A Visit to the Wineries of Bordeaux, 2026

Nowhere in the world is more synonymous with fine wine than Bordeaux, France, and this year I was finally fortunate enough to make a pilgrimage here and visit some of the most storied appellations and chateaux that exist.

Bordeaux is both a region and a city, and the urban hub is larger and more vibrant than you’d think, a full-fledged metro that is reminiscent of Paris writ small. It’s filled with cafes and restaurants and tourists who arrive by river cruise – and on one night during our visit, a music festival headlined by The Cure.

Getting out of town and to wineries means hiring a driver (or taking a tour) or, as we did, renting a car. It’s easy enough to navigate the area, but you’ll soon see that Bordeaux is a huge, and visiting the entirety of region will probably require a week or more. In the end, I visited the Medoc and the St. Emilion areas to get a better sense of classic Left Bank and Right Bank terroir and winemaking, sad to miss out on the southern portions of the Left Bank, particularly Sauternes.

Wine tourism still feels like a bit of a novel idea here. I contacted over a dozen wineries before my trip, months in advance, attempting to set up media visits. A large number never responded to my inquiries. Even Bordeaux’s trade group referred me to its website to research who might be open for a visit. Eventually I made appointments with five chateaux (or seven depending on how you count) over the two days of touring. For the record, none offered any special comps for press; I paid for tours and/or tastings at every stop, with prices ranging from 9 to 60 euros per person. (As one fellow traveler remarked to me during a tasting: “In Bordeaux you won’t get anything for free. Not so much as a breadstick.”)

Every winery we visited proclaimed that thanks to the scorching heat of 2026 this year was its earliest harvest in history. There’s no telling how that will pan out when the wine hits the bottle, but it’s certainly yet another thing for winemakers to have to worry about.

Here’s a look at each winery we visited, along with thoughts on the experience – and the wines.

Left Bank

Chateau Leoville Barton and Langoa Barton, St. Julien

The Barton family operates these two wineries across the street from one another, with tastings held jointly. A third winery, Chateau Mauvesin Barton, which is situated just north of Bordeaux in Moulis-en-Medoc, is also featured. The wineries date back to the 1820s, with both creating wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. As is common on the west/left side of the Garonne River, Cabernet dominates all blends.

Fully remodeled in 2020-21, the Barton operation has jumped dramatically in sophistication, and our guide kindly walked us through the grounds, winemaking, and cellars (surprisingly compact and often empty-feeling, a commonality across Bordeaux) before offering six wines to taste, including vertical looks at Langoa (2007 vs. 2016) and Leoville (2005 vs. 2014). I was a fan of both Langoa wines, bright with chocolate and cherry, with the younger Langoa showing a more acidic edge, as well as the 2005 Leoville, laced with mint and herbs. The 2014 Leoville fell quite flat, however, its fruit already fading badly.

33250 Saint-Julien-Beychevelle, France

Chateau Phelan Segur, St. Estephe

We were otherwise alone during our visit to this blue chip winery, a few miles south of St. Julien, and here got our first chance to step into the actual vineyards. While St. Estephe is described as gravelly, I wasn’t prepared for what were actually huge stones on the ground, smooth rocks that look like something you’d see in a decorative garden. These stones – all natural – warm the soil and the vines underneath. Cabernet appears to love the heat.

Phelan Segur adds Petit Verdot to its trio of grapes, but again Cabernet Sauvignon is the focus, usually comprising 55-65% of a blend. In the vineyard, 121 plots of grapes are designated, and each is vinified separately before blending after maturation.

To taste, the winery offered three vintages of Phelan Segur – 2023, 2018, and 2017 – plus a sample of 2016 Frank Phelan, its second label. Of the three, I slightly preferred the 2018 to 2017, the wine rich with black fruit and a massive kick of licorice on the palate before leading into a hearty, chocolatey finish. The 2017 is brighter and a little sweeter, maintaining a familiar resemblance to the young 2023. As for Frank Phelan, this more affordable wine – becoming increasingly common in Bordeaux – is a much different experience, offering fruit and vanilla notes that taste decidedly New World.

