Follow the wine route of the Bordeaux wines

wineglass in a vineyard during a dramatic sunset with colorful clouds and beautiful colorful grape vines.

Once called “La Belle Endormmie” (Sleeping Beauty) because of black covered walls and helter skelter city planning, the name now hardly applies to the modernised and vibrant city of Bordeaux.

Since the 1990s Bordeaux has gone through intense urban redevelopment and now has some of the most graceful streets in France. The town is rejuvenated with new cafes, gardens and museums constantly opening up. Though the city is transformed, it has a charm that feels both old and new. City dwellers who visit have plenty of entertainment options while still getting a break from the hectic urban lifestyle.

Bordeaux Place de la Bourse – The “Place de la Bourse” in Bordeaux was designed by the royal architect Jacques Ange Gabriel in 1775

Built along the Garonne River in Southwestern France, Bordeaux is a flat city, making it an excellent destination for bicycle riders. With over 580 kilometres of cycling paths, visitors can experience a dynamic ride along the river, through charming villages, around the historical city centre, and through the beautiful vineyards that are at the heart of Bordeaux.

Village Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux region

Bordeaux is also the world’s major wine industry capital and you can’t miss out on touring the vineyards and tasting the local wines. Bordeaux has a long history of winemaking dating back to the Romans, who were the first to plant vineyards and produce Bordeaux wine. They were lucky that Bordeaux made a great place to produce grapes with its perfect soil and marine climate. Most importantly, Bordeaux’s location as a port city next to the Gironde River made it easy for them to transport their wines.

View on Bordeaux in the evening - France

2015 Bordeaux Vintage Wines

The wine industry is flourishing today in Bordeaux, and everything suggests that 2015 will be a great year for Europe’s wine, maybe even one of the best. Since 1990, the Bordelaise have enjoyed a great vintage every five years. Last year produced a wonderful Bordeaux vintage with a stunning fragrance and fruit flavours. And with another year in the barrel, the wines should only get better.

wineglass in a vineyard during a dramatic sunset with colorful clouds and beautiful colorful grape vines.

This vintage was so successful partly due to the ideal weather conditions. The spring flowering was perfect, and the summer sun was hot and dry. August had above average rainfall, then the cool September weather allowed the grapes to ripen evenly.

Each bank offers something unique. Across the right and left bank, the red wines are all generally impressive with Merlot particularly standing out. Many Chateaux picked intermittently over a three-week period to get the freshest and fleshiest grapes. Observers are saying 2016 is going to be a right bank year.

The left bank is extremely selective. Chateau Margaux and Chateau Cos d’Estournel chose to defend their first wines with only 35% and 39% (respectively) of the harvest going into the Grand Vin.

The southern bank is making some nice chocolaty styles with Chateau Haut Brion and Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion.

The rolling countryside of a vineyard in bordeaux.

With wine this good, no trip to Bordeaux is complete without a visit to the local vineyards to try some of the most interesting and unique wines in the region.

The 2015 Bordeaux vintage will be delivered in 2018. Because of the high demand, Langtons are giving people the opportunity to secure the vintage wines before they are officially released into the market in 2018. So don’t miss your opportunity to experience the best of Bordeaux.

Click here for more information on Langtons wines and the exquisite Bordeaux 2015 vintage.

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