Graves & Sauternes Private Full Day Wine Tour from Bordeaux
About this activity
Highlights
- Visit the heart of Bordeaux’s wine regions
- Discover 3 selected classified growth Châteaux
- Pre-Booked Visits to Our Selection of Wineries.
- Tour can be customized to suit your interests.
- English-speaking, local guides expert
Full description
Discover the rich flavors of Graves and Sauternes with a private full-day wine tour from Bordeaux. Immerse yourself in the heart of Bordeaux’s esteemed wine regions, where you'll indulge in exclusive tastings at three carefully selected classified growth Châteaux.
With expert insights from your local, English-speaking guide, you'll learn about the unique terroir that contributes to these exquisite wines. This personalized tour can be tailored to suit your interests, ensuring a memorable experience. Enjoy the convenience of hotel pick-up and travel in comfort as you explore the stunning vineyards that have made Bordeaux a world-renowned wine destination.
Private Full-Day Graves, Pessac-Léognan, and Sauternes Wine Tour from Bordeaux
Discover three prestigious Left Bank wine regions on a private full-day tour from Bordeaux featuring Graves, Pessac-Léognan, and Sauternes. This expertly guided experience includes pre-booked visits to three carefully selected châteaux with tastings of exceptional red, dry white, and sweet white Bordeaux wines. Travel in a premium air-conditioned Mercedes minivan with an English-speaking wine expert guide and explore the diverse terroirs where Bordeaux winemaking began over 2,000 years ago.
Explore Graves and Pessac-Léognan Wine Regions
Your journey begins with convenient hotel pickup from Bordeaux and a short drive south to the Graves wine region, the original birthplace of Bordeaux viticulture where Romans first planted vines. Named after its distinctive gravelly soil composed of deep layers of gravel, stone, and sand, Graves produces both elegant red wines and acclaimed dry whites. Continue to Pessac-Léognan, a prestigious sub-appellation established in 1987 and home to Château Haut-Brion, the only estate outside Médoc to receive Premier Grand Cru Classé status in the 1855 Classification.
Visit a carefully selected château where you'll tour the vineyards and cellars before tasting both red wines based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, and dry white wines crafted from Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Your expert guide accompanies you throughout, answering questions about history, technique, flavors, aromas, and food pairings.
Discover Sauternes and the Art of Noble Rot
After lunch, travel to the Sauternes wine region, world-famous for producing exceptional sweet white wines including Château d'Yquem, classified as Premier Grand Cru Classé Supérieur. Learn about the unique winemaking process involving Botrytis cinerea (noble rot), a beneficial fungus that concentrates sugars and creates intensely sweet, golden wines with aromas of honeysuckle, blossom, and stone fruit.
The region's microclimate of morning mist followed by warm, dry afternoons creates ideal conditions for noble rot to develop on healthy grapes. Visit one of Sauternes' most prestigious estates for a guided tour explaining the distinctive production process from vineyard to bottle, followed by a commented tasting where you'll discover which foods pair best with these unique dessert wines, from foie gras to Roquefort cheese.
Premium Transportation and Expert Wine Guide
Travel in a spacious Mercedes minivan accommodating up to 8 passengers with comfortable seating, air conditioning, and complimentary bottled water. Your English-speaking wine expert guide provides live commentary throughout the day, sharing knowledge about Bordeaux wine history, terroir, and production techniques. With pre-booked winery appointments and seamless logistics, you'll experience three distinct wine styles—Graves reds and whites, Pessac-Léognan classified estates, and legendary Sauternes sweet wines—in one comprehensive full-day tour departing at 9:30 AM and returning approximately 5:30 PM.
Included / Excluded
- Hotel pick up from Bordeaux or surrounding area.
- Enjoy live commentaries from your wine expert guide.
- Reservations for 3 selected wineries of the Graves & Sauternes.
- Travel in recent, comfortable and fully equipped minivans.
- Tasting fees in the wineries
- Meals and drinks (lunch).
- Personal travel insurance, expenses.
- Gratuities for the Guide
Itinerary
Bordeaux departure
Meet your guide and depart from Bordeaux
Pessac-Léognan Winery
Reach the Graves wine region. Visit & wine tasting in a Pessac-Léognan winery
Meeting point
Start Location
Bordeaux
Bordeaux, France
Important information
Know before you book
- Full-day tour visiting Graves, Pessac-Léognan, and Sauternes regions
- Visits three châteaux with red, dry white, and sweet wine tastings
- All château tasting fees included in tour price at estates visited
- Hotel pickup included from Bordeaux and within 30 km radius
- Tour conducted in English; other languages available on request
Know before you go
- Tour duration approximately 8 hours; returns around 5:30 PM
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for vineyard and cellar tours
- Camera recommended for vineyard landscapes and château architecture
- Tour runs rain or shine; vehicle is climate-controlled year-round
Cancellation policy
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 48 hours prior to departure: no cancellation fees except the booking fees. 48 hours prior to departure and less > no refund. No show - no refund.
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 Graves, Pessac-Léognan, and Sauternes wine tour is ideal for wine enthusiasts seeking to explore Bordeaux beyond the famous Médoc and Saint-Émilion regions. It suits white wine lovers wanting to taste both world-class dry whites and legendary sweet Sauternes, couples and small groups interested in the historical birthplace of Bordeaux viticulture, and travelers curious about the unique noble rot winemaking process.
The tour appeals to foodies interested in wine and food pairings, dessert wine collectors seeking Sauternes from prestigious estates, and first-time visitors wanting comprehensive exposure to red, dry white, and sweet white Bordeaux styles.
With visits to Château Haut-Brion's appellation and expert guidance on three distinct wine categories, it's perfect for those who value diversity, educational depth, and access to lesser-known but equally prestigious Left Bank appellations in one full-day
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.