Bordeaux is one of the key wine capitals of the world and hosts many events each year in its beautiful city and in its wine regions around it.
If you are coming to Bordeaux to tour the Wine Regions (hopefully with me for a SIP Wine Tour) make sure you have plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere down here. Coincide your trip to Bordeaux with of these events to add colour to your stay.
There are 65 different wine appellations organised by different syndicates. The grouping of all of this information what is happening in each region is difficult. The Tourist Information in Bordeaux is one source and the CIVB (the Bordeaux Wine Council is another) when you are here.
For planning in advance, the Tourist information has a site in French of all of the events in the city and around
http://www.bordeaux.fr/p59665/agenda-culture-et-loisirs
Also a more personal collection in French: http://www.lespavesbordelais.fr
and http://33.agendaculturel.fr
Each appellation has its own Portes Ouvertes/Open Cellar Door (where a number of lesser known smaller producers open their doors without appointments) during a weekend during the year. They happen at approximately the same time each year. Here is a list of the main ones (see more info below); Open Doors in April; Médoc, Haut Médoc, Blaye May; St Emilion, Côtes de Bourg June; Union de Grand Cru Tasting weekend, October; Fronsac, November; Sauternes, Barsac, Pomerol, Margaux December; Pessac Léognan
Professional Futures tasting of the baby vintage is always held in the first week of April (though this timing may change from 2021). There are a number of grouped tastings (open to professionals only) organised by the Union Grand Cru (only on the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of the week group tastings in the key different regions). In addition there are about 50 other tastings organised during the week and the Sunday and Monday before and the Friday afterwards. Also there are more and more tastings in the individual châteaux. See http://ugcb.net/en/primeurs http://www.agence-fleurie.com/The first week of April is probably the time to avoid if you are not professional and you want to see the famous château as they are mostly closed to the public as they are concentrating on selling their baby wine in the barrel on the futures market and organising tastings for their buyers from around the world and for press.
Luckily there are a growing number of sites on What’s on in Bordeaux in English created by international residents of Bordeaux who have done all the hard work for you and are a wonderful source of the best of what is happening throughout the year in terms of culture, food and wine! Ira at Lost in Bordeaux and Anne at Aquitaine Travel Guide.
KEY WINE EVENTS OF THE YEAR
These are approx dates each year so check this year’s actual dates;
APRIL
du 1 au 3 Futures week (professionals)
Bordeaux gets busy with professional tastings of the new vintage still in barrel
Rens. : www.ugcb.net 4 et 5 Challenge International du Vin
Concours regroupant des vins du monde entier, à Bourg sur Gironde
Rens. : www.challengeduvin.com 5 et 6 Portes ouvertes (open doors) des châteaux du Médoc et du Haut-Médoc – le printemps des châteaux
Rens. : www.medoc-bordeaux.com
12 et 13Le Printemps des vins de Blaye
95 wine producers winetastigns in the historic citadelle built by Vauban (Unesco), in Blaye on the right bank
rens. : http://printemps.vin-blaye.com/ 26 et 27 Sweet wine from around france in Loupiac
rens.: http://printempsdesliquoreux.sitew.com/ 26 et 27 Portes Ouvertes à Lalande de Pomerol
Rens. : www.lalande-pomerol.com
MAY
du 1 au 4 Portes Ouvertes à Saint-Emilion, Lussac-Saint-Emilion et Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion
Rens. : www.vins-saint-emilion.com 11 Marathon des vins de Blaye
Rens. : http://marathondesvinsdeblaye.com/ 10 et 11 Portes Ouvertes en Côtes de Bourg
Rens. : www.cotes-de-bourg.com 17 et 18 Rallye national de Saint-Emilion Rens. : www.vins-saint-emilion.com
24 La Médocaine – mountain biking in the Medoc vineyards
Journée de détente et de balade à VTT (mountain bike) dans le vignoble du Médoc. 7 000 participants, 6 circuits de 20 à 80 kms à travers le vignoble du Medoc
Rens. : www.medocainevtt.com
JUNE 1 Marathon de Sauternes
Rens. : www.marathon-sauternes.com
7 et 8 Portes ouvertes en 1ères Côtes de Bordeaux et Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux
Rens. : www.premierescotesdebordeaux.com
du 13
au 15Fête de printemps (Spring Festival to celebrate the flowering) de la Jurade de Saint-Emilion – see the old brotherhood in their robes with service in the monolithic church)
3 days of art, concerts, animations and a big celebratory meal to welcome the new people intronised into this very old brotherhood.
Rens. : www.vins-saint-emilion.com
du 26 au 29Bordeaux fête le vin
Lots of stands and wine and fun atmosphere on the banks of the Garonne.Bordeaux Fete le Vin on the quayside of Bordeaux (takes place in even years when Vinexpo, the world’s largest wine trade fair open to wine trade only, is not on) (click on the map for English)
Rens. : www.bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com
20th June Week-end des Grands Crus
120 châteaux membres of l’Union des Grands Crus invite you to taste a more recent and older vintage at the Hangar 14 Quai de Chartrons (de 10 h 30 à 17 h 00). Then posh dinners in châteaux.
Rens. et réservations : www.ugcb.net
JULY
du 4
au 6 Les 24 H du Swing à Monségur Jazz festival
Rens. : festijazz@swing-monsegur.com du 11 au 14 Jumping international de Blaye (Horse jumping)
Rens. : www.jumpingdeblaye.fr
14 Trail en Côtes de Bourg
Running race – Course nature dans le vignoble avec deux boucles de 14 ou 25 km.
Rens. : http://www.clictoutdev.com/albs/page1.php
du 17
au 20 Saint-Emilion Jazz Festival
Jazz in St Emilion around weekend of 20 July jazz concerts in the medieval village in the ancient ‘douves’ moat
Rens. : http://www.saint-emilion-jazz-festival.com/
AUGUST– best to find a beach!
SEPTEMBER
13Marathon du Médoc – Pauillac is the centre
Rens. : www.marathondumedoc.com 14 et 15 Balades en patrimoine en Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux
Rens. : www.cadillaccotesdebordeaux.com
14Ban des vendanges (harvest festival of this old brotherhood in their red robes with service in the monolithic church) de la Jurade de Saint-Emilion celebratory meal to welcome the new people intronised into this very old brotherhood.Rens. : www.vins-saint-emilion.com
22Balades Vendanges dans le vignoble de Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux – harvest walks
Rens. : www.cadillaccotesdebordeaux.com
OCTOBER
18 & 19Portes ouvertes dans les Graves
Rens. : www.vins-graves.com
25 & 26Portes ouvertes à Fronsac
Rens. : www.cdc-fronsadais.com
NOVEMBER
du 8
au 11Portes ouvertes dans le Sauternais
Rens. : www.sauternes-barsac.com
du 15
au 17
MARGAUX Saveurs – food and wine
portes ouvertes des châteaux et des commerçants de l’appellation avec animations et dégustation.
Rens. : www.medoc-tourisme.com
29 et 30Portes ouvertes à Loupiac (sweet wine)
Associations avec les foies gras
Rens. : www.vins-loupiac.com
DECEMBER
6 et 7Portes ouvertes à Pessac-Léognan
Rens. : www.vins-graves.com 13 et 14 Saveurs croisées de Noël
2 jours de fête, de dégustations et de découvertes gourmandes à Sainte-Croix-du-Mont (sweet wine)
