Bordeaux Wine Tasting Tips: Where to Sip, Stay, and Explore

Bordeaux Wine Classification

Before I go on, there’s this little classification thing you’ll hear about that happened in 1855. The Exposition Universelle was coming up in Paris that year and preparations were underway to make it even better than London’s Great Exhibition of 1851.

So, Emperor Napoleon III was like, “Hey guys, I only want to show off the most popular chateaux at the Exposition. Why don’t you pick the best ones, and then rank those from first to fifth growths.”

The problem is the classification only included a small number of chateaux primarily from the left bank, prioritizing famous names like Chateau Lafite Rothschild and Chateau Mouton Rothschild.

And it hasn’t really been updated since 1855. Many of the vineyards owned by the classified chateaux have since been sold, changed hands, or expanded. 

It can still be a helpful indicator of quality, but just know that there are other great producers that aren’t classified!

Bordeaux Wine Tour

Since navigating Bordeaux wine country on your own can be a bit of a challenge, I chose this well-rated tour of the Left Bank Médoc appellation.

I liked that it was a small group so we got a more personalized experience. It was also longer than other half-day Bordeaux wine tours and included some food pairings. 

We met our tour guide in Bordeaux’s city center, near the tourism office. It was easy to find the group and, after quick intros, we were on our way to the first winery.

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Chateau Malescasse

Driving north of Bordeaux city, we arrived in the Lamarque commune, just north of Margeaux. 

Chateau Malescasse was built in 1824 by the Renouil family. Over time it was not kept up well. So in the ‘70s Guy Tesseron, a major figure in the Médoc, began restoring it and replanting the vines. 

Today, it’s owned by Philippe Austruy, who has further restructured the vineyards and made additional renovations to the manor house, including adding guest rooms. Now, you too can be a lord or lady for a weekend and book the entire chateau.

Our tour of the property and wine production facility took us through the vat room. The host explained how they use a combination of vessels for fermentation and aging, including wood, stainless steel, and concrete. Then through the cellar of medium-toasted oak barrels, sourced from different cask makers to increase the wine’s complexity.

The tasting room is stunning. Recently renovated, the walls surrounding the bar are lined with hundreds of Chateau Malescasse wine bottles. 

Their premier wine is a cru bourgeois, part of an official selection chosen by blind tasting annually. The blend is heavier on the Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon, bringing in some more red fruit flavors. It also includes some Petit Verdot. 

We had a vertical tasting of two different vintages, which was interesting to see how the differences in weather, harvest time, and blend percentages impact the wine. I found the older one to be smoother and less tannic (that drying sensation in your mouth).

After the tasting, our tour guide had a fun activity planned to help us learn about wine aromas. It was capped off by a competition to see who could identify the mystery scent found in some aged wines. 

Unfortunately, this gal did not win, but it turned out to be…truffle! IMO my guess of mushrooms was close though.

Chateau Cantenac Brown

Our next stop was in the prestigious Margeaux appellation. The tour started in front of the massive tudor-style chateau. 

We learned that Cantenac Brown was part of the 1855 classification and is a third-growth chateau. John Lewis Brown, a Scotsman, was the one who founded it more than 200 years ago. 

He handed it down to his grandson, who was a naturalist painter and made a name for Cantenac Brown as an artistic landmark. Due to financial reasons, the Browns had to sell the chateau and it has changed hands many times. But their name was carried on. 

Since 2019, Cantenac Brown has been owned by the Le Lous family. Tristan Le Lous is focused on balancing nature and culture, and we learned about his plans to build a new cellar entirely of raw earth.

Fun Fact: Did you know there’s a plant that can predict diseases in the vineyard? It’s a rose bush! 

During the tour, we learned that roses and grapevines can get the same fungal diseases. Except roses will show signs of this before the vines do. By planting them at the ends of the vineyard rows, they’ll alert the winemaker in advance of any issues that need to be treated. 

Back in the tasting room, our tour guide had set up a spread of French cheese, cured meats, and fresh bread to snack on.

We sampled two of Cantenac Brown’s wines. The Grand Cru is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. It was earthy, with notes of blackberry, blackcurrent, and leather. Definitely an age-worthy wine. 

Next, we tasted Brio, their second-level wine. It’s a similar blend to the Grand Cru, but with Cabernet Franc added, bringing some floral notes. It’s a good option for an accessible Bordeaux that you can drink younger than the Grand Cru.

Chateau Margeaux

Our last stop was Château Margaux, one of the most famous chateaux. It was part of the four original first growths selected in the 1855 classification. While we didn’t get to go inside, it was a great spot for a photo op of their beautiful property.

Our guide found us a spot next to their many hectares of vines. And we settled in for a mini class of wine-tasting tips. Then, we capped off the day with a final glass of wine and a santé (French for cheers)!

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