From Château to Château - Wine Tour through Bordeaux
"No perfume, ladies!" My friend Erika blushes slightly in her Shalimar cloud. 10 am. Classes at the Bordeaux wine school begin with a reference. Michael Paetzold, our teacher, is already waiting in the classroom, which looks like a dental laboratory with the glaring table lamps and chrome steel sinks rather than a cozy tasting room.
But before the glasses lined up in front of us are filled, we still have much to learn. For example, that the vineyards in the Gironde department spread to about a thousand square kilometers. That red wine is mainly obtained from the Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon grape varieties and the whites receive their sweetness from the noble rot. We hear something about the art of blending grape varieties (whoever says mixing gets less to drink!) And sniffing through countless flavors. And we now know that cigarettes and perfume (even aftershave!) Reduce the pleasure of tasting.
12 noon. Our stomachs growl. "Just the right time for a wine tasting," says Michael Paetzold. The Graves wine smells of mirabelle. Or more of vanilla? And it tastes very fruity. Spit. The second wine, a sauternes, shimmers golden, smells of almonds and figs and glides over the tongue in an oily and sweet way. How the eyes of our teacher twinkle, when he goes on an expedition with us! To decrypt the secrets of the wine is a daily challenge for him. No unpleasant, he admits smirking.
We gondola through the Médoc, on the route of the Châteaux. The Gironde accompanies us, wide and sluggish. Behind every turn we jump out of the car, stand in front of tall lattice gates and marvel at the magnificent castles with columns and staircases. However, you can not even ring the doorbell and buy a pack of wine at such famous wineries as Margaux, Mouton Rothschild and Palmer. If you want to visit the cathedral-like basement or take part in a wine tasting, you must register in advance, preferably weeks in advance.
"However, many castles are just showrooms, the owners are no longer living there and some of the big wineries have even been bought by companies," says Maryse Meyre of Château Cap Léon Veyrin. Unlisted guests are also welcome at Listrac's family business. We sit in the living room, in front of us three splendid Médoc wines, and examine the ruby red color, sniff blackberries, walnuts and damp soil. And this edgy taste of the Sauvignon grape on the second sip! Of course, the wine course shows first successes.
We keep where we like it. Light candles in Romanesque churches, stroll through markets and buy fresh baguette, tomatoes and cheese for a picnic somewhere in the vineyards. And in the evening there is always another castle waiting for us, where most nights do not cost the world.
For a hundred years, the Château de la Grave was empty near Bourg. Philippe and Valerie Bassereau have awakened the property with turrets and bay windows from his slumber. Now her three children and a dog are romping through the old walls. Guests climb over creaky steps, over dolls and blocks, before reaching their first-floor room. From the window a view of vineyards, gently rolling, on chestnut trees and farms. Deer paw in the gate next to the small pool. Philippe Bassereau is one of the 500 winemakers in the Côtes de Bourg. They call themselves "les enfants terribles de la famille Bordeaux", and as "black sheep" they want to shake up the fine relationship from the left bank of the Gironde.
St. Emilion
St. Emilion, as famous and overrun as Rotenburg ob der Tauber, welcomes us with organ music. The collegiate church has opened its doors wide, and brook cantatas are blowing out. Souvenir shops with wine shops and restaurants with bakeries alternate in the cobblestone streets. We dive into a quieter world, visit the cave church, which was carved in the Middle Ages from the limestone. Climb up to the bell tower and look over the nested roofs of St. Emilion, looking down into enchanted gardens and on the Plâce du Marché with its street cafes. A stone wall clasps the Mecca of wine lovers so tightly, as if it threatens to fall from its base or burst otherwise.
What we do not see are the four-acre underground galleries; With 95 percent humidity and constant 13 degrees Celcius they are an ideal wine storage. Alone under the former Franciscan monastery are resting a million Crémont bottles. In the courtyard of the ruin dangle corks on an acacia tree. They bring luck, they say. We are already happy. And relaxed. Erika has turned off the phone.And I write to my loved one almost every day postcards on which the most beautiful castles shine.
Vinotherapy in Martillac
For hours we could have walked on through the Entre-Deux-Mers, through this farmland with its tobacco fields and vines, dense deciduous forests and hamlets, where children roll across the street and flutter laundry in the front yard. And we certainly did not want to get up in the evening from the kitchen table in the charming Domaine de la Charmaie. For days we could have bathed in oak barrels on the beauty farm Caudalie. To the neck of the must bubbled, greedily absorbed the skin. Quick hands kneaded grapeseed oil into our problem areas, while a lukewarm drizzle trickled down on the body. "Vinotherapy" is the name of the promising magic formula against wrinkles, wrinkles and other horrors, here in Martillac, 15 minutes by car from Bordeaux.
And we would have preferred to move straight to Château Faugères. We can not decide immediately. All rooms are gorgeous. I finally take the yellow suite with the antique Chinese porcelain collection in the marble bathroom. First a refreshment in the pool? Or would you rather try the rosé on the terrace? Erika chooses the little black dress and the family necklace for the evening menu. We chatter about the fact that many St. Emilion wines, because of their soft elegance, are somewhat derogatory, also known as "vin de femmes", women's wine. Madame does not lose her composure. "Women have a great taste," she says, smiling. But all good wines have one thing in common: they just age to get better and better. What a nice thought!
