August 2023

In France, ‘Les Vendanges’ is the annual grape harvest, a centuries-old tradition deeply rooted in the country's rich viticultural heritage. It is a significant event that takes place between August and October every year, as staff, seasonal workers and volunteers from all over the world come together to pick the grapes that have been nurtured with great care and attention over the preceding months.When are the grapes harvested Although Les Vendanges is a term used for the grape harvest across France, the timing as to when each winery harvests their grapes is the result of lots of consideration and discussion among the vineyard managers, the winemakers, and perhaps external

Did you know that listening to classical music can make wine taste better? It’s well-known that tasting and appreciating wine involves the senses of taste, plus smell and sight, but researchers and anecdotal reports suggest that what you’re listening to also makes a difference as to your perception of what wine tastes like.Tasting wine involves more senses than taste alone Tasting wine firstly involves looking at the wine; is this the medium yellow of a Semillon wine, or the rich deep yellow hue of a sweet Sauterne? A Bordeaux wine that’s a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes might be more of an intense deep ruby red than

France is hosting the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the sport’s greatest spectacle, with several matches being played in Bordeaux. Teams from Romania and Fiji will have base camps near Bordeaux, in Libourne and Lormont, and several other teams will also be playing here: Chile, Georgia, Ireland, Samoa, South Africa, and Wales.We’re looking forward to welcoming rugby lovers and other visitors from around the world in September, to experience the best of French culture and hospitality. In between matches, there’s lots to see and do in Bordeaux and beyond, from beautiful architecture, to classic and contemporary cuisine, to riverboat cruises, to sampling some of the countless wonderful wines during

Have you heard of ‘first wines’ and ‘second wines’ (and even third or more wines)? If you haven’t heard of them before and want to find out what it’s all about, read on. First Wines Wine producers in Bordeaux, especially those classified under the 1855 Official Classification of Bordeaux Wines, invest considerable resources, exceptional care, knowledge and skill to make their Grand Cru Classé [Château Name], which is sometimes known as their ‘first wine.’ In short, first wines are made from the very best grapes, harvested when perfectly ripe, from the very best vines, from the very best parcels of land in the vineyard. Grapes harvested from parcels of the best terroir

As the warm summer breeze sweeps over, it's the perfect time to explore the exquisite Bordeaux wines and their ideal food pairings. Bordeaux, renowned for its exceptional vineyards and diverse appellations, offers a delightful range of wines that beautifully complement summer dishes. In this article, we present four Bordeaux appellation wine and food pairings for a memorable summer feast. From starters to desserts, we have you covered! Starter: Château Carbonnieux Blanc (Pessac-Léognan) with Goat Cheese Salad Kickstart your summer feast with a refreshing starter of a Goat Cheese Salad paired with a crisp and vibrant Château Carbonnieux Blanc from the Pessac-Léognan appellation. The wine's elegant blend of Sauvignon Blanc and

You open a bottle, you pour the wine, you raise the glass, you taste it. Simple, right? There’s actually a bit more to it than that. To get the most out of tasting wine, if you take a more methodical approach, you can better describe and appreciate each wine’s unique qualities. The three main aspects to consider are: appearance, nose and palate.AppearanceThe main characteristic is color, but it’s not just red, white or rosé. Grape varieties have different color characteristics, varying in intensity and hue (color shade). For example, white wines range from pale straw yellow, through to the rich deep yellow, gold color of a sweet Sauternes,

Le Quatorze Juillet, also known as Bastille Day, is a national holiday that’s celebrated annually on July 14 in France. While many think it commemorates ‘the Storming of the Bastille’ on that day in 1789, it actually celebrates the Fête de la Fédération of 1790, which was the first anniversary of the event that marked the beginning of the French Revolution, because celebrating the event itself was thought to be too controversial.French citizens seizing control of the Bastille - a political prison and armory in Paris that represented royal authority - was a pivotal moment in the country's history, and the fall of the Bastille became a powerful

The world famous Tour de France bike race takes place from July 1st to 23rd, 2023, and this year we’re excited that it will be coming to Bordeaux, where crowds are expected to line the streets to cheer the cyclists on.In fact, stage seven, on July 7, ends right here in Bordeaux, having started earlier in the day in Mont-de-Marsan, in the neighbouring department of Landes, before arriving in the city after 110 miles of cycling, over mostly flat terrain.This year is the 110th Tour de France, with 22 teams competing, although it’s expected to be an exciting tight race between defending champion Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar,

 Bordeaux’s varied terroir offers a variety of soils and climatic conditions, providing more or less favorable conditions for different grape varieties.Grape Varieties Wine production in France is strictly regulated, and in Bordeaux only certain grape grape varieties are permitted. There are three main grape varieties for red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, plus ‘auxiliaries’, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère. The auxiliary, or complementary, grape varieties are sometimes used in smaller quantities to add certain characteristics or flavors, to provide balance in the ‘assemblage’ process, i.e. when the wine is being blended. For white wines, the main grape varieties are Sémillion, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle, with auxiliaries Colombard,