Private Wine Lovers - Super St Emilion - behind the scenes visits top chateaux and medieval town
Description
St Emilion is called the 'hillside of a 1000 châteaux' and you will get a great insight into the famous classified properties and their wines contrasted with the smaller producers here. Despite the famous names here (such as Chanel and Louis Vuitton) this atmospheric place is still dominated by small family run places (these I call the SIPs - Small Independent Producers). We will visit 2 châteaux of contrasting terroirs and styles including one Grand Cru Classé (one of the top in the area) where you will meet the owner and winemaker . I am an insider here. My partner makes Grand Cru wine here. I will delight in sharing with you the key sites and the gossip! We will have time to visit the picturesque St Emilion village founded in the 9th century We will visit the small neighbouring appellation of Pomerol too where the iconic Petrus is located. Lots to see, taste and great passionate people to meet in my home town!
Tour Options
Itinerary
The days are normally 9 to 6.30pm with pickup and drop-off at your hotel or boat within the city of Bordeaux. I like to visit three properties per day of a range of styles to show you some of the different aspects involved in Bordeaux vine growing and wine making. Most of my favourite properties are still family-owned, most are classified and all produce great wine. I like to include if possible a smaller independent producer (SIP) where we can meet the winemaker to see the 'other side' (there are 7000 properties in Bordeaux and only around 200 of them belong to the elite group called the Grand Cru Classé). St Emilion (Right Bank) is a beautiful wine region with its vineyards planted on rolling hills around its medieval village. The properties are smaller here and many are still family-owned. It is known as 'the hill of a thousand châteaux' and it is important to visit some contrasting styles from the classified property where we go under the vines in limestone caves and another, which has been ‘organic forever’ and is run by the 14th generation of the same family today who we would meet. We will have time to visit the fascinating medieval town and its cobbled streets and pass through Pomerol where Bordeaux’s most expensive wines are found including Petrus. I will be organising your individual itinerary. Twenty-five years as a wine professional in the region enables me to open doors and offer you a unique insider’s authentic view of Bordeaux. It will be a fun, informative experience you will never forget and quite different to the other wine tours of Bordeaux available. Also note that what I charge is all inclusive (tailor-made organising and advice, third party insurance, accompanying on the day by expert wine guide, pick-up and drop-off from Bordeaux centre, transport, chateaux visit and tasting fees) except meals. Please advise if you have any particular Bordeaux favourites yourself or areas of special interest.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- It can get chilly in the cellars so a light jacket or shawl is recommended
- Dress code is smart casual
Reviews(27)
We enjoyed our day with our guide Aurelian in the St. Emilion area. Nicole got information from us in advance about our wine experience and was able to choose wineries that were representative of St. Emilion and each distinct from the others. We learned a lot and had some lovely wines. All tastings/tours were private and included. We paid for our and the guide’s lunch - which was one of our best meals in France and not expensive. The vehicle was comfortable and we were picked up/dropped off right from our accommodation. 800 euro is a lot for two people for a day but the overall experience is so personal it cannot be compared to other tours.
We had a wonderful experience with Nicolle and her team. We had 4 days of private wine tours planned, leaving from our Airbnb in Bordeaux, visiting some wonderful Chateau in Sauternes, Right Bank, and Left Bank. Of note, our group of two couples also had a 2-year-old with us, but we still managed to visit 3 wineries each day. Nicolle was extremely knowledgeable about not just the wines, but the history of the region, the Chateau's, and was an amazing host. Emmanuel, who also led some of our tours, was very personable, warm, and seemed to know many of the employees, workers, and even grape pickers at the Chateau we visited. We learned a ton, felt like we left with a great understanding of Bordeaux wines and their different Terroir, and had a great time. Nicolle and her team were flexible and accommodating, especially when we had a long travel delay due to a canceled flight.
We had a very enjoyable day. Nicolle was able to pick us up early and planned a nicely balanced day of touring the town of St. Emilion and visiting two very different wineries. With her intimate knowledge of the town and the wine industry she was able to provide a lot of insight and answer any question we had. Highly recommended!
Nicolle was a greate guide with all the knowledge you would need. Went to small and medium size wineries which what we were looking for as they are more intimate. Couldn't have asked for a better overall experience.
Honestly we had the best time and I couldn’t recommend more. My husband and I took a quick get away and this was the perfect way to experience local vineyards. It was intimate, information and just so lovely. Emmanuelle was 10/10!!
Thank you for a beautiful and unique experience. I will absolutely recommend this tour to anyone who is looking to explore the Saint Emilion area.
This was a GREAT day! Nicolle picked us up at the dock in Libourne on her birthday (!) and we just had a BLAST touring and tasting with her. She knows everything and everyone! The lunch she arranged was AWESOME! Very flexible in setting our 2 days up, paying attention to our "faves". I cannot recommend her highly enough.
We had a great day with Emanuel. She had the perfect day planned. Three fantastic wineries and touring St Emilion. The day was filled with great wine, great scenery and wonderful conversation
My wofe and I had a wonderful experience with Nicolle Croft. She truly knows wine and is extremely knowledgeable about the St Emilion appellation. It seems she knows everyone in the village!! Everywhere we went, she was saying hello to people. She knows how to expose you to the small, independent providers that you may not have heard of otherwise. She taught us about the land and the difference in the various geography in St Emilion, as well as some of the challenges that the Chateau owners face. Anyone wanting to visit St Emilion should have their wine tasting organized by Nicolle.
Nicolle is phenomenal! She is truly an expert in all things wine related while being professional and super friendly. We did not have to plan one aspect of this tour. Nicolle took care of everything. She did communicate along the way while requesting our input, but it was great to have expert recommendations and planning. It was the perfect balance of education, fun, and personalization.
