BORDEAUX WINE, MEDIEVAL CITIES AND CASTLES, A Deluxe route for wine lovers, France

E&M Travel, Online Agency. Upscale vacations for discerned traveler.

   E&M Travel
Division of EMCO Travel, LLC.
                     Since 1993

The Bordeaux Harvest Tour 2008
September 22– September 27, 2008
(6 days, 5 nights)
(Last spots available)

-Experience Bordeaux like an insider!
-Visit and taste at the world's most famous chateaux!
-Enjoy great food, wine and have fun!
-Stay at a privately-owned 18th century chateau

Remember: on this tour you will taste more Classified Growths than on any other Bordeaux Wine Tour

In the afternoon you'll arrive at Chateau Coulon Laurensac, your residence for the next 6 days. After you’ve settled in in one of our comfortable rooms and maybe relaxed a little by the pool, it’s time for your first wine experience: A visit to our personal wine cellar with its impressive wine collection followed by an introduction to the fun of Grand Cru wine tasting. The wine and cheese dinner that follows the wine tasting will give you an excellent opportunity to get to know the other guests while savoring your first Grand Cru wines of this tour.

Tuesday, Margaux and Pauillac
Chateau d'Issan surrounded by a moat

Today you are off for your first day in the vineyards. The drive up in the Médoc is just beautiful. With any luck you will be seeing the harvesters in action everywhere.

Today we visit the first Classified Growths of this tour. After our second tasting at a Grand Cru Classé we’ll be welcomed into the chateau for lunch. We are invited into the estate's private dining room. Our steaks will have been grilled over the clippings of the vines and of course all the wines on our table will have been produced at the domaine.

Just before lunch you will see the workers in action at the selecting tables. If you volunteer you can work at the selecting tables if you like. (be sure not to wear white that day...).
If you are like me you will watch the boys and girls in action while they are sorting.

Later that afternoon we have a rendez vous in Pauillac at Premier Grand Cru Classé Chateau Mouton Rothschild.
You will walk by their oak vats in the vat room and you will see the famous labels each with a work of art by a contemporary artist.
You will be impressed by the tour of Mouton’s private wine museum with its priceless art collection.
La Tupina

After a tasting of Mouton’s spectacular wines from the 2007 vintage, we will return to Chateau Coulon Laurensac.

Wednesday, Pessac-Léognan and Sauternes
The Harvest at Chateau Haut Brion, just outside of Bordeaux

After an early breakfast we leave for the Pessac-Léognan where we have the privilege of visiting and tasting Chateau Haut Brion, the oldest of the First Growths and one of the few chateaux in Bordeaux that employs its own cooper.

Our next appointment this morning is a visit and tasting at a Grand Cru Classé des Graves. Here you'll see over 700 years of wine making tradition in action. Of course we'll visit the chateau's private chapel and their adjacent collection of very old vintages.

In the village of Pessac we will indulge in lunch at an elegant restaurant close to First Growth Haut Brion.

After lunch we have appointments for 2 visits and tastings at Classified Growths in the Sauternes appellation.

Dinner tonight will be at a Michelin rated Relais & Chateaux Restaurant with its unique view on Bordeaux.
The restaurant is surrounded by its own vineyards. We’ve booked different tables for each couple so you can enjoy this feast tête à tête.

Thursday, Saint Julien, Pauillac and the city of Bordeaux
This morning, at your second trip to the Médoc, the Saint Julien and Pauillac will be the center of attention. Our first stop will be at Second Growth in the Saint Julien appellation. Later that morning we have a surprise visit to a very famous chateau...
Lunch with local specialties in an elegant local restaurant that is frequented by many chateau owners and wine traders.

The city center of Bordeaux

You can’t visit the Bordeaux area without paying a visit to the city itself. Bordeaux’s center has undergone an amazing development and today is one of the most beautiful and sophisticated places in France. The second part of the afternoon will be spent in this beautiful city. You can spend the afternoon and the evening in Bordeaux on your own. Visit the beautiful town hall or the Grand Theatre. Take a stroll over Europe's largest square: the Place des Quinquonces or maybe you’d like to take a boat trip on the Garonne River.
Shopping victims will find their paradise in Bordeaux. Get your credit cards ready in the famous Golden Triangle, the shopping area where you will find them all: Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Hermès, YSL, Gucci, Lacoste, Longchamp and many more...
You can enjoy dinner on your own in one of the city's many fine restaurants. (It will be our pleasure to make a reservation for you).

Friday, Saint Emilion
Saint Emilion streets

A unique experience is the visit to one of the world's most famous vineyard regions, listed as a UNESCO world heritage site: Saint Emilion. Today you’ll explore the beautiful medieval cobble stone streets. You can soak up the atmosphere and experience wine everywhere.
Our first stop will be at a family owned Grand Cru Classé Chateau, owned by personal friends of ours. Here you can harvest some grapes yourself and experience what it is to be in charge of the manual grape selection at the selection table.

The owner of the Chateau takes out the new vintage

The owner of the Chateau takes out the new vintage

Later that morning we'll visit a Saint Emilion First Classified Growth. At this property we will join the owner and her family, for a lunch with the pickers. Of course we will taste the excellent wines of this property. You can decide for yourself if you agree with their rank in the classification.
After this very unique lunch, we will visit one of the many wine shops in St. Emilion.
We know which ones have the best wines and will give you the best prices.

Fare well dinner at Chateau Coulon Laurensac: Mouton Rothschild 1994

Your four course farewell dinner at Chateau Coulon Laurensac will be a very memorable experience, with several Grand Cru wines. One wine is sure to make a lasting impression: Château Mouton Rothschild 1994! The famous Dutch artist Karel Appel has painted the label of this wine.

With your dessert you will taste the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings: Chateau d'Yquem of an age of over ten years old!

Saturday, Bordeaux
Today ends an unforgettable Bordeaux Wine Experience. After a leisurely breakfast you can relax a little and may be take a few last pictures before it is time to say goodbye to Chateau Coulon Laurensac. Depending on your departure time you can spend some free time in Bordeaux.

*Itinerary subject to change: every effort will be made to keep the itinerary as close as possible to what appeared here; however the final itinerary may vary due to wine chateaux schedules, availabilities and other factors beyond our control.
PLEASE NOTE: we carefully selected the dates for this tour for a period the harvest is usually going on in Bordeaux. There are no guarantees, as in the end of the day it is Mother Nature who will decide when the grapes are ready to be harvested.

Avoid disappointment and reserve your place today!
We want to keep things personal so there are only ten people on this tour. That’s just you and four other couples!