Wine tasting in the Medoc

[Casemaker]

I decided to start a new thread tailored to wine tasting in the Medoc for the Monte Carlo to Dover cruise in a couple of weeks on the Voyager which plans to stop in Le Verdon, which is on the coast well west of Bordeaux. Wonder what experiences others have had trying to arrange to wine taste from there in the Medoc. I understand that many chateaus require appointments and that a tasting may be limited to one wine. Also, might transportation from Le Verdon be hard to come other than a prearranged Regent excursion? Wondering about a train to Paulliac and renting a car from there or? Maybe an excursion is the best bet?

[Iamboatman]

There are a number of private tours which are available, but they vary greatly both in focus and cost. You may want to refine which vineyard(s) you are interested in seeing and if you focus is on wine tastings or "just being there" and having a gourmet lunch with atmosphere.

 

One thing is for certain, by the very nature of it being an agricultural area, public transportation is not a good option.

 

As for the Regent tours, without going into the details (which I will if you request) it was one of the worst and most disappointing ship tours I had ever been on. We did not visit where we were supposed to and it went downhill from there. This was a "exclusive" tour a couple of years ago and I do not know if Regent uses the same ground operator.

[Casemaker]

Thanks Eric. Tips on potential private tours would be most welcome. A couple of wineries and lunch sound perfect. I did receive one private tour response for 550 Euros for a day of three wineries in a 4X4. I don't need such pampering. Our palates are pretty good, but we wish to avoid first growths completely preferring to spend time learning.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

The fellow we used in Bordeaux might cover the Medoc as well. But Freddie or ChatKat would have to give you his name, I think Fred made the arrangement. His name was Alain, that's all I remember.

[Iamboatman]

I would keep away from the 4x4 stuff as you would be paying for an uncomfortable, windblown, ride in a pretty classy part of the world.

 

As for making recommendations, I really have a policy of not giving specific recommendations on message boards as they could be seen as endorsements or worse.

 

If you search out various vineyards you may find that they offer tastings and a lunch or combine a tasting with a nearby bistro. Then all you need is an experienced driver with a comfortable car.

[Casemaker]

I have looked at a number of winery websites, but they are less than informative about visits and tastings. http://www.dmoz.org/Recreation/Food/Drink/Wine/France/Bordeaux/M%C3%A9doc/

Their flash-based sites seem to prefer form over substance.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I found an email from 2006. Here it is: dionysosbordeaux@free.fr . Worth a shot--perhaps they can give you leads if they can't offer you something themselves.

[Bfson]

The BEST way to get a VIP visit/tasting is have your local wine merchant contact the importer and set up a visit. We have done that several times and had memorable visits.