Question itinerary Bordeaux region of France

[amd1234]

We just received some great deals for 2016 on Uniworld. If the price is right we might book. We are past Uniworld cruisers and have sailed on this particular ship the Royale. Very nice! Not familiar with this itinerary .. need some information and reviews on this region.. Thanks..:)

[caviargal]

We are just back from a 10 night cruise to Bordeaux. This area is highly susceptible to tides and sand bar shifts and those both affected our particular cruise. For us, the itinerary was too much time sailing and not enough time spent in ports. We prefer to maximize the time actually spent in the cities to sailing watching scenery go by.

 

We loved the city of Bordeaux itself and the area overall is very scenic and lovely. We travel for the food, wine, and culture and enjoyed those aspects of the itinerary. St. Emilion was a highlight for us, as was a visit to Archanon. Most tours did require longer bus rides than we like.

 

I received the same email from Uniworld for this itinerary and I am wondering if it is because the lines are not finding it to be as popular as they anticipated? Just a thought. Recent reviews across the lines have comments similar to our experience and these opinions were also expressed by quite a few of the passengers on our sailing.

Edited May 11, 2016 by caviargal

[amd1234]

Thx for the quick response. You might be right about this region not being as popular. I did a quick research to see the flights to Boudeaux from Boston very long flights and layovers. This would be a problem. For this reason we wouldn't cruise this itinerary. Where did you fly from? We also live in Fl. Part time!

[Host Jazzbeau]

This is a very different type of river cruise to the norm. Lots of day cruising, but the area isn't as scenic as the Rhine Castles. Lots of wine tastings, but not much else if you are not an oenophile -- and if you are, you probably won't think much of the chateaux on your included tours. And lots of bus rides. IMHO if you really want to immerse yourself in Bordeaux wine [pun intended], you would do better to get ensconced in a nice hotel and rent a car; whereas if you really like river cruising, you would be better off on a different "river." But there have also been reviews from people who really loved this itinerary, so YMMV.

[caviargal]

Thx for the quick response. You might be right about this region not being as popular. I did a quick research to see the flights to Boudeaux from Boston very long flights and layovers. This would be a problem. For this reason we wouldn't cruise this itinerary. Where did you fly from? We also live in Fl. Part time!

 

We flew Orlando-Madrid-Bordeaux and then returned Bordeaux-Gatwick-Orlando. Got a great deal in business class and it was actually pleasant, instead of the worst part of the trip.

[caviargal]

Lots of wine tastings, but not much else if you are not an oenophile -- and if you are, you probably won't think much of the chateaux on your included tours.

 

Scenic provided some impressive wine tastings, as well as an excellent choice of included wines onboard. We really liked the wine served at one of the Scenic sponsored afternoon events (Scenic Sundowner) at a chateau near St. Emilion and asked if we could purchase some. The price was 53E per bottle. It was poured freely.

 

Another tasting we did had lovely wines as well. No let downs for us in terms of wines. And we do consider ourselves to be oenophiles.

Edited May 11, 2016 by caviargal

[Host Jazzbeau]

Scenic provided some impressive wine tastings, as well as an excellent choice of included wines onboard. We really liked the wine served at one of the Scenic sponsored afternoon events (Scenic Sundowner) at a chateau near St. Emilion and asked if we could purchase some. The price was 53E per bottle. It was poured freely.

 

Another tasting we did had lovely wines as well. No let downs for us in terms of wines. And we do consider ourselves to be oenophiles.

 

In reviews of another cruise line, poor quality was specifically called out. Scenic is a class act.

[Canal archive]

Thank goodness for that, when I phoned to book the cruise the guy called it the wine cruise and there was me thinking our cruise on the Soane & Rhone was a wine cruise. I will just have to get fit to follow all that tasting through. Only six weeks to go. CA

[notamermaid]

Hello Canal archive,

 

have a great cruise. Did you know that, from what I have read, the Bordeaux region is a favourite region in France for the English to live? I think the wine must ahve something to do with it. Who knows, you might not want to come back. ;)

 

 

 

Caviargal,

 

I am a little surprised by the high price of 53 Euros. Must be a special wine indeed. I can get St. Emilion for a much lower price in Germany. The range of prices within a few kilometres radius of production is incredible.

 

notamermaid

Edited May 12, 2016 by notamermaid

[caviargal]

[quote name=notamermaid;49963535

Caviargal' date='

 

I am a little surprised by the high price of 53 Euros. Must be a special wine indeed. I can get St. Emilion for a much lower price in Germany. The range of prices within a few kilometres radius of production is incredible.

 

notamermaid[/quote]

 

There are many wines produced in St. Emilion, of all qualities, and at many blends and price points. We spent time visiting wine stores, wine bars and Chateaux and, as in any wine producing area, there is something for every budget.

 

The specific wine we were drinking at the Chateaux hosting the event was available for sale at 53E per bottle. It was excellent.

