Bordeaux
is one of the wine world's most famous, well-established names,so well
known, in fact, that it can be easy to overlook the fact that the last
few years have seen a new sense of dynamism come over the Bordelais, affecting
not only the wines but the region itself, and the welcome it offers to
visitors.
A classic glass of Bordeaux comes from a blend of grapes, but the often-complicated labels, with their appellation and classification names and no mention of the grapes within the bottle, hide the fact that Bordeaux contains some familiar names: Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon for the reds, and Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon for the whites. There are other grapes as well, such as Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Muscadelle, adding spice and complexity, with all the blends ensuring a perfect balance in the wines.
Fifty-seven appellations in total sounds confusing, but Bordeaux can be pared down to six main styles and areas: the Medoc on the Left Bank, with its long-living Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines; Saint Emilion and Pomerol on the Right Bank, with their seductive Merlot-based fruit; Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur for the easy-to-drink, great-value favourites; Entre-Deux-Mers and Graves for the crisp Sauvignon Blanc whites; the Côtes de Bordeaux for the more rustic, expressive reds; and Sauternes for the highly prized sweet dessert wines.
Bordeaux wines have always been made to go with food. The maritime climate and long growing season allow for delicacy and freshness to develop in both the white and red wines and keep monstrous alcohol levels at bay, making for supremely food-friendly bottles. The rich reds of the Medoc have long been paired with entrecote, often from the local Bazas beef or other local delicacies such as Pauillac lamb, while the crisp whites of Entre-Deux-Mers are perfect with oysters. The gourmet whites of Pessac Leognan in northern Graves, with their mix of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are perfect with more sumptuous fish and light meats, while the increasingly popular rosés work well with barbeques, picnics and Asian foods from Thai stir-fry to Chinese dim sum.
With a long weekend in Bordeaux, start with an Ecole du Vin (www.ecole.vins-bordeaux.fr)
morning introduction to Bordeaux and its wines. Then take the UNESCO
World Heritage Site tour, viewing many of the 350 listed buildings (Bordeaux
ranks second only to Paris in the whole of France in this respect).
Tours are organised through the tourist office (www.bordeaux-tourisme.com).
Or do a walking tour of the city's markets or of the many gourmet stops,
from cheese to chocolate shops. A great area to discover on foot is
Saint Pierre, with its many boutiques, bars and cobbled pedestrianised
streets. In summer, much of the activity is centred around Place du
Parlement and Place Camille Julian, where you can watch English-language
arthouse films at the Utopia Cinema, eat French, Japanese, Italian or
Thai, or just hang out in coffee shops for hours, people watching and
examining your purchases.
With a bit longer to spend, you can really concentrate on getting to
know Bordeaux. Don’t miss the newly renovated quais, there are
now trams that make it easy to explore from one end to the other. Some
of the key stops are the CAPC museum of modern art at 7 Rue Ferrere
(Sunday brunch in their fantastic restaurant is one of the city's best-kept
secrets); the Quai des Chartrons with its cafés looking over
the river; the Bassins à Flot for the excellent art space of
the former German submarine pens, the Base Sous-Marine (Boulevard Alfred
Daney); and the Miroir d'Eau, just in front of the majestic Place de
la Bourse, and today Bordeaux's best open-air playground. On the Right
Bank of the Garonne, the newly opened botanical gardens have a pared-down
design aesthetic and open up on to the river bank, which gives wonderful
views back over the sweeping 18th century skyline of the main city.
Make sure you get out of the city, over to Arcachon or Mimizan to do
some serious surfing or to Cap Ferret for boats, the lighthouse and
the oh-so-chic oyster restaurants and designer boutiques. Or head east
to Saint Emilion to explore underground monuments and cavernous cellars,
or to Entre-Deux-Mers for cycling, walking and exploring the pretty
bastide towns. In Bordeaux itself, take the time to try a cookery course
at the newly opened Atelier des Chefs (www.atelierdeschefs.com),
and visit some of the wine merchants who have opened their doors to
the public. (The cellars and boutique at Millesima on Quai de Bacalan
(www.millesima.com),
for example, are incredible.) And don't miss the wine spa at Sources
de Caudalie (www.sources-caudalie.com)
out in Pessac Leognan.
- The Miroir d'Eau, opposite Place de la Bourse
- The UNESCO World Heritage Site Tour
- Place des Quinconces, the longest pedestrianised shopping street in Europe
- The shops of Chartrons – particularly the Patisserie Antoine
- The D10 from Bordeaux down to Cadillac; a winding road with vineyards sloping away on either side
- La Winery in Arsac (www.lawinery.com)
- The village of Bages, near Pauillac
- The cobbled streets of Saint Emilion
- Dinner at La Tupina for real bistro cooking, (www.latupina.com), or Le Chapon Fin for Michelin-starred food (www.chapon-fin.com), or L’Oiseau Bleu for romance (www.loiseaubleu.fr)
- The wine bar at the Ecole du Vin
- The Jardin Public in the centre of town, with its new L'Orangerie
restaurant
- The Blaye citadel, built by Vauban.
- The D2 Route des Chateaux, passing through Margaux, Saint Julien, Saint Estephe and Pauillac
- The monolithic church in Saint Emilion
- Canales from Bordeaux and macaroons from Saint Emilion
- Sunday brunch at the CAPC Museum of Modern Art
- The Grand Theatre, where opera is staged throughout the year in a beautiful 18th century interior
- The beaches of the Arcachon Basin, Cap Ferret and Europe's highest
sand dune, the Dune de Pyla
- The antique markets and boutiques of Chartrons, Saint Michel and Rue Bouffard
- The wine—learning about it, visiting it, and drinking it.
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