Had a fantastic long weekend in Bordeaux recently and spent a day touring vineyards with Caroline of Bordeaux Uncorked.
It felt like the obligatory thing to do (when in Rome, etc) but the wealth of local knowledge and personal service provided by Caroline really made the whole trip for us. I don't think we would have had access to many of the vineyards on our own and having Caroline greeted everywhere by first name made us feel like we were visiting old friends, with very impressive chateaux and wine cellars!
Highlights of the trip: Chateau Figeac and it's ancient cellars. Also recommend lunch in the courtyard at L'Envers du Décor in Saint Emilion.
In Bordeaux itself, pay a visit to Max Bordeaux - a must if you love wine but restricted by budget. Here you can taste some of the most expensive wines by the (small) glass. Taste the liquid gold of Chateau Yquem for under €15? Not a problem. Thanks Bordeaux Uncorked!

www.bordeauxuncorked.fr

Max Bordeaux
14 Cours de l'Intendance, 33000 Bordeaux
+33(0)5 57 29 23 81
Google map: bit.ly/i7bsv6

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We have just completed our second tour with this exceptional company. They organised us a convertible car this time around to add a little extra fun.

Their knowledge of wine and gastronomy of the area is unparalleled and their high level of attention to detail and tailoring the tour to your specific requirements is why we returned a second time.

This time we focussed our wine discoveries in the Medoc area as we didn't have time to visit it properly the first time. We also enjoyed a day's private cookery class which was fantastic fun. If we ever return I think we'll go the full hog and ask for their chauffeured services when we go vineyard hopping.

www.gourmet-touring.com

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Wine tasting holidays aren’t just for wine buffs with a lot of money to burn! Last year, my girlfriend and I drove around Bordeaux with a tent and a stove and managed to eat great food and taste a lot of excellent wine on a very little budget.

The vineyard owners welcome you in with open arms and at no point did we feel pressured to buy the wines we tasted. If you let on your ignorance, rather than sneering, most owners proudly launch into a long presentation about their wines, their grapes and their history.

If you are on a budget, going around Bordeaux and France’s other wine regions is probably the best way to taste wines that usually you wouldn’t be able to afford.

The tourist centre is amazingly helpful and will provide you with all the maps, routes, or any other information you might need.

www.bordeaux.com/

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