 

We saw wines produced in the region selling for under $5 per bottle but did not try them.

[Canal archive]

We have several friends who either have holiday homes or live most of the year in the greater region it's lovely to visit but not the same as home. There does seem to be an affinity between the Bordeaux region and the South West of England in particular. Caviargal your right so many wines within a domain and the prices vary considerably. We can get a really acceptable Chateaunuf for £7.99 locally but there our others costing pounds more. I will have one big challenge though I suffer from instant headaches if I drink Merlot and most wines from the region are either 100% Merlot or a mixture. Evidently it helps if you take an antihistamine may try that.

CA

[caviargal]

Canal Archive, the emphasis on Merlot is one reason we prefer the wines from the Rhone region, which are Cab Sav based and richer overall.

 

The wine served at the Sundowner event was a higher percentage of Cab Sav and less Merlot and as I recall, also 1% Malbec. I hope you are able to try it on your cruise.

 

Scenic had a lovely rose that we enjoyed very much. Others must have as well as they ran out day 5 and had to restock.:)

 

We are not Merlot drinkers and did manage to find some nice Bordeaux options aboard that were to our liking.

[pschwarz]

We just did Bordeaux cruise via Senic. If you are used to ocean cruising beware. River cruising is a totally different experience. (We usually cruise Seabourn or Silverseas). River cruise rooms are MUCH smaller! Not much area on the ship to have privacy. If river is too low or too high the boats can't go anywhere and you will end up taking bus trips.. Senic is considered to be top of the line and serves very good wines. The food options aren't comparable to ocean cruising...much more limited, but good.

Note: The excursions for this cruise include long bus trips.

I wouldn't suggest this as your first river cruise. You'd be much better off staying in Bordeaux, which is an incredibly beautiful city, and driving day trips to the surrounding towns and wine regions.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[caviargal]

We just did Bordeaux cruise via Senic. If you are used to ocean cruising beware. River cruising is a totally different experience. (We usually cruise Seabourn or Silverseas). River cruise rooms are MUCH smaller! Not much area on the ship to have privacy. If river is too low or too high the boats can't go anywhere and you will end up taking bus trips.. Senic is considered to be top of the line and serves very good wines. The food options aren't comparable to ocean cruising...much more limited, but good.

Note: The excursions for this cruise include long bus trips.

I wouldn't suggest this as your first river cruise. You'd be much better off staying in Bordeaux, which is an incredibly beautiful city, and driving day trips to the surrounding towns and wine regions.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

We must have been cruise mates.

 

Agree that my preference would be to stay in Bordeaux and use that as a base for exploration of the area.

 

We are experienced river cruisers and had no issues with the size of the cabin. Loved the Scenic Sun Lounge and our private outdoor space:)

Edited May 12, 2016 by caviargal

[Canal archive]

Thank you Caviargal for the wine info. On previous cruises the restraunt staff soon got to know about my Merlot challenge and were very good at ensuring that I didn't get caught out. We do love tasting regional wines and finding that occasional star. I to like the Rhone wines and am particularly fond of Spanish Rioja. The rosa wine sounds interesting various styles are a favourite when we are cruising with our narrow boat friends I really don't know why it just seems to have happened. CA🇬🇧

[smokinmike]

We cruised the Bordeaux area in September of 2014 - Viking's inaugural year in that region. We were impressed with the ship, the service, and the food - including the wine served aboard. We opted for the on-board beverage package and that allowed us to have pairings with each course at virtually every meal. In the early planning stages of this trip we recognized that the opportunities for tasting Premier Crus were going to be limited - as would be the chances for dining at local restaurants - and that the bus trips were going to be a little long. Nevertheless, our goal was an introduction to the Bordeaux region without having to concern ourselves with the need for accomodations and this goal was more than met. We enjoyed each optional tour we participated in and these excursions helped us broaden our knowledge of the region. Our next goal is to plan an automobile tour of the region staying in small hotels and visiting restaurants and wineries of our choosing.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Canal Archive, the emphasis on Merlot is one reason we prefer the wines from the Rhone region, which are Cab Sav based and richer overall.

 

Wanted to wait until I could check this. You are right that they don't use Merlot in the Rhone region, but they also do not use Cabernet Sauvignon. The three big red-wine grapes for Côtes du Rhône are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre; blending grapes include Cinsault, Carignane, Counoise. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is similar, and Beaujolais uses Gamay. So if someone is allergic to Merlot, wines from the Rhone area would be a safe bet.

[laverendrye]

You may have been misinformed on grape varieties in French wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is the great grape of Bordeaux and has its origins there. Merlot is of course an important grape for the region as well and dominates certain areas, but nearly all Bordeaux are blends and they vary from region to region, and the proportions vary from chateau to chateau. However, a typical Médoc or Graves will be 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot. A St-Émilion or Pomerol, on the other hand will be 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

As for Rhône wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is not an important grape here at all, although plantings are increasing. The main red varieties here are Syrah, Grenache, Carignon and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the only grape permitted in Northern Rhône while Southern Rhône wines tend to be blends with Grenache dominating. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example, is Grenache based but can contain up to 13 varieties of grapes depending on the producer.

