Out of the Cellar...

When is the best time to visit Bordeaux?

What goes on in the vineyards during the year?

Springtime
March and April is when wine writers and buyers flock to Bordeaux to be the first to taste the "new" wine from the latest harvest. The young wines are wrenched from the cask as we try to hazard a guess at how they'll evolve in another two years when they finally reach the market.

It's pretty hectic sometimes, but terribly exciting to taste these unborn wines before the rest fo the world - especially if you are interested in buying futures yourself. If you're not used to tasting from barrel, don't be intimidated. Peter will help you to understand the things to look for, as well as giving you a realistic appreciation of the value of tasting premature wines.

Early Summer
In late May and June things calm down as spring wears on into summer. The weather is usually warm and sunny, the days are long the tourist crowds have not yet arrived.

This is an excellent time of year to visit the vineyards. The vines are budding, and growers have plenty of time to talk. We arrange our June tour to include the celebration of the Flowering of the Vines in St. Emilion, one of the most important fêtes of the year. We are also invited to join the winemakers for their private luncheon banquet during the flowering festival.

Early Fall
Harvest and Vinification - how hectic is it?
Yes, of course September and early October is a very busy time. It's also the time that most people want to visit. The excitment of the picking, the smell of fermenting grapes and the constant nervous look-out for rain make this a thrillilng time to visit. No-one can predict the quality of the Vintage in France until it's over, as rain can come at any time and wreak havoc in the vineyards.

We have the opportunity to talk to the winemakers as they are deep into this crucial period, with a first-hand view of the methods they use and the precautions they take to ensure the very best possible results.

Due to the high demand, we recommend very early booking for our Harvest tours, especially the mid-September tour which includes our exclusive invitation to the Fete des Vendanges, another spectacular event which includes a private Winemakers' Banquet with the Jurade of St. Emilion.

Late Fall
For me, the late harvest and vinification period is the most interesting season. This is a great opportunity for the person seriously interested in the making of wine, with barrel tastings during fermentation and discussions with winemakers of real-time problems of the harvest and winemaking. In late October and November they are normally still picking in Sauternes, so you get the best of both worlds. This is a great time to get honest opinions of the way the year went. It's a little quieter than the height of the Harvest, so you are likely to get into more detail with winemakers with time to talk.

If you like truffles and mushrooms, extend your stay to visit the Dordogne in the height of the hunting season.