Take a road trip to the Bordeaux Wine Route that has everything you could wish for on a holiday. Bordeaux and its neighborhood are full of picturesque villages, outstanding landscapes, vineyards, and passionate winegrowers. Get yourself the experience of the epitome of French lifestyle and ancestral traditions. Go for wine tasting that is symbolic of Bordeaux at the chateau wineries where they are made, meandering through lush vineyards and prestigious barrel halls. Taste local foods such as cheeses, charcuterie, and other regional specialties, all in a fun and friendly atmosphere.
Bordeaux vineyards are unique with a great diversity of wines and scenery and are the best way to discover all that this region has to offer. From Saint-Emilion to the Cabernet country region and the Entre-Deux-Mers, all roads lead to Bordeaux. Through this guide, we would be delighted to guide you with your travel itinerary. So, don’t miss this once in a lifetime chance to get a real taste of the French lifestyle, creating memories that you can treasure forever.
Road Trip to Bordeaux’s Most Beautiful Wine-Growing Towns
The Bordeaux wine route is one of the most visited attractions in the southwest of France. Surrounded by vibrant green vineyards, Bordeaux and its residents enjoy the good life — which means a lot of wine. But the city’s charm also owes to its architecture. Half the city is UNESCO listed, making it the world’s largest urban World Heritage Site.
01 Start Your Journey from Bordeaux
Upon your arrival, pick up your car rental at Bordeaux-Merignac Airport and get ready to explore this beautiful, romantic region at a leisurely pace. You can spend some time walking around the city, dine at 5-star restaurants, and check out some excellent vineyards just outside the city limits.
The region is divided into 38 sub-regions with 57 unique appellations. This romantic corner of the world is ideal for wine growing and is uniquely suited to explore by car. Each turn in the road will take you into a unique micro-climate, where the wines that are produced offer a delightful new twist on those you may have tasted at a nearby vineyard.
02 Drive to Saint Emilion
Just a 50 min drive from Bordeaux via N89 will bring you to this Right Bank region. Saint Emilion is one of the most famed sub-regions in Bordeaux, renowned for the production of Merlot and Merlot blends with rich, soul-rending flavor profiles.
Head straight to the Saint-Emilion Appellation, though its neighbors Montagne-Saint Emilion, Lussac-Saint Emilion, and Saint Georges-Saint Emilion all offer different takes on the Merlot blends which have made this region so popular. This magnificent medieval city nestled on a limestone hill benefits from its location at the crossroads of Bordeaux, Saintonge, and Perigord.
The city of Saint Emilion has a significant architectural and religious heritage, which offers a variety of little streets and squares, but also takes advantage of the reputation of his wine-making heritage that is among the most wanted in the world.
03 Head to Pomerol and Fronsac
located just Northwest of Saint Emilion are Pomerol and Fronsac, each of these small sub-regions contains two appellations: Pomerol, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Fronsac, and Canon-Fronsac.
Spare a few hours to visit all these appellations and do the wine tasting. This will make for a very educational tasting experience. Whether you are a connoisseur or a beginner, you will soon learn to identify the subtle differences in mouthfeel, smell, and the character imparted by the fruit.
04 Next Onto Cabernet Country
If you admire a big, robust cabernet, then head to Cabernet Country. Driving Northwest, with a little detour to the Medoc sub-region will allow you to discover some of the most popular Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards.
Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular red wine amongst Americans, but it’s not planted quite as frequently in Bordeaux. There are more than twice as many Merlot vines planted in this region as Cabernet, which makes Cabernet from the Medoc appellations of Saint Stephe, Saint Julien, Margaux, and others, especially sought-after.
05 Explore White Wines of Graves
Throughout the Graves sub-region, located on the left bank, south of the city of Bordeaux, you will find historic vineyards and beautiful appellations. While Bordeaux isn’t quite as famous for its white wines, exploring the sub-regions and appellations in southern areas will make you fall in love with white wine all over again. Whether you prefer a dry white or prefer a sweet, and fruity glass, there is something for everyone here.
06 Visit Entre-Deux-Mers
Entre-Deux-Mers is a right bank sub-region in southern Bordeaux. While the region isn’t known for expensive, high-end wines, it’s a fun area to explore this last destination on a Bordeaux road trip. The diversity of its landscapes interspersed with hills, valleys, woods, and large vineyards are the wealth of this region.
Entre-Deux-Mers has six appellations that are known for inexpensive, but high-quality dry white wines, fruity red wines, and sweet white table wine production. Explore the Bordeaux Haut-Benauge, Loupiac, Cadillac, and Sainte-Croix-du-Mont appellations before working your way north through the heart of Entre-Deux-Mers.