Pauillac Luxury Wine Tour & Gourmet Meal from Bordeaux
About this activity
Highlights
- Visit the iconic Château Haut-Bages Libéral in Pauillac
- Taste 8 exceptional wine vintages with acclaimed winemaker
- Dine outdoors in the vineyards or by a château fireplace
- Savor unique meals cooked over Cabernet Sauvignon shoots
- Enjoy private transfer from Bordeaux with wine expert guide
Full description
Step into the legendary world of Pauillac wines on a private, premium journey designed exclusively for your group. At Château Haut-Bages Libéral, a renowned 5ème Grand Cru Classé, you’ll be welcomed for an unforgettable day with Claire Villars Lurton, Winemaker of the Year 2024. Start with a guided vineyard and estate tour before embarking on a captivating tasting of eight vintages, discovering the nuances of each wine through the winemaker’s personal insights.
Then, indulge in a remarkable meal grilled over Cabernet vine shoots, served outdoors in summer or by the château’s crackling fireplace in cooler seasons. Each course is expertly paired with estate wines for an authentic flavor adventure. Relax as your English-speaking wine expert guide transfers you seamlessly from Bordeaux, ensuring your attention is on savoring every moment of this rare, immersive wine celebration.
Experience Pauillac at its most authentic on an exclusive day at Château Haut‑Bages Libéral, designed solely for Ophorus guests and unavailable through any other tour operator. It brings together a tasting of eight vintages of the estate’s wine with something found nowhere else in Bordeaux: a repas à la braise, cooked over burning vine shoots, served either among the vines in summer or by the château fireplace in cooler seasons — all in the company of Claire Villars Lurton, Winemaker of the Year 2024, who personally guides every moment of the experience.
Pauillac is the most prestigious commune in the Médoc, home to three of the five Premiers Crus Classés of 1855 (Châteaux Latour, Lafite Rothschild, and Mouton Rothschild) and a total of eighteen classified estates. Its deep gravel soils over limestone produce Cabernet Sauvignon‑dominated wines of remarkable structure, concentration, and longevity, with signature notes of blackcurrant, cedar, and graphite. Château Haut‑Bages Libéral lies at the heart of this appellation, and its wines count among the finest expressions of Pauillac’s distinctive terroir.
Your visit begins with a private tour of the estate and vineyards, followed by an exclusive vertical tasting of eight vintages of Château Haut‑Bages Libéral, spanning multiple decades. Hosted and commented by Claire Villars Lurton, this tasting is a glass‑by‑glass journey through time, as she shares her vision and explains how each vintage reflects that year’s conditions and the evolving winemaking philosophy of the estate. It is an intimate, deeply personal introduction to one of Pauillac’s great terroirs from the person who understands it best.
The meal that follows is unlike anything else in Bordeaux. A professional cook prepares a repas à la braise, with dishes cooked directly over burning vine shoots cut from the estate’s Cabernet Sauvignon vines. In summer, you dine outdoors in the vineyards; in cooler seasons, the same fire and cooking are brought indoors beside the château’s fireplace, creating a warm, convivial, and entirely authentic setting. Throughout, Claire Villars Lurton remains at your side, pairing each course with estate wines and continuing the conversation begun in the tasting room.
Your English‑speaking driver‑guide collects you from your accommodation in Bordeaux and returns you at the end of the day. The experience is fully private, reserved for 2 to 8 guests, and the presence of Claire Villars Lurton is subject to availability and confirmed at the time of booking.
Included / Excluded
- Private guided estate and vineyard tour at Château Haut-Bages Libéral
- Expert-led tasting of 8 vintages with Claire Villars Lurton
- Fire-cooked gourmet meal paired with estate wines
- Private round-trip transportation from Bordeaux
- Personal travel insurance and expenses
- Purchases at the estate
- Gratuities for your driver/guide
Itinerary
Bordeaux departure
Meet your guide and drive to the Pauillac wine appellation of Bordeaux
Château Haut-Bages Libéral, Grand Cru Classé de Pauillac en 1855, certifié bio et biodynamie, Balogues, Pauillac, France
Arrive at Château Haut-Bages Libéral. Visit the estate, wine tasting session followed by gourmet meal.
Meeting point
Start Location
Bordeaux, France
Important information
Know before you book
- Experience is private for groups of 2 to 8 guests only.
- Guided by English-speaking wine expert and, subject to availability, Claire Villars Lurton.
- Advance reservations are required due to limited availability.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable shoes suitable for walks in vineyards and estate.
- Bring a jacket or layer for cooler months, especially if dining outdoors or by the fireplace.
- Have a camera ready for stunning vineyard and château scenery.
Cancellation policy
Up to 7 days before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 7 days before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Reviews
Great experience, guide was super knowledgeable and friendly. Victor brought us around the different sites and showed us so many cool sites
Alex was the most experienced, knowledgeable, and chilled tour guide of all the 5 tour guides we experienced. We learned a lot from him about the culture, history, and geology of the region. He also provided great context to understand the regions' wines. This tour to Cassis and the calanques was beautiful and would get a 5 stars if it weren't for the fact that this expensive tour did not include lunch. The wine tasting was good but I had better in Bordeaux and it included lunch.
Matt was an awesome tour guide. His passion for D-day made the experience that much better. He was very knowledgeable. Even my children were glued to his every word. Great experience!
Frequently asked questions
FAQs
Additional information
This tour is best for serious wine enthusiasts, collectors, and connoisseurs who want rare, in‑depth access to a top Pauillac estate and direct time with the winemaker. It suits couples or small groups seeking a once‑in‑a‑lifetime, chef‑cooked food and wine experience in Bordeaux, rather than a standard sightseeing or introductory wine tour.