We had an absolutely amazing time in Bordeaux! From the gorgeous lands, to the plethora of wine tastings, to the wonderful people and delightful food; to say my expectations were met is a bit of an understatement!
Let’s rewind a bit – our wine tasting tour started on Monday, so Billy, my parents, sister, brother and I arrived a few days early to explore the city and do a little shopping – naturally! The port city of Bordeaux is absolutely gorgeous, filled with art, history and architecture dating back to Roman times – I could have spent a month in the city alone. After a few days on our own, we were whisked off to Château Coulon Laurensac, an exquisite 18th century Palladian Château nestled on the banks of the Garonne River, right in the middle of Bordeaux’s famous wine growing region. The Château itself was fairytale-breathtaking, with awe-inspiring gardens, a state-of-the-art kitchen (I was drooling over) and hundreds of years of meticulously maintained history between its walls – I’m still dreaming of all the ceiling beams and fireplaces! Our suites were located in the former chai à barriques (a building where wine used to age in oak barrels), which just added the overabundance of charm!
The unique part about our tour was that Château Coulon Laurensac is the year-round home of Wine Masters, Ronald and Margaret Rens, who graciously hosted and guided us throughout our stay. Our week was filled with visits to some of the premiere 1st growth vineyards on both the left and right banks of the Bordeaux region, cooking classes at the Château, an adventure to the local farmers market in Creon and more 5-course+ lunches & dinners than I care to admit to!
As always, my favorite places to eat and see are bookmarked here; and if you’re looking to visit Bordeaux, sample their wonderful wines and cuisine, I can’t recommend The Bordeaux Wine Experience enough!