 

Merlot is even less used in Rhône wines than Cabernet Sauvignon, if at all. However it is being heavily planted (along with Syrah) in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of south-west France, so those who may have an allergy or simply dislike the grape might be well advised to avoid these wines.

 

Sorry for being a bit pedantic, but for those who like wines it is important, I think, to know a bit about their origins.

 

 

 

Canal Archive, the emphasis on Merlot is one reason we prefer the wines from the Rhone region, which are Cab Sav based and richer overall.

 

The wine served at the Sundowner event was a higher percentage of Cab Sav and less Merlot and as I recall, also 1% Malbec. I hope you are able to try it on your cruise.

 

Scenic had a lovely rose that we enjoyed very much. Others must have as well as they ran out day 5 and had to restock.:)

 

We are not Merlot drinkers and did manage to find some nice Bordeaux options aboard that were to our liking.

[smokinmike]

You may have been misinformed on grape varieties in French wines. Cabernet Sauvignon is the great grape of Bordeaux and has its origins there. Merlot is of course an important grape for the region as well and dominates certain areas, but nearly all Bordeaux are blends and they vary from region to region, and the proportions vary from chateau to chateau. However, a typical Médoc or Graves will be 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Merlot. A St-Émilion or Pomerol, on the other hand will be 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Franc and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.

 

 

 

As for Rhône wines, Cabernet Sauvignon is not an important grape here at all, although plantings are increasing. The main red varieties here are Syrah, Grenache, Carignon and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the only grape permitted in Northern Rhône while Southern Rhône wines tend to be blends with Grenache dominating. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example, is Grenache based but can contain up to 13 varieties of grapes depending on the producer.

 

 

 

Merlot is even less used in Rhône wines than Cabernet Sauvignon, if at all. However it is being heavily planted (along with Syrah) in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of south-west France, so those who may have an allergy or simply dislike the grape might be well advised to avoid these wines.

 

 

 

Sorry for being a bit pedantic, but for those who like wines it is important, I think, to know a bit about their origins.

 

 

Good points - I didn't bother to mention the differences between the Left and Right Bank Bordeaux blends nor that the Rhone varietals are Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre.

 

. . . I like them all - paired appropriately with food.

[caviargal]

Thanks, everyone. I realized my Cab Sav error when it was too late to edit my post

 

As for the Bordeaux region, our guides explained that the blends produced here are predominantly merlot. Sounds like a oversimplication.

 

In French reds, we drink primarily Cotes du Rhone and Chateauneuf du Pape

 

Discovered Chapotier on our first Rhone trip and now order their Bila Haut and Cotes du Rhone by the case.

 

My review just posted, if anyone is interested: http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=533078&et_cid=2633025&et_rid=85324325&et_referrer=Boards_Million_Member_Newsub

Edited May 13, 2016 by caviargal

[Canal archive]

Thank you for your review Caviargal. Just one question what was the cruise director like?

Very good wine discussion going on I must admit that before we started river cruising I took little interest in which grape variety went into which wine, as we traveled the world we drunk the local wines but as we travelled a lot we really didn't have time for the finer details, now we're older we can relaxe and indulge in a bit of research and more relaxed gluging. CA🇬🇧

[caviargal]

Thank you for your review Caviargal. Just one question what was the cruise director like?

Very good wine discussion going on I must admit that before we started river cruising I took little interest in which grape variety went into which wine, as we traveled the world we drunk the local wines but as we travelled a lot we really didn't have time for the finer details, now we're older we can relaxe and indulge in a bit of research and more relaxed gluging. CA🇬🇧

 

CD was Anita and she was leaving the ship for another when we were disembarking. She is a long time Scenic person and was very capable and accessible.

[smokinmike]

I would like to mention our excursion to Cadillac where we had a wonderful tour and tasting at a Chateau that produces Sauternes. Wonderful day with a great exposure to the production of this marvelous dessert wine.

[KarlS]

We just received some great deals for 2016 on Uniworld. If the price is right we might book. We are past Uniworld cruisers and have sailed on this particular ship the Royale. Very nice! Not familiar with this itinerary .. need some information and reviews on this region.. Thanks..:)

Hi,

 

We just returned from this itinerary on River Royale this past Sunday. My review is posted at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=533165&et_cid=2633025&et_rid=176922765&et_referrer=Boards_WAR_CC

 

If you have specific questions you can send an email (link in my signature, below), and maybe I can help. I've also scanned in our daily programs, and I can share those offline if you like, too. Cheers!

 

...Karl

Edited May 14, 2016 by KarlS