Wine Connoisseur's Dream: Medoc, Saint-Emilion & Graves Private Tour

Quick answers

• Do you organize pick up and return at accommodation for Bordeaux private tours?

  Yes, absolutely. We will come and pick you up at your Hotel, accommodation or AirB&B in Bordeaux. We can also come and pick you up if your accommodation is located within a 30 kms (20 miles) radius around Bordeaux, at no extra cost.

• What type of vehicles are used during your Bordeaux private tours?

  Our company uses only premium cars & minivans that are recent, comfortable and fully equipped including individual A/C, shaded windows and large leg space.

• Who conducts your private wine tours from Bordeaux?

  We only employ accredited and licensed tour guides that are also the drivers for all tours that need visits to be conducted by certified guides. Good examples are: the visit of museums, guided walking tours in cities, visit of historical monuments and so on.
  
  In some regions, where wine tours prevail (Bordeaux, Alsace) the tours are conducted by professional local guides or sommeliers that are experts in Wines.

• Can we choose which wineries we will visit during your Bordeaux private wine tours?

  Yes, we will be happy to organize and pre-book your winery tours of the Medoc. Please note that most wineries open their doors to visitors but some high end wineries such as Chateau Latour and a few others do not welcome any visitors. Also, it is important to mention that we only make the required Chateau reservations once you have booked your private wine tour with Ophorus.

• Are the winery Tours private on your Bordeaux Private tours?

  During our private tours the visits at the wineries are most of the time private, especially if you book well in advance. 
  However, for some last minute bookings, it might be that you will be grouped with others, but in this case the groups are always in very low numbers.

• How many / much wines are served in the Wineries?

  In Bordeaux, the Wineries will typically serve 1 to 3 wines during the tasting sessions. It is always the wine produced by the chateau that will be tasted. Usually the first and second wine of the estate.
  
  Important note: For all our guests who have experienced wine tours in other countries, please note that the average pour of wine in Bordeaux is less important than in other destinations. Even though we strive to work with Wineries that are more generous, they remain the only ones that can appreciate the quantity of wine poured in a glass.

• What type of Wine is Margaux?

  Margaux wine refers to one of the most famous wines produced in the Bordeaux wine region called the Medoc. At its best, Margaux wine is the most seductive and perfumed of all Bordeaux wines. The grape varieties often found in Margaux wines are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and to a lesser extent Cabernet Franc. Petit Verdot occasionally makes it into the blend but this being a very delicate grape to grow, the climate of the vintage has its importance.
  
  Margaux wines have a complex bouquet with fruity aromas of raspberry, cherry, and red currant, but also floral, spicy, and roasted aromas. The wines on the palate are powerful and the ageing of the wines can last from 5 to 30 years.

• What type of Wine is Graves?

  Graves is a very interesting Bordeaux wine region to visit as it is the only one where you can wine taste the three main wine types of Bordeaux - reds, whites and sweet wines. The wine production is dominated by the red wines that are typically blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet France to which winemakers sometimes add Petit Verdot and/or Malbec. The typical white wines of the Graves wine region are dry and blended with Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon grape varieties.

• What type of wine is Pessac-Léognan?

  Pessac-Léognan wines resemble in a way those of Médoc wine region. The main grape varieties used in the blend of the wines are Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot that bring to these wines a subtle mix of power, delicateness and refinement. As for the whites, the blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes bring complexity, freshness, intensity and harmony to these wines. The Pessac-Léognan appellation includes all of the Crus Classés of the Graves wine region that produce reds and/or dry whites.

• What type of wine is Saint Emilion?

  Located on the right bank of the river Garonne the appellation specialises in red wines from the grape varieties Merlot and Cabernet Franc. The wines of St-Émilion are generally delightfully complex and elegant. Common fruit flavours include plums, strawberries, cherries which can become more dried and stewed with age. Oak ageing is very common, providing balanced flavours of vanilla, toast and nutmeg.