Château Pichon-Longueville

October 2, 2016 by Joe Becerra

Château Pichon-Longueville

The iconic Château Pichon-Longueville

During our six-day stay in Bordeaux, we visited several Chateaus, but unfortunately not Château Pichon-Longueville. One must always find a reason to return to a favorite travel location. That’s my reason for planning another visit to Bordeaux. I will be sure to make arrangements to visit Château Pichon-Longueville. It is one of the most beautiful Chateaus in Bordeaux. It is also said to be one of the most photographed Chateaus. The Chateau is in the Medoc region of Bordeaux on the Left Bank. See Bordeaux wine region map. Château Pichon-Longueville is one of the few Bordeaux wineries that welcome tourists seven days a week. Over 10,000 visitors a year come to Château Pichon-Longueville. A tour and tasting are included in the visit.

A Visit to Chateau Margaux

September 16, 2016 by Joe Becerra

The great Chateau Margaux

Visits to this grand Chateau are difficult to make. Are you a customer of a fine wine shop in your area that sells Chateau Margaux? It is possible that the proprietor may be able to make a request on your behalf to arrange a visit for you. This is how we managed a visit to Margaux. Our seasoned tour driver admitted that this was the first time he had taken a client to Chateau Margaux. As we arrive the harvest activity at Margaux is beginning with the picking of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. Although Chateau Margaux is famous for its magnificent red, they make a small percentage of Sauvignon Blanc, and it has the label Pavillon Blanc du Margaux. Cabernet Sauvignon and the other Bordeaux grapes will be ready for harvest in one week.

Chateau Margaux is in the northern area of Bordeaux in the Medoc and the wine appellation of Margaux. Chateau Margaux dates back to the 12 century. Chateau Margaux is one of one of the five designated Premier Cru or First Growth wineries in Bordeaux. Its wines are highly acclaimed and sought after and as you can imagine very expensive. We felt fortunate to be able to taste the 2004 vintage and the 2009 vintage of their second label Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux.

Barrel room at Chateau Margaux

We walked through the cellar to view the wooden fermentation tanks and two beautiful barrel rooms. When the grapes are harvested each vineyard plot is kept separately in the large fermenting tanks. Once fermentation is complete the wine is transferred to barrels. It is not for several months that the winemaker and his assistant taste and evaluate the wine from each vineyard plot. It is only then that the wines are blended for the next vintage. The wine is blended in large tanks and then returned to the barrels pictured in the photo.

Chateau Margaux is only one of four Chateaus that makes their own oak barrels. In their cooperage center, they make barrels that provide 20% of the barrels needed for a normal vintage. The cooper can make one barrel in 4 hours. The cooper also fixes barrels that are leaking. The barrels at Chateau Margaux are used for two years only. It has been a tradition to make their own barrels and has been doing this for the last two centuries.

The Cooperage at Chateau Margaux

The Chateau itself as can be seen in the photo above is a magnificent structure built 200 years ago. The current owner of Margaux, Corinne Mentzelopoulos, lives in the Chateau. As we walk around the estate my footsteps can almost feel each generation of families and winemakers who have lived and worked at Margaux. What a fantastic visit, one that will live in my memory bank very long.

In front of the Chateau following our tour

Touring Chateau Lynch-Bages

September 14, 2016 by Janelle Becerra

Touring the barrel room at Lynch-Bages

We set up appointments several months ago to visit four Bordeaux Chateaus. Bordeaux is not like the Napa Valley or Sonoma, where wine country travelers can stop in at most wineries and taste wine without an appointment. In Bordeaux, almost all wineries require an appointment for a tour and tasting for a fee. During the harvest period, it is even more difficult to visit the wineries of Bordeaux. Much of the staff helps in some manner with harvest activities.

We also arranged to hire a driver to take us to the wineries. Having a tour driver is so much better than renting a car and doing the driving yourself. Our driver stopped in front of several Chateaus and famous vineyards to give us a brief explanation.

Our first visit was to Chateau Lynch-Bages in the Pauillac appellation of Bordeaux. The Cazes Family purchased the winery in 1934 and continues to operate the winery along with a cafe and small shops on the property. The Lynch-Bages red wine is one of Bordeaux’s most notable wines. Lynch-Bages also produces a wonderful White Bordeaux wine. White Bordeaux is a general classification because only the red wines can carry the appellation name. White Bordeaux wines are mostly Sauvignon Blanc, with some adding Semillon to the wine.

Following our in-depth tour on how wine is made at Lynch-Bages, we tasted two red wines. Lynch-Bages has a second label and also operates wineries in other parts of Bordeaux and France. We tasted the 2011 Ormez de Paz and the Gran Vin Lynch Bages.

A tasting of the 2011 Ormes de Paz and the Grand Vin Lynch Bages

After our tour and tasting, we walked just a short distance to the Cafe Lavinal. This is also operated by the Cazes Family, and it is a delectable way to culminate the Lynch Bages tour. Both the menu and the wine list are extensive and will suit many different palates. All in all our tour, tasting, and lunch were extremely enjoyable. To find out more about Lynch-Bages tour and tasting please see the Lynch Bages Website.

Cafe Lavinal

Our tour group at Lynch Bages

Bordeaux’s La Cité du Vin

September 13, 2016 by Joe Becerra

La Cité du Vin

Bordeaux’s La Cité du Vin

For the next five days Janelle and I will be exploring the Bordeaux wine region. Bordeaux is the land of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and the famous Grand Cru houses. Today we are exploring Bordeaux’s La Cité du Vin. This unique wine museum opened in June of this year. La Cité du Vin celebrates the glorious history of wine and showcases wine regions from around the world. Wine education is at the forefront of the museum’s exhibits and displays. What are the smells in wine, the texture, and how can wine best be enjoyed? These are just a few of the themes displayed. La Cité du Vin is an architectural standout, designed by Anouk Legendae and Nicolas Desmazieres. The stunning structure sits on the shore of the grand Garonne River. To do justice to visiting La Cité du Vin, plan to spend 2 to 4 hours roaming the museum. There are two restaurants in La Cité du Vin, one at the high end and the other more casual. The final activity of the museum is a stop at the top floor. Here with your entrance ticket, you may choose one glass of wine from a choice of wines from the major wine countries around the world. Stroll around the top room to view the exciting scenes of Bordeaux. This part of the city is enjoying a revitalization, thanks in part to the museum.

From our hotel located in the city centre, we hopped on a sleek tram system that runs throughout the city of Bordeaux. For 1.5 Euros, you can tool around the city on this electric-powered transit system. The current is supplied by a unique in-ground power system. There are no overhead wires to propel the tram cars. It is very quiet and futuristic looking.