Médoc Wine Experience: Private Bordeaux Vineyard Half-Day Tour

Quick answers

• What kind of Wine is Medoc or Haut Medoc Wine?

  Medoc and Haut Medoc wines are red wines. The main grape varieties used are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The wines are usually quite bold and tannic.

• When do we pay the wine tasting fees?

  On our private tours, we never include the wine tasting fees of the wineries as guests have different expectations on wine tours. Some would like to wine taste 3 or 4 times, while others prefer 1 or 2 and a nice lunch. With Ophorus, you have two options to pay the wine tasting fees. First, during our booking process, you will be asked if you want to purchase a number of wine tasting fees depending on the number of wineries you would like to visit. Just choose the number of winery visits and the tasting fees per person will adapt accordingly. Your other option is to not choose any option during the booking process and to let us know by email how many wineries you would like to visit and your budget for tasting fees. We will then adapt your tour to your budget and tasting fees will be paid by your party directly on site, at the winery.

• Where will the pick up take place and do we return where the tour began?

  Pick up will be at your accommodation in Bordeaux. If vehicle cannot reach your street (pedestrian, limited access) then we will suggest a nearby meeting point. We can also come and pick you up in the surrounding area of Bordeaux (15 miles) at no extra charge. Let us know your exact location and we will inform you if there is an extra charge or not. Return is usually made at exact location of where the tour began but it is possible for us to drop you off at a predetermined location of your choice in Bordeaux or surrounding area if you wish.

• Is 4 hours enough for a half day wine tour?

  First of all, we do not rush any guests on one of our tours. From Bordeaux, it will take us around 45 minutes to reach the first winery. Winery visits in Bordeaux last around one hour, to one hour and a half. The second winery is located just a few miles away. For someone who has limited time in the region and wants to experience Medoc wines in a relaxed way, this tour is perfect. If you want to delve deeper into Bordeaux wines, then a full day tour is certainly a better option.

• Can we choose the wineries we want to visit?

  Yes, absolutely! If you have wineries that you would like to visit all you need to do is to send us the list of wineries and our partnership team will do their best to obtain an appointment just for you. All visits to wineries in Bordeaux are to be made by appointment only that is why we ask that you book your tour first before we start making the necessary reservations. Also, please note that not all wineries are opened for visits and this includes wineries such as Latour, Ruazan Ségla, Léoville Las Cases to name a few. Chateau Margaux is open for visits but please inquire at least 12 to 6 months prior to travel.

• Which Wineries will we visit?

  We work with a very large number of wineries. On this specific tour, we usually combine the visit of a Grand Cru Classé of 1855 with the visit of a family owned, boutique winery. This will give you a broader idea of the type of wineries that are present in Bordeaux in general and in the Medoc more particularly.

• Who will be conducting this Wine Tour?

  All our private wine tours from Bordeaux are conducted by Expert local guides that are specialists of Bordeaux wines. Most of them hold the WSET level 2 in wines or other similar French Wine diplomas. Some are National Certified Guides while others are professional sommeliers. Your guide will also be your driver for the day. He will be with you during the Chateau visits so don't hesitate to ask questions to make this day such a special one.

• Is this Wine Tour adapted to beginers?

  All our wine tours are for both novice or wine aficionados. Our Expert Guides will be pleased to introduce you to Bordeaux wines & appellations if you are not familiar with them. All our vehicles are equipped with a P/A system that allows for questions and answers during driving time. If you are a Bordeaux Wine Fan and already know about the wines of Bordeaux, then this will be the perfect time to deepen your knowledge. History of the wine region, vinification techniques, terroirs, grape varieties, just ask and your passionate guide will be happy to share his knowledge.