Bordeaux Winemaker Trip with Jonathan Ray, 18 - 22 October 2024
Friday 18 - Tuesday 22 October 2024
It’s the greatest wine region of all and it would take a lifetime to learn everything there is to know about it. But much can be learned – and much can be drunk – in just a few days, so join drinks editor, Jonathan Ray, and an intimate party of like-minded Spectator readers on a bibulous, whistlestop tour of Bordeaux. We will take in Left Bank and Right Bank, visit grand châteaux, drink fine wines, eat great food and meet fascinating, passionate winemakers. We will stay in the 4* Hotel de Seze in the heart of Bordeaux itself and will have plenty of time to get to know this magnificently refurbished city. With visits to St Emilion, Margaux, Pauillac and Sauternes we’ll cover a lot of ground but at a relaxed pace and in good company. Do join us!
4 nights from £2,395 per person, incl flights from Gatwick to Bordeaux
At the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, the elegant city of Bordeaux is not only one of France’s most charming, but has become a byword for fine wines over the course of many centuries. We will visit some of the best winemakers in the company of The Spectator's wine expert Jonathan Ray.
Since the Kingdom of Aquitaine, the English have enjoyed the wines of Medoc, Margaux, Graves, Sauternes and St Emilion, and coined the word ‘claret’ to refer to the ruby wines from the region so beloved of English drinkers from King John to the present day. The fame of Bordeaux wines has spread worldwide, but many of the estates here are still small producers, often in the hands of ancient families, whose grand chateaux stand over the vineyards. Jonathan Ray will introduce you to a range of wineries in the Bordeaux area, meeting experienced winemakers in person, and going behind-the-scenes to sample exceptional wines and enjoy truly memorable dining experiences.
Day 1 - TRAVEL
Travelling from Gatwick on an early flight we will arrive in Bordeaux and head straight to the Left Bank for a tasting at Château Angludet with our good friend Max Sichel, before being whisked to our hotel for the duration of the holiday, the 4* Hotel De Seze in the heart of the elegant centre of Bordeaux. The afternoon will be at leisure before dinner in a local restaurant, La Tupina.
Day 2 - CHÂTEAU PICHON-LONGUEVILLE BARON & CITÉ DU VIN
This morning we visit the celebrated Château Pichon-Longueville Baron, an elegant 19th century chateau with a 73-hectare vineyard adjacent to that of Château Latour. We will meet Christian Seely, who has run the estate for the last 20 years, and sample some of their excellent, powerful, Cabernet-dominated wines which have a fabulous reputation. After lunch at the Chateau, we head to Bordeaux’s spectacular new museum devoted to the trade which has made it a world-renowned city – the Cité du Vin. Through a series of well-designed interactive exhibits, the museum introduces the history of viticulture on the banks of the Garonne, and the evolution of Bordeaux into the wine capital of the world. We will conclude the visit with a tasting of a variety of wines from the area, before returning to the hotel.
Day 3 - ST EMILION
Today we will travel to the ancient city of St Emilion, just a short drive from Bordeaux, and the home of some of the most prestigious wine estates in the world thanks to its complex geology and microclimate. The family De Scheppers are third generation winemakers who first came to Bordeaux in 1938 and winemaker Jean-Michel Garcion, has been with them for over twenty years. They run three estates in the region, Château Haut Breton Larigaudière in the world-famous Margaux AOC, Château Tayet, and Tour Baladoz on the eastern edge of St Emilion, which will shall visit this morning. At their La Croizille tasting room, which is suspended over the vines, we will sample all three wines followed by a delicious lunch. In the afternoon we will wander the atmospheric centre of Saint-Emillion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with more than 2,000 years of history. In the afternoon we are planning to visit Le Dome, the stunning iconic winery of Jonathan Maltus OBE.
Day 4 - SAUTERNES
Following the course of the Garonne and its tributary the Ciron, we reach the Sauternes region, 25 miles southeast of Bordeaux. The unique microclimate here creates autumn mists which linger overnight on the vineyards, providing perfect conditions for the Botrytis cinerea fungus. At the elegant Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey, we will learn how this ‘noble rot’ creates wines of intense sweetness. We shall sample their 1855 Premier Grand Cru Classé, produced using traditional organic methods from 18.5 hectares of gravel terraces. After sampling the wines we will enjoy an exquisite lunch in the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Château, before returning to Bordeaux in the afternoon.
Day 5 - DEPARTURE DAY
We hope to enjoy a lunchtime tasting with Bordeaux royalty in the form of Edoaurd Moueix before departing for the airport to return to London.
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Return flights
Four nights' accommodation with breakfast
The services of a Kirker Tour Lecturer
Wine tasting as described
One dinner & three lunches
All entrances fees and gratuities as described
For information and to book call Patrick Millar at Kirker Travel on 0207 593 2284 or email patrick.millar@kirkerholidays.com. Bespoke travel is available for those travelling from overseas
