French + Bordeaux Wines
Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (French lawyer and writer of “The Physiology of Taste’, 1755-1826)
French + Bordeaux Wines
Would you love to learn about this famous and unique French wine-growing region and the originality of Bordeaux wines?
Our Bordeaux wine course has been designed for wine lovers and connoisseurs, amateurs or professionals. It reveals the many secrets of the art of tasting and the awesome complexity in producing Bordeaux wines.
The course is taught every afternoon at the École du Bordeaux, a satellite of the renowned Médoc Château Lynch-Bages just a few minutes walk from our French langauge school in Bordeaux city centre. The afternoon sessions are delivered in French and simultaneously translated into English. All our wine students are inspired by our teachers’ passion for Bordeaux wines!
Levels: Elementary to Advanced
Age: 18 years+
Starting dates: 23/06/08, 21/07/08, 18/08/08, 15/09/08 and 13/10/08
Duration: 1 week and can be combined (before or after) with any other French course
Group size: 12 maximum with an average of 8 to 10
Lessons: 20 group morning lessons of French + afternoon Wine Programme (see below)
Lesson length: 45 minutes
Programme for the Week
Monday: Lecture + Tasting
Getting to know and understanding white wines:
• Learn about the world of Bordeaux wines
• Different appellations around Bordeaux and their wines
• How great Bordeaux whites are made
• The aromas of white wines and how to enhance them
• The magic of how sweet Sauternes are made
Tuesday: Lecture + Tasting
Getting to know and understanding red wines:
• A look into some of the secrets of Bordeaux fine wines
• How red wine is made
Blend you own Bordeaux wine:
A special session exclusive to the École du Bordeaux: you play the role of a cellar master and blend the wine of your choice using the four main grape varieties grown around Bordeaux. This is a game anyone can play, even beginners, and some may even find a new vocation!
For this very special tasting session we use several wines each made from a single grape variety from Château Lynch-Bages which have been specially harvested and kept for this simulation.
Wednesday: Travel through the famous Médoc vineyards
• Explore the most famous wine growing area in the world, home of the four remarkable Premiers Crus: Châteaux Margaux, Mouton-Rotschild, Latour and Lafite
• Visit a Grand Cru Classé
Thursday: Lecture + Tasting
The diversity of the great Bordeaux red wines:
• The history and wines of Médoc, Saint-Émilion and Graves
• Wine classifications: understanding the puzzling Bordeaux rankings
• Tasting: Bordeaux red wines, their strength, subtlety and complexity - enjoy four red wines from the most famous villages in the Médoc, Graves and Saint-Émilion appellations
Friday: Trip to the village of Saint-Émilion and its vineyards
• Visit the UNESCO-listed medieval town of Saint-Émilion, 40 km from Bordeaux, and discover the picturesque landscape and the delightful châteaux such as the world famous Château Ausone and Château Cheval Blanc
• Visit a reputable Saint-Émilion Château Grand Cru Classé
Optional Extra:
• Lecture + Tasting + Gourmet dinner in the Michelin 1-star restaurant “Le Chapon Fin”.
Your teacher will present a fascinating lecture on "pairing food and wines", and then you will enjoy the tantalising cuisine of highly talented Chef, Franck Ferriguti, enhanced by an outstanding selection of Bordeaux wines.
Custom Made Programmes
Programmes can be designed to meet the special requirements and dates of your group (individuals, wine clubs, companies etc). These are available in nine different languages. For details please contact us.
