGES OF ST EMILION

THE MAIN SQUARE IN ST EMILION

THE MAIN SQUARE IN ST EMILION

CHATEAU PAVIE

CHATEAU PAVIE

CHEVAL BLANC

CHEVAL BLANC

PETRUS, POMEROL

PETRUS, POMEROL

THE MEDIEVAL VILLAGES OF ST EMILION

THE MAIN SQUARE IN ST EMILION

CHATEAU PAVIE

CHEVAL BLANC

PETRUS, POMEROL

DAY 2
MEDIEVAL VILLAGES & HISTORIC CHATEAUX

St. Emilion and Pomerol, the world’s benchmarks for Merlot-based wines, fill the agenda on the second day. The region, known as the Right Bank, is arguably the prettiest landscape in the Bordeaux area.

The driver picks you up at 10 a.m. and one hour later you will be starting your first tour of the day. We typically begin at Chateau Figeac, the St Emilion Grand Cru Classe A. After exploring this mythical chateau, we take you for another wine-fueled gourmet lunch, either at Chateau la Dominique or in the town of St. Emilion itself.

The final visit of the day is usually to Chateau Pavie, or Angelus, both of which are elite properties whose wines cost hundreds of dollars per bottle.

All tours will have the chance to spend an hour or so visiting the cobble-stone streets of St. Emilion, which is an excellent place to buy wine. We will have you back to your accommodation in Bordeaux by 7 p.m.

YQUEM’S BARREL CELLAR

YQUEM’S BARREL CELLAR

CHATEAU CLIMENS

CHATEAU CLIMENS

CHATEAU COUTET

CHATEAU COUTET

THE ART OF BARREL MAKING

THE ART OF BARREL MAKING

YQUEM’S BARREL CELLAR

CHATEAU CLIMENS

CHATEAU COUTET

THE ART OF BARREL MAKING

DAY 3
BLENDING YOUR OWN WINE & THE NECTAR OF THE GODS

On the third and final day we start off with a visit to one of the star chateaux in Pessac-Leognan where you will be taught the art of blending. You will then get to blend your very own bottle of wine from the wineries own barrels and keep it, which is a highlight of the tour. Typically, we visit Chateau Pape Clement, one of the oldest wineries in Bordeaux.

After the morning visit, either we head to Smith Haut Lafitte to lunch at the excellent La Table du Lavoir, with a great selection of wines, or we head to Sauternes for lunch at Chateau Guiraud, a 1st growth, making famous sweet wines, as well as dry. Here your 3-course lunch is paired with different wines including some delicious older Sauternes. Meals such as this are an art form in France.

We typically wrap up the day, and the tour, with a visit to the greatest sweet wine producer in the world, Chateau d’Yquem. This is a highly sought-after visit, and a tour and tasting at this fabulous estate is likely to rank among your most special wine experiences ever.

The 3-day tour wraps up, and the driver will have you back at your accommodation by about 6.30 p.m. so you can continue the festivities in Bordeaux city, or you can be dropped at the airport or train station depending on your plans.

TESTIMONIALS

Bordeaux - Nothing short of perfect!
“Fair weather or rainy weather, our gracious hosts provided us excellent company that I, for a moment, forgot that it’s raining outside. The weather could only hope to elevate what was already a hedonistic experience. Our tour in Bordeaux was nothing short of perfect. Clear, sunny skies greeted us on the first day at Les Sources de Caudalie and a big full moon over Saint Emilion waved us farewell before the last day, which was by no means the least. ”


M. WALKER UY, MANILA, PHILIPPINES
Bordeaux - Nothing short of excellent!
“I am delighted to recommend Fine Vintage Wine Tours. From start to finish, our Bordeaux trip was nothing short of excellent. James Cluer and James Lawther were entertaining and knowledgeable hosts making sure that all of the tour participants were well looked after. First class service, first class accommodations, first class dining, and most importantly, unparalleled access to some of the finest wines on the planet. Bravo! ”


BILL HOLDER, VANCOUVER, BC
Bordeaux - James Lawther was a terrific Host!
“Just a note to say how much Jacqui & myself enjoyed our recent trip to Bordeaux. James Lawther was a terrific Host, very knowledgeable, well organised & he looked after us very well. We certainly thought we received great value for money & we both look forward to doing the Burgundy & Italian Tours at a future time.”


DAVID LECKIE, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Bordeaux - First class all the way!
“A special thank you to the Fine Vintage team for putting together such an unforgettable experience in Bordeaux! To give this trip a 10/10 would be a massive understatement as every aspect of the tour far exceeded my expectations. I was especially impressed with our host James Lawther as he has a wealth of knowledge of the Bordeaux region, which made the tour both entertaining and educational. My bucket list includes visiting every premium wine region of the world and I intend to do it with the Fine Vintage team – first class all the way! ”


KIMBERLY JURGILAS, TORONTO ON

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