Rue des Écoles, 33180 Saint-Estèphe, France

Right Bank

In contrast to the many villages of the Left Bank, the fairly large St. Emilion dominates the Right Bank, where Merlot is king (and mandated to comprise at least half of each blend). Unlike the virtually flat Left Bank, the Right Bank is steeply hilly and dominated by the village of St. Emilion, a UNESCO site that feels ripped out of the Middle Ages.

Chateau La Croizille and Chateau Tour Baladoz, St. Emilion

If you do any amount of research into “best wineries to visit in Bordeaux,” Chateau La Croizille always comes up. Credit strong SEO skills for that. I’d never heard of either of these wineries previously, but I didn’t sweat much about that since there are some 800 wine producers in the region. Only a fraction of those have a presence in the U.S.

The operation does offer an interesting promise: La Croizille is very modern, having been redeveloped in 2012. Baladoz is more traditional in its production processes. They have the same ownership and are right next to one another, so you get to see two sides of Bordeaux winemaking in one trip.

Baladoz is particularly interesting since it uses all six approved Bordeaux grapes in its wines – though I found its 2009 sample to come across as badly oxidized, perhaps because it was left over from the previous day or two. A 2022 bottle was much fresher and more exciting. Otherwise I preferred the 2010 La Croizille sample, which is made of just 55% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon. Softer and more refined, it’s perhaps small evidence that modern winemaking may help make better wine.

We opted for a “winemaker’s picnic” at this stop, but that turned out to be a pair of small cheese and charcuterie baskets intended to be eaten at the winery, sans winemaker. That was fine, as the views here are fantastic.

810 route du Tertre anciennement lieu-dit “Baladoz, 33330 Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, France

Chateau Cantenac, St. Emilion

We didn’t have time for a tour at tiny Cantenac, but we got the full story and some tastings from A.J., the wife of one of the family members who run this homey operation. (The winery is run by its matriarch, and its three sons all married interns who passed through its doors.)

The wines here are hearty despite being heavy on the Merlot (80% is common), the 2022 Grand Cru quite oak-forward with well-developed tannins and notes of aged cheese. A softer experience awaits in the Selection Madame expression, crafted to the tastes of the owner. This can be 95 to 100% Merlot, the 2021 showing brighter fruit and pushy florals, with some herbs and pepper adding spice to the mix.

Of special note, the tasting here was just 9 euros per person, by far the cheapest of the trip.

719 Route de Castillon, 33330 Saint-Émilion, France

Chateau Troplong Mondot, St. Emilion

We had a private tour of the grounds and winery at this highly regarded winery, including a lengthy visit through the vineyard to taste Merlot off the vine and ogle the extremely rocky soil – covered with stones as big as my fist. The view is another big reason to come here: Troplong Mondot is situated on the highest point in St. Emilion, and you can see the town of St. Emilion below from up on high, a unique perspective.

After a tour of its modernized winery (which works with 85% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 3% Cabernet Franc as its blending palette), we tucked into four wines, including a 2021 Mondot (second label) and three vintages of the Grand Cru – 2020, 2018, and 2015.

Of all the tastings on this trip, this was the most complex and instructive at showcasing how widely vintages can vary in Bordeaux. 2015 and 2020 were both deep, intense, and well-structured wines that were nods to the rule that every fifth year is a knockout vintage in the region. I had trouble picking a favorite between the two, which showed off lively cherry notes and silky tannins – though the 2015 ultimately leans on some heavier complexity. The 2018 in contrast came across as a bit barnyardy, with a hefty turned earth quality – probably closer to the experience that many people think of when Bordeaux comes to mind.

Bonus points to Troplong for its elegant, personal tasting experience. While on the pricy side, it’s a visit that’s definitely worth it.

33330 Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, France

The post A Visit to the Wineries of Bordeaux, 2026 appeared first on Drinkhacker: The Insider’s Guide to Good Drinking.