Bordeaux Wine Blending, Picnic Lunch & Blind Tasting
About this activity
Create your own Bordeaux blend at Saint-Émilion wineries on this interactive wine workshop. Enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch with wine in a vineyard garden, then finish with a wine and chocolate pairing session. A hands-on experience for wine lovers.
Highlights
- Immerse in a sensory wine blending workshop
- Enjoy a picnic lunch at a stunning Château winery
- Experience a blind tasting in a private cellar
- Explore the art of creating your own wine blend
Full description
Private Saint-Émilion Wine Workshop: Blending, Picnic, and Chocolate Pairing
Experience Bordeaux winemaking from the inside with a private full-day Saint-Émilion wine workshop combining hands-on blending sessions, gourmet vineyard picnic, and wine-chocolate pairing. This interactive experience takes you beyond traditional tastings, allowing you to create your own personalized Bordeaux blend at carefully selected châteaux while learning the art and science of winemaking from expert guides. Perfect for wine enthusiasts seeking an immersive, educational, and delicious day in the UNESCO World Heritage Saint-Émilion wine region.
Create Your Own Bordeaux Blend at Saint-Émilion Châteaux
Participate in interactive wine blending workshops at selected Saint-Émilion estates where you'll step into the role of winemaker. Learn about the characteristics of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon as your expert guide explains how different grape varieties, fermentation techniques, and barrel aging influence final wine composition. Using professional blending equipment and guided by château experts, you'll experiment with different proportions to create your own personalized Bordeaux blend, discovering how winemakers achieve balance, structure, and complexity.
This hands-on session reveals the artistry behind Grand Cru wines and deepens your understanding of Right Bank winemaking philosophy. Take home your custom blend recipe as a unique souvenir of your Saint-Émilion experience.
Gourmet Vineyard Picnic Lunch with Wine Pairings
Relax with a delicious picnic lunch served in a scenic château garden or vineyard park surrounded by rolling vine-covered hills. Your gourmet spread features regional specialties including artisanal cheeses, charcuterie, fresh bread, seasonal produce, and local delicacies, all paired with premium Saint-Émilion wines from the estates you visit.
This leisurely outdoor lunch provides the perfect opportunity to savor the flavors of Bordeaux terroir while enjoying panoramic views of the medieval village and surrounding countryside. Your guide shares stories about local food traditions, wine and food pairing principles, and the cultural importance of the convivial French meal, making this more than just lunch—it's an immersion into Bordeaux's art de vivre.
Wine and Chocolate Pairing Session
Conclude your day with an indulgent wine and chocolate pairing experience that explores the surprising harmonies between premium Bordeaux wines and artisanal chocolates. Guided by your expert, taste carefully selected chocolates with varying cocoa percentages, origins, and flavor profiles alongside Saint-Émilion red wines, discovering how tannins, acidity, fruit notes, and chocolate intensity interact.
Learn which wine styles complement dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and flavored ganaches, and gain insights you can apply to future wine enjoyment. This sweet finale transforms dessert into education, revealing the complexity of both wine and chocolate while providing a memorable conclusion to your hands-on Saint-Émilion workshop experience.
Fully Private Interactive Wine Experience
This private full-day workshop is designed for wine lovers seeking deeper engagement than traditional château tours offer. Travel in premium air-conditioned transportation with hotel pickup from Bordeaux included. Your expert guide personalizes the experience to your wine knowledge level and interests, whether you're discovering Bordeaux for the first time or expanding your existing expertise.
The hands-on format encourages questions, experimentation, and active learning, making this ideal for couples, small groups, corporate team building, or special celebrations. Departs approximately 9:30 AM and returns around 5:30 PM after a full day of blending, tasting, picnicking, and discovering the interactive side of Bordeaux wine culture in beautiful Saint-Émilion.
Included / Excluded
- Sensory workshop in a Grand Cru Winery
- Visit & Picnic lunch in a Château Winery
- Blind tasting workshop in a Grand Cru Winery
- English-speaking driver/guide
- Travel in premium, spacious vehicles
- Personal travel insurance, expenses.
- Gratuities for the guide
Itinerary
Bordeaux departure
Meet your guide and depart for Saint-Emilion
Wine Blending workshop
Arrive at the Château and participate in a wine blending workshop. Leave with your own personal wine.
Meeting point
Start Location
Bordeaux
Bordeaux, France
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour is private — pricing per person (up to 8 passengers)
- Minimum 2 adult passengers required for tour to operate
- Full-day interactive workshop approximately 8 hours duration
- Wine blending workshop and chocolate pairing sessions included
- Gourmet picnic lunch and wine pairings included in tour price
Know before you go
- Weather-appropriate clothing for outdoor picnic; backup plan if rain
- Bring camera for picnic setting and blending workshop moments
- Wear comfortable shoes for vineyard walks and outdoor activities
- Dietary restrictions can be accommodated; notify at booking
- Take home your custom blend recipe as a souvenir
Cancellation policy
Ophorus requires full payment by credit card, internet payment (through our website) or wire transfer (Wire transfer fees at the charge of the Guest) to make a reservation. We accept payment by AMEX, Visa and Master Card. There is no charge or service fee for processing credit card payments except with American Express +3%. For any cancellation, the following fees will be deducted from the refund: Up to 72 hours prior to departure: no cancellation fees except the booking fees. 72 hours prior to departure and less > no refund. No show - no refund.
Accessibility
- Infant Seats Available
Reviews
We had a very fun day with Matt to Mont Saint-Mitchel. Matt is an excellent tour guide & he cared for his clients very much. He's an on time person. We learned a lot about the history of Saint-Mitchel via Matt. He made sure we have enough time browsing this beautiful UNESCO. We definitely recommend friends & family this tour. Thank you Matt
Pascal was, above all, a smiling whirlwind of energy from the very start — bursting with knowledge, passion, and just the right amount of dramatic flair. He painted the horror of the Omaha Beach invasion so vividly that we could practically hear the chaos, then marched us through the bunkers at Pointe du Hoc like we were on a mission ourselves. And before we even caught our breath, he had already catapulted us back to Bayeux at invasion speed. A legend in tour‑guide form. Thanks from Croatian Team😉
Our Normandy D-Day tour was well worth it and we so enjoyed our tour guide Matt. He made the tour engaging, entertaining and informative. The tour was just the right size and a half day was perfect for us. It would have been much harder to get around to the sites and understand each without the information that Matt was constantly sharing. There was hardly a time that Matt was not telling us what/how/when of what we were looking at. Thanks Matt!
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Additional information
This private Saint-Émilion wine workshop is ideal for hands-on learners and wine enthusiasts who want to go beyond passive tastings to actively participate in the winemaking process. It suits couples celebrating special occasions, friend groups seeking unique experiences, corporate teams wanting interactive bonding activities, and curious travelers who love food and wine education.
Perfect for those who enjoy creative, immersive activities rather than just listening to lectures, this tour appeals to foodies interested in wine-chocolate pairings, picnic lovers who appreciate al fresco dining in scenic settings, and anyone wanting a memorable, Instagram-worthy Bordeaux experience. With blending workshops, gourmet picnics, and chocolate tastings combined, it's designed for travelers seeking fun, interactive, and delicious wine discovery rather than formal château tours.
In regards to the protection of the environment, we will no longer provide plastic bottles of water during our tours. You are kindly advised to bring your own. Water and refills are available at the wineries, museums and attractions visited.
Please note: In France, snacks are usually not provided during wine tastings to preserve the purity of the wine's flavor. We recommend having a good breakfast or lunch beforehand.