Bordeaux

[CaroleLee]

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/23/travel/what-to-do-in-bordeaux-france.html?em_pos=medium&ref=headline&nl_art=2&te=1&nl=travel-dispatch&emc=edit_tl_20190525

Hope this link works . From Sun NY Times 5-26-19

Anyone out there on the AMA Bordeaux cruise in the future or past. If past would appreciate your insights & suggestions- leaving in a few weeks

Carole

[vistaman]

it is a good article

i was many times in Bordeaux however Always on sea going cruise ships

take in consideration on sundays and even on monday mornings a lot of shops are closed and on sundays especiamly for lunch  the restaurants usually are overcrowded

good Bordeaux wine is expensive  ( and i am not speaking of the "big " names" now )

[djh1959]

Thanks for a great link.  We are hoping to visit Bordeaux on our next trip (not a river cruise), so this was really helpful.

[need2travel1]

Thank you so much for the link to this article!  We are hoping to do this cruise w/ Uniworld for our 25th wedding anniversary next year.

[kent9xxx1]

You must visit one of the Baillardran to try the Bordeaux cake, the canele.  It was divine.  

La cite du vin has a lot of wine by the glass for you to try at a low price.  

 

If you have time pre or post cruise, rent a car, and drive to a few Bordeaux chateaus for wine tasting.  The ones where the cruise takes you will not be nearly as good.  

 

Le Saint Julien is a good place for lunch if you are around that area.  

[pontac]

On 5/29/2019 at 7:36 AM, vistaman said:

good Bordeaux wine is expensive  ( and i am not speaking of the "big " names" now ) 

 

Given that both 'good' and 'expensive' are subjective, and that local taxes can make a big difference to the retail price, I beg to differ as I think there is a lot of good QPR Bordeaux wines.

 

There's some 2,000 chateaux in Bordeaux making wine from their own grapes, plus many brands. Outside the score or more of the top named wines now sadly bought for investment there are hundreds and hundreds of wines at reasonable prices.

 

Viking visit Ch Kirwan, a Third Growth Margaux. Last year their 2015 vintage was €49 (including VAT at 20%). Those used to Napa Valley prices will find that a bargain.

 

If one is in Bordeaux on Sunday the farmers market on the riverside where the cruise boats moor have several stands by small wineries where good wine is to be had at <€10 and one can taste it first.

[kent9xxx1]

Ch Kirwan is a good example why you don't want to just go to wineries with cruises.  I buy/drink it from time to time from Costco whenever they sell for under $50.  It is a good wine, but it's not special enough.  It's like going to Napa and visit Beaulieu.  When you make it all the way to Bordeaux, why go to a mid tier winery especially when it's so cheap to taste at much higher end wineries.  Montrose, Cos, Pichon Baron, Leoville Poyferre, etc... tasting fee is 15 Euro.  

 

The Bordeaux 1855 classification is almost meaningless today.  For example, there is a vast difference between Palmer and Kirwan, and both are Third Growth Margaux.

 

 

[pontac]

14 hours ago, kent9xxx1 said:

 

The Bordeaux 1855 classification is almost meaningless today.  

 

🙂

 

This is a subject debated endlessly on the wine forums, and I think a discussion here is not appropriate for this forum (and only of interest to geeks like us)

 

I've not been to Beaulieu since the late 70s so I don't know it,, but as it has been compared with Kirwan I looked at the Beaulieu website. They are punting their BV 2015 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. On WineSearcher the cheapest California retailer listed sells that for $110 ex sales tax.

 

 

 

[kent9xxx1]

3 hours ago, pontac said:

 

🙂

 

This is a subject debated endlessly on the wine forums, and I think a discussion here is not appropriate for this forum (and only of interest to geeks like us)

 

I've not been to Beaulieu since the late 70s so I don't know it,, but as it has been compared with Kirwan I looked at the Beaulieu website. They are punting their BV 2015 Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. On WineSearcher the cheapest California retailer listed sells that for $110 ex sales tax.

 

 

Ch Kirwan is equivalent to tapestry reserve in price and in rating among critics and wine enthusiasts.  

The other one is much higher quality IMO.

I guess for people who aren´t wine geeks, it doesn´t matter where you go in Bordeaux.  Most places are nice and fun, and the wines are good.  For people who wants a more in depth experience, I think a few days before/after the cruise would make a huge difference.  It sounds pompous, but I want to taste the difference between Margaux and St Estephe.  

[philw1776]

Exactly. Not a wine geek.  Thoroughly enjoyed the Kirwan winery , wine & tour.

[pontac]

19 hours ago, kent9xxx1 said:

It sounds pompous, but I want to taste the difference between Margaux and St Estephe.  

 

Your profile doesn't show where you are, but I am assuming somewhere in the USA...

Are you a member of the American Wine Society? The annual national conference may well give that opportunity. The 2015 had a fascinating session comparing Cru Bourgeois  from 4 different appellations and two vintages.

 

(I apologise to the other readers of this thread for this off-topic diversion, but we're not allowed to use the boards Private Message function)

[kent9xxx1]

On 6/2/2019 at 4:06 AM, pontac said:

 

Your profile doesn't show where you are, but I am assuming somewhere in the USA...

Are you a member of the American Wine Society? The annual national conference may well give that opportunity. The 2015 had a fascinating session comparing Cru Bourgeois  from 4 different appellations and two vintages.

 

(I apologise to the other readers of this thread for this off-topic diversion, but we're not allowed to use the boards Private Message function)

 

I'm not a member of the American Wine Society.  I have easy access to all kind of wines, so I drink a lot.  🙂  

I use Coravin to pull wines from different bottles to taste at home all the time.  It's a fun way to compare and contrast terroir/vintage in Bordeaux or in Napa.