When only there 10 years ago I began to evolve within the Bordeaux vineyards, often asked: “have you a wine road, a road of the castles to advise me?” and with great sadness I answered no, unfortunately in Bordeaux have not really specific wine road. It is primarily for this I created the routes of Charlotte. An approach shifted course, but a way to discover the vineyard as “tricky”.
The vineyard in a few figures, it looks like this:
114 000 hectares of vines
60 appellations of controlled origin (either the largest vineyard AOC of France – 26% of the)
area of the French AOC wines)
6 600 winemakers
300 trading houses – 84 brokers
36 cellars coop.ratives + 4 Unions of producers
750 million bottles produced on average each year.
As say you that organize these “small” people is not a feat!
A few months ago, I was invited to the launch of the roads of the wines of Bordeaux Gironde tourism (the Committee Department of tourism of Gironde). I had the surprise and made the happy discovery that this entity, for a long time, working on the project and managed to create wines of real roads! There are 6 and I can’t wait to talk to you (click on each road to discover directly on the Gironde tourism site):
The road of the wines of Bordeaux, Graves and Sauternes
The wine of Bordeaux, in-between-seas
The wine Routes of Bordeaux, Saint Emilion, Pomerol, Fronsac
The wine of Bordeaux, Blaye and Bourg
The roads of the wine of Bordeaux Bordeaux, door of the vineyard
These wine routes include a large number of tourism providers and wine tourism, all labeled by Gironde tourism by the label “Vineyards and discoveries”.
Thus, Gironde tourism offers you the opportunity to discover our beautiful girondin vineyard in the best of ways and especially your way!
I present to you Mr Marco, Director of Gironde tourism!
Thursday, April 29, I had the chance to be invited to the workshop organized by Gironde tourism to launch the road of the wines in Medoc! Return on this fabulous and divinely sunny day! Beware, this day is one of hundreds of possibilities, feel free to share your own wine route!
Our program of the day:
9 h 30: departure from Bordeaux in the city center of Bordeaux coach
10: 00: visit of the Nadalié cooperage in Ludon-Médoc: visit 1 h 30 with audioguides
11 h 30: visit of Château Lamothe-Bergeron in Cussac-Fort-Médoc: visit to the Castle, wine tasting and visit of the guest rooms
13: 00: lunch at the Café Lee on the Village of Bages
15 h 30: visit to the lighthouse of Richard
17 h 30: visit of the cellar Uni barrel cellar ‘ Medoc, with animation “lights and sounds”
A program really top I sincerely recommend you!
We therefore start with a visit to the Nadalié cooperage. More than just a tour, it’s a real show! You know, this is a rather noisy since it takes place in the heart of the workshops where the Coopers hit the wood, cut it off… But the cooperage has everything, equipped with audio-guide, we could perfectly hear our guide who gave us every secret of this magical production.
The great class so! A big thank you to Matthew friend blogger of lending me his ear and his profile for this wonderful photo!
My favorite of the visit part? one of the heating room… (this is the step that allows to give the barrel shape pretty, rounded…
And for the road, the barrels laser marking…
The big plus of the cooperage Nadalié: its audio-guided tour and his 1902 restaurant (seasonal cuisine, fresh, and very affordable prices!)
After this visit really rewarding and friendly, we took the direction of Château Lamothe-Bergeron in Cussac-Fort-Médoc, a castle of an architecture to fall!
Beautiful isn’t it?
Then I recommend with all my heart this visit, but really. As you can see in this photo, it is already very good! But that’s not all! The Castle team did an amazing job to make you live a unique experience. Anyone starting his discovery of wine should start with this visit! A video game, light… will immerse you completely in the wonderful world of the production and design of a wine! I tell you no more… with surprises that is even better!
The tasting is done in one of the turrets of the Castle where a space dedicated to children has been designed!
Again a big thanks to Anne and Laurent for their hospitality and kindness!
Our lunch was perfect! We stopped at the Lee coffee, in the heart of the village of Bages (Pauillac). A bistro-style restaurant where the dishes are really thin and tasty.
Opened in 2006, at the centre of the village of Bages, the Lee coffee takes its name from Berthe Lavinal, the grandmother of Jean-Michel Cazes.
A nod to her childhood vacations in the small café in campaign of his parents near Villeneuve.
Adjacent to the Château Lynch-Bages, the Lee coffee is a privileged place where winemakers and the locals love to meet to share a generous or a glass of wine in a place authentic.
It’s full belly we went for a digestive walk Richard lighthouse!
A gem that borders the estuary of the Gironde. It can be visited! Attention to the claustrophobic, the staircase is very small and really steep! The view is absolutely divine! Look at the white cliffs in front, some on the left we can see the Church of Talmont on the Gironde, that’s where I come from!
The tour also includes the discovery of the blanks that run all along the estuary and the Gironde. These are small wooden stilt cabins that allow to catch fish by surprise thanks to a large net that we look back with a crank. Equipped with a table and chairs in general, they are appointments for the weekend with friends and family, the opportunity to have a good time friendly while sinning shrimp, eel, bars and soles…
After this nice little break, it’s in the basement Uni-medoc that it is completed this beautiful day! A major project that just to see the day that I also recommend. Already you can taste and buy good wines of the Medoc. A producer will always be there for you Advisor and you explain his job. And also (and especially?) for this wonderful “sound & light” in the giant barrel cellar!
A day really top that says a lot about all the destinations offer Gironde tourism! So quick! Book your visits and (re) discover our beautiful vineyard!
USEFUL INFORMATION:
Nadalié cooperage
99, street Lafont – Ludon-Médoc 33 295 Blanquefort Cedex
05 57 10 02 02 – [email protected] – www.nadalie.fr
Visiting from Monday to Friday mornings by Appointment only: €9 / pers – check / species / CB – English
Château Lamothe-Bergeron
49, path of the Graves 33460 Cussac-Fort-Médoc
05 56 58 94 77 – [email protected] – www.lamothebergeron.com
The castle is open from 9: 00 to 17: 00. From April to October: from Monday to Sunday (weekends & holidays). From November to March: from Monday to Friday. Appointments recommended. Visits – Tasting: from 8 to €25 – gourmet Experiences: €25 (picnic in the park or macaroons-wine pairings)
Coffee Lee
Passage of the Desquet 33250 Pauillac
05 57 75 00 09 – [email protected] – www.jmcazes.com/fr/cafe-lavinal
The Café is open daily from 8: 00. The restaurant is open daily from 12: 00 to 14:00 and 19:30 to 21: 00, except Sunday night. Air conditioning. WiFi. Click here to see the map!
Richard lighthouse
Road secondary road N2 – 1 past the lighthouse 33590 Jau-Dignac-and-Loirac
05 56 09 52 39 – [email protected] – www.phare-richard.com
Summer opening: July and August from 11: 00 to 19: 00, daily. € 2 per person.
Cellar Uni’ Médoc
The winemakers of Uni-medoc – 14, road of Soulac 33340 Gaillan-in-Médoc
05 56 41 03 12 – [email protected] – www.unimedoc.com
Visits and tasting are free on 2 sites. For groups and to ensure the quality of
the reception, reservations recommended.
And of course a BIG THANKS to Gironde tourism for this perfect Organization (and have ordered the Sun!) and especially for this fabulous initiative!
Gironde tourism
9 Street Fondaudege 33000 Bordeaux
05 56 52 61 40 – [email protected] – www.gironde-tourisme.fr
