The last winery on our Bordeaux excursion! We got there a little past 3 in the afternoon, and from the looks of it, the winery staff was busy preparing for an event. Let me guess, the Vin Expo? Indeed it was according to our winery tour guide that afternoon. Both wineries we've visited earlier that day were also preparing for the Vin Expo like mad. Everyone in our group loved our guide. She was so bubbly and super nice. She had spent some time in Sonoma to earn a certificate for her wine studies, so she spoke English very well. We settled on doing a half-hour tour and tasting for 7€ with her. She took us outside and proceeded to describe the history of the vineyards, the Chateau and their current owner, who is incidentally an American banker. She showed us the vineyards, the chais and other parts of the winery. We ended the tour at the boutique where we tasted a couple of wines. The winery produces Grand Cru Classé wines and we were able to taste a 2007 vintage and one of their second wines. Both were excellent. The Grand Cru wine we tasted was going for 65€ and may be aged another 10 years according to our guide. After the tasting, we browsed in the botique and decided on buying a half case of their Rosé. Our group of 10 has been going through wine like crazy and the Rosé was 6 bottles for 50€. A great deal! We had no problem consuming all that in a couple of days along with the other wines we bought from the other places. When in France, drink lots of wine! read more

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They were so nice to welcome us for lunch even if we were on a tight schedule. It is a gorgeous place. The private table is very exclusive in fact. There's just two different dining room, a small one and a bigger one for small groups. The resident chef has built the menu to pair with the wines but in an unusual and daring way. The decadent reds were paired with decadent fishes dishes and very delicate courses. Even the dessert has the same shape as a sculture just outside the Castle. It was a memorable moment. read more

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The second stop on Day 2 of our tour of Bordeaux wine châteaus was Château Haut-Bailly, another classified château in Graves with the Pessac-Léognan appellation. Our tour guide was very personable, knowledgeable, and spoke excellent English. From its vineyards to the château and winemaking facilities, Château Haut-Bailly was among the most beautiful we toured during the week. Our tour culminated with a tasting of the 2011 Le Parde de Haut Bailly and 2011 Château Haut-Bailly in the château small wine/gift shop. However, what set our experience apart from a normal tour was the opportunity to have a wonderful lunch prepared by the château's kitchen staff with plenty of wine. Our meal started out on the veranda with a glass of Pol Roger and passed hors d'oeuvres. We moved into the château's beautiful formal dining room where we were served a 4-course lunch of Pan-seared Foie gras with candied pears, Roasted Chicken with Cep Mushroom Ravioli, Cheeses, and Raspberry Macaron with vanilla ice cream. Our delicious meal was accompanied by equally enjoyable bottles of the 2006 Le Parde de Haut Bailly, 2003 Château Haut-Bailly, and 2002 Château Haut-Bailly. It was arguably the best traditional French meal I had in Bordeaux. Château Haut-Bailly truly impressed with its hospitality as well as its wines. read more

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Very enjoyable experience here. Excellent wire, 2008 one in particular. Great food and I like the cheese platter, awesome choice.