If you have been living under a rock your whole life, you need to know that Bordeaux is a wine capital of the world. In fact, many, particularly those who live there, think of it as THE wine capital of the world.  The many chateaux and vineyards surrounding the city, and its architectural and cultural heritage, make it an international tourist destination. While ships can usually dock at the city center, we docked well outside the city because it was the weekend of The Bordeaux Wine Festival, which followed Vinexpo, called “the world’s main wine fair.”  

There is a striking difference between the wineries and vineyards of the Bordeaux area compared to other “wine capitals”… Napa, New Zealand, South Africa, etc. Developing other areas as wine capitals occurred relatively recently in the arch of history. Wine production in the Bordeaux region started 2000 years ago, sometime after 43 AD, during the Roman occupation. The winemakers of Bordeaux are very proud of their rich history, working hard to preserve it and show it off. A sense of age and history that you do not feel in other areas is prevalent wherever you go.

Day One: an afternoon at a winery

 

Day Two

The town of Saint-Emilion.
According to local signage, the “Romanesque perimeter wall is one of the oldest and best preserved in France.”

 

Winery across the street

Chateau Cantenac winery

End of Day, leaving Bordeaux

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Bordeaux, France
06/28-29/24