Weinstadt Bordeaux: The travel tips
Telephone: Area code of France 0033.
Shelter: Hotel de Normandie, three-star palace in the city center. The upper rooms have a beautiful view of the Garonne (7/9, cours du XXX Juillet, F-33000 Bordeaux, Tel. (0) 556 52 16 80, Fax (0) 556 51 68 91).
Hotel de Sèze, mid-18th century house. (23, allées de Tourny, F-33000 Bordeaux, Tel. (0) 556 52 65 54, Fax (0) 556 48 98 00).
Going out: La Tupíña, original tavern with hearth fire and hearty food such as mutton leg and duck stew, (6, rue Porte de la Monnaie, tel. (0) 556 91 56 37).
Chez Mémère, traditional Bordeaux cuisine such as mushroom omelette and entrecôte in the Quartier St. Pierre. (11, rue de la Devise, Tel. (0) 556 81 88 20).
Chez Philippe, the finest sea animals such as lobster and scallops (1, place du Parlement, tel. (0) 556 81 83 15).
Brasserie le Noailles, black and white dressed upper, mirrored walls and small table. Try baked snails! (12, allées de Tourny, Tel. (0) 556 819 45).
Chez Alriq, self-service garden bar. Wonderful view of the splendid façades of Bordeaux (quai des Queyries).
Capucins, rustic eatery on the wholesale market. Specialty: seafood, stews. (22 place des Capucins, Tel. (0) 557 59 10 00).
Bodega Bodega, In-Treff for Tapa Fans (4, rue des Piliers-de-Tutelle). The Frog & Rosbif, nice pub, fresh beer and delicious nuts (23, rue Ausone).
Shopping: The best boutiques, designer shops and interior decorators can be found in the Triangle d'Or, the golden shopping triangle cours Georges Clémenceau / cours de l'Intendance / allées de Tourny.
Jean D'Alos, sensational cheese shop with up to 200 varieties (4, rue Montesquieu).
Cadiot-Badie, finest chocolate, also finely packed (26, allées de Tourny).
Cannelé, beautiful patisserie. Be sure to try the pudding tartlets (Marché Grands Hommes).
Créations Jean-Vier, Natural Products from the Basque Country (40, cours Clemenceau).
Wines in all price ranges at La Vinothèque (8, cours du XXX Juillet), at Badie (62, allées de Tourny) and Magnum (3, rue Gobineau).
Museums: Musée d'Art Contemporain, contemporary art in an old spice warehouse on the Garonne. Already the building is worth seeing! (rue Foy).
Musée des Beaux Arts, old collection of paintings (20, cours d'Albret).
Musée des Chartrons, exhibition on winemaking, labels, bottles (41, rue Borie).
Info: Office du Tourisme, 21, cours XXX Juillet, Tel. (0) 556 00 66 00, Fax (0) 556 00 66 01; www.bordeaux-tourisme.com.
On the way in the Bordelais: the wine tour
Château calls itself here everything, from the small country house to the pompous castle, even the water towers. Some tips on where to stay - with and without a wine tasting.
Château Cap Leon Veyrin, five simple guest rooms with family access in Médoc. Daily tasting and visit of the cellar. (F-33480Listrac-Médoc, Tel. (0) 556580728, Fax (0) 556 58 07 50).
Château Cordeillan-Bages, upscale country house hotel near the famous Latour, Rothschild, Lynch-Bages wineries. (F-33250 Pauillac, Tel. (0) 556 59 24 24, Fax (0) 556 59 01 89).
Château de la Grave, Sleeping Beauty Castle in Côte de Bourg with three guest rooms and a small pool. Ideal for families. Wine tasting possible. (F-33710 Bourg-sur-Gironde, Tel. (0) 557 68 41 49, Fax (0) 557 68 49 26).
Château Grand Barrail, castle hotel with turrets, swimming pool and beautiful terrace for dining. (F-33330 Saint-Émilion, Route de Libourne, Tel. (0) 557 55 37 00, Fax (0) 557 55 37 49). La Citadelle, mid-range hotel on the old citadel in Blaye with stunning views of the Gironde. (Place d'Armes, F-33390 Blaye, Tel. (0) 557 42 17 10, Fax (0) 557 42 10 34). Château Faugères, finest guest house with five guest rooms. Tasting and visit of the cellar and the vineyards highly recommended. Especially for wine connoisseurs. (Saint-Étienne-de Lisse, F-33330 Saint-Émilion, Tel. (0) 557 40 34 99, Fax (0) 557 40 36 14) Les Sources de Caudalie, a fine-looking beauty farm in the heart of the vineyards.
Notable Châteaux visited on the tour
Château Larose Trintaudon near Bordeaux. Register for wine tasting (F-33112 Saint Laurent du Médoc, Tel. (0) 556 59 41 72, Fax (0) 556 59 93 22).
Château Crusquet Sabourin, family-owned for centuries, with reasonably priced wines (Le Bourg, F-33390 Cars, Tel. (0) 557 42 15 27, Fax (0) 557 42 05 47).
Château Malromé from the 14th century. The painter Toulouse-Lautrec spent many summers in his mother's castle and died here in 1901. Very worth seeing. Wine tasting! (F-33490 Saint-André du Bois, Tel. (0) 556 76 44 92, Fax (0) 556 76 46 18).
