Exploring Bordeaux on an authentic wine tour

Exploring Bordeaux on an authentic wine tour

Winemaking is a complex and specialist art and the best way to learn about how wine is made is on an authentic wine tour, to see the process from start to finish and meet the people who make it.

Whilst I enjoy a glass of wine or two, I had not given much thought on how it got from grape to glass, so when visiting the Bordeaux region I decided to take the opportunity to brush up on my wine knowledge and visit a wine estate.

Our charismatic host and wine expert organised an early evening tutored tasting session, explaining how to train your palette to distinguish different grape varieties, accompanied by a scrumptious platter of local cheeses and meats. We all left delighted and tested our new found knowledge at a fabulous restaurant nearby, where we dined on the traditional food of the region and local wine.

The following morning our guide took us to our chosen Chateau in the charming medieval village of Saint-Emilion, famous for its cobbled streets, monuments and full-bodied wines. We learnt about the three main grapes varieties produced in St-Emilion: Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon and how they are expertly blended together to make the perfectly balanced wines famous from this region.

The tour continues where millions of bottles are aging in vast cellars, many excavated by the Romans and ends with the chance to taste two of the estate wines, where we relax and appreciate the amount of time and effort that goes in to producing this much loved tipple.

My tour cost £470 per person and I have seen a Prosecco break which is on my hit list next time I am in Italy.

On my return home I made friends with my local wine shop and I am now on their email list so that I get the chance to try out new wines and keep my knowledge fresh during their regular wine tasting events.

For further details on wine tours and other holidays contact Tracey Strand by email visit the website or call 01449 763427. Or you can meet Tracey at The Mill Hotel in Sudbury on the 16th June to discuss your travel requirements – more details here 

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