Bordeaux Wine Tours
Bordeaux is the largest fine-wine region on earth, the Left Bank châteaux of the Médoc and the Right Bank of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol facing each other across the rivers, with a wine museum in the city that is a destination in itself. Compare the top-rated tours below, then read our notes.
Bordeaux wine tours and château visits
Bordeaux food and city tours
Formats: half-day tours to Saint-Émilion or the Médoc with tastings; full days combining Saint-Émilion and Margaux; château visits with cellar tours; the Cité du Vin museum with a tasting; food tours of the city.
What you taste: Left Bank reds led by Cabernet Sauvignon from the Médoc and Graves, Right Bank Merlot from Saint-Émilion and Pomerol, dry white Graves and sweet Sauternes.
Price: 27 dollars for the Cité du Vin with a tasting; 99 to 210 for a half or full day to the châteaux with a driver.
Left Bank and Right Bank
Bordeaux splits in two. The Left Bank, the Médoc north of the city and Graves to the south, grows Cabernet Sauvignon on gravel and gave the world the 1855 classification, the ranking of châteaux, first to fifth growth, that still holds: Margaux, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, names on the great labels. The Right Bank, across the Dordogne, grows Merlot on clay and limestone and centres on Saint-Émilion, a medieval town that is a UNESCO site, and Pomerol, home to the tiny, priceless Pétrus. Graves also makes dry whites, and Sauternes the great sweet wines.
The city and the châteaux
The city itself has La Cité du Vin, a striking museum of wine with a tasting at the top, and a food scene built on canelés, oysters from Arcachon and the wines. But the reason to come is the châteaux, and most require a booking, so a guided day with a driver is the way: half a day to Saint-Émilion, a full day pairing it with Margaux, or a Médoc day up the gravel banks. Saint-Émilion has its own page: Saint-Émilion wine tours.
How to visit
Bordeaux is two hours from Paris by TGV. Saint-Émilion is 35 to 40 minutes by train, doable alone; the Médoc châteaux need a car or a tour. Harvest is late September into October.
Frequently asked questions
Left Bank or Right Bank?
Left Bank for the classified Médoc châteaux and Cabernet; Right Bank for Saint-Émilion, Merlot and a beautiful medieval village. A full-day tour can do one of each.
Can I visit Bordeaux châteaux without a car?
Saint-Émilion by train, yes; the Médoc and most estates need a guided tour or a car, since visits are by appointment.
What is the 1855 classification?
A ranking of Médoc and Sauternes châteaux made for the Paris Exposition, from first to fifth growth, still used and still largely unchanged.
How we choose
We list only experiences with a strong rating over a meaningful number of reviews and free cancellation where available, and we favour small-group and family-run hosts. FindEatLocal earns a commission when you book through GetYourGuide or Viator links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay. More about how we choose.