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