We understand Bordeaux. And so will you.
With almost two decades of year-round experience in Bordeaux, DMjWineworks offers a level of expertise few others can match. More than just a tour guide, our deep knowledge of the region will make your visit a pleasure, before you even arrive. The information below is just a sampling of how our experience can help you plan your trip; imagine how much more we can add to your Bordeaux experience once you get here…
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why don't you present a sample itinerary of châteaux visits?
- When is the best time to visit Bordeaux?
- Is there any time when we should not plan on coming?
- Can we visit châteaux in the Médoc and Saint-Emilion on the same day?
- Should we stay in a hotel in the vineyard regions or in Bordeaux city itself?
- How many visits should we plan on each day?
- Is there a dress code for château visits?
- Do we have to buy any wine at the end of a visit?
- But what if we want to buy wine to bring home? Is this possible and what is the best way to do it?
Why don't you present a sample itinerary of châteaux visits?
Although a sample itinerary may provide a representative idea what DMjWineworks can arrange, on occasion people will assume that we offer only this program of only these châteaux. This can result in dissatisfaction at the idea of being confined to the choices presented in the sample itinerary, or disappointment when a schedule of visits does not match the sample—despite the fact that we state that our programs are individually tailored to each client's interests. Perhaps the best way to present a sample itinerary is to look at this client's report of his custom-created program. Another client's experience with DMjWineworks may be found here.
When is the best time to visit Bordeaux?
Understandably, people coming to visit the châteaux tend to plan their trips for the summer months, or around harvest time. However, if the summer is a beautiful season here it is also the busiest, with visitors from all over the world drawn not only by the prospect of seeing the world-famous châteaux, but also attracted by the beaches along the Atlantic coast nearby. The medieval town of Saint-Emilion gets particularly busy, but if you can deal with crowds this should not be a problem. Harvest time can be a particularly tricky time for visits, since many châteaux which ordinarily are open to guests will close their doors, being too busy bringing in the grapes and making the wine to properly welcome visitors. We've always been partial to showing people Bordeaux in April and May since the weather is becoming warmer, the vines are coming out of their winter dormancy, the season is calm enough to enjoy a leisurely visit, and the recent vintage aborning since the previous fall is newly ready for tasting.
Is there any time when we should not plan on visits?
Yes. Sundays are the worst time to expect to visit any châteaux, since they are practically all closed that day. It can be a welcome opportunity for a trip to the Atlantic coast to enjoy some of the local oysters, but forget about seeing the inside of any cellars or vat rooms.
Can we visit châteaux in the Médoc and Saint-Emilion on the same day?
In theory, anything is possible. However, since these two regions are at least 65 kilometers (40 miles) apart, you can figure on spending around 90 minutes travel between visits, time which might be better spent in seeing an extra château or spending a bit more time over a leisurely lunch. The same goes for trying to mix visits in the Graves or Sauternes regions with the Médoc or Saint-Emilion; all of these vineyards are too far apart to make mixing regions on the same day practical.
Should we stay in a hotel in the vineyard regions or in Bordeaux city itself?
The answer to this touches on points made in the previous answer, and depends on the itinerary you envision. If you plan on spending your entire time in only one of Bordeaux's vineyard regions (Médoc, Saint-Emilion, Graves⁄Sauternes), then looking for a hotel among the vines could make sense: you will be closer to your first visit of the day and can thus sleep a bit later since you will be spared having to deal with the traffic difficulties involved in getting out of Bordeaux city during morning rush hour. Similarly, returning to your hotel in the late afternoon will be easier for the same traffic-related reasons. However, if you plan to visit, say, several Médoc châteaux on one day and then properties in Saint-Emilion on the next, the central location of Bordeaux city makes a hotel in town the most reasonable choice. Also, keep in mind that night life outside of Bordeaux is basically nil, so although you needn't fear starving at night since good restaurants are to be found in each vineyard region, don't expect to do any window shopping or strolling about after dinner to help digest your evening meal; for this you would want to book a room in Bordeaux city.
How many visits should we plan on each day?
Since most château tours are around one hour in length, what tends to work best is to schedule a first visit for late morning, around 10:30 or 11:00; this will allow you to sleep in and enjoy a reasonably late start to the day. Figure on a two-hour lunch beginning around noon, which leaves time for two visits in the afternoon. It is always possible to squeeze in two visits in the morning, but unless everyone in your group is a hardcore wine buff this may be too much. Remember, your time in Bordeaux should be a pleasure, not a forced march.
Is there a dress code for château visits?
Keep in mind that unless you are a professional coming to negotiate the purchase of a container load of wine, your visit is for pleasure, not business. Accordingly, dress comfortably in casual attire. Jeans and sneakers are perfectly acceptable, but if you are tempted to go further don't forget that you are going to a château, not the beach. Besides, those barrel cellars are chilly; think of bringing a sweater along if you tend to take cold easily.
Do we have to buy any wine at the end of a visit?
In general, the larger châteaux are staffed with guides to show visitors around; they are on salary, so no purchase is necessary. Indeed, many properties do not offer wine for sale (the public relations value of your visit is recompense for them); of course, if wine is available for sale and you really would like to purchase a bottle or two, by all means go ahead. However, at a smaller property where the winemaker or owner conducts the visit, it is considered polite to purchase a bottle if wine is offered for sale as compensation for the time taken away from making the wine, which is, after all, their primary occupation.
But what if we want to buy wine to bring home? Is this possible and what is the best way to do it?
It is usually possible to find the wines from most major châteaux when you return home. Getting such a wine back safely is generally more trouble than it's worth, unless you really want to have a story to tell your friends when you open the bottle for them at dinner. Generally, there are only two times when it makes sense to buy wine in Bordeaux to carry away: if the wine in question is an older vintage not readily available back home, or if the bottle is a large-format size (magnum, double magnum, imperial, etc.) that is impossible to find outside of Bordeaux. Even then, be prepared for trouble if you live in the United States and plan on having the wine shipped home: most wine shops cannot deliver to the US because they do not have the necessary import license required to get your purchase into the country. There are some exceptions, however; a couple of shops in Bordeaux city and the Médoc have the necessary license, but most of the retailers able to ship wine to the US are located in Saint-Emilion.
Of course, should you have any questions not covered here, please contact us.