General questions - Day tour questions
- What is The Bordeaux Wine Experience?
- Why choose
The Bordeaux Wine Experience?
- What's important when choosing a wine tour company?
- Are your tours in English?
- How do I book one of your tours?
- How far in advance do I need to book my tour?
- Can I make a last minute booking for one of your tours?
- Do you recommend trip insurance?
- What is double occupancy?
- What credit cards do you accept?
- Where are your activities based?
- What is your address?
- Why are your administrative offices in the Netherlands?
- Are you a real company?
- What kind of transportation do you use on your tours?
- Do you organize wine tours to other wine growing areas than Bordeaux?
- What about airfare, train tickets etc?
- Where do your tours start and end. How do I get there?
- What kind of accommodation will we be staying at?
- Will we be changing accommodations on the tour?
- How many people will there be in a group?
- What is the minimum number of guest for a tour? What is the risk
for a cancellation due to low bookings?
- I didn't see a single rate. Do you have single rooms available?
- What kind of people take your tours and what age groups can I expect?
- Do I need to know a lot about wine to take one of your tours?
- What should I prepare for when traveling to France?
- What can I expect from a wine chateau or winery visit?
- What kind of physical shape do I need to be in to enjoy a wine tour?
- I want to take the tour, but my partner is not that interested in wine. What can you suggest?
- Can I buy wine during the tours? How can we ship it home?
- Do you, The Bordeaux Wine Experience, sell any wine?
- Can I book just a day in the Bordeaux region for my next trip to Paris?
- What should I bring with me on my trip?
- What kind of clothes is appropriate for the Bordeaux tours?
- What is a good time in the year to visit Bordeaux and its vineyards?
- What kind of meals will we have on your wine tours?
- Can you accommodate people with special dietary restrictions?
- What kind of wines are included in the meals?
- Wont 't I gain weight eating all those delicious meals?
- Are all taxes and service charges included in the tour price?
- What do you recommend for accessing money during a tour?
- Brochures - Can you send me a brochure?
- I got an error using the site
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!
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General questions - Day tour questions
- Are your Bordeaux day tours pre-scheduled?
- How much does a day tour Bordeaux Grand Cru cost?
- Can we choose the chateaux we want to visit?
- We've never been to the Bordeaux region before, can you plan the tour and choose the best wineries for us?
- There's only two of us for a day tour, is this then a private tour or will be there other people on the same tour?
- We went on one of your tours before, can we do something different on our next trip?
- Do you offer self driven, self guided tours?
- Are all taxes and service charges included in the tour price?
- Brochures - Can you send me a brochure?
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!
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Answers to general questions
1. What is The Bordeaux Wine Experience?
| The Bordeaux Wine Experience specializes in luxury wine and culinary tours in the Bordeaux region and is generally considered as the leading Bordeaux wine tour company. We are the only company offering tours like these, that is run by real wine professionals who actually live in Bordeaux. Unlike many tours that are run by people who are merely visitors to the Bordeaux region we live here, they don't. They just visit our region. With us you'll tour with the Bordeaux specialists! With our company you'll travel with a professional bonded and licensed tour operator. We are a member of the Bordeaux Tourist Office and we are a member of the W.T.I.A.: The Wine Tour International Association. (Member Number: 0140 - FR). |
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The people behind The Bordeaux Wine Experience
| We, Ronald and Margaret Rens, founded The Bordeaux Wine Experience. We have over 20 years experience in visiting, tasting and touring Bordeaux and its wine region. We design and run all of our tours ourselves. We both are Wine Masters, certified by the Dutch Wine Academy and both have a Masters degree in Industrial Engineering and Management Science. |  |
Ronald and Margaret at the Vinexpo Opening Party at Chateau Latour Martillac, Grand Cru Classé des Graves |
Traveling with The Bordeaux Wine Experience means traveling with us. We have over 20 years experience in running our own business and organizing all kinds of events, trips and tours.
We visited most of Europe’s wine growing regions, starting of course in France.
We visited and studied Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, Languedoc as well as the mayor wine producing regions of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Hungary and even Austria. As everything in wine is about taste (and taste buds) we found out that our preference lies in the Bordeaux wines. They are our preference and our passion.
Based at our Bordeaux Chateau
The tour activities of The Bordeaux Wine Experience have their base at Chateau Coulon Laurensac where we, Ronald and Margaret, have been living for years now. Guests will not stay in hotels but at this privately owned Chateau.
We want to keep things personal and aim for the highest level of service and quality. That's why we only organize tours for small groups and tailor made trips.
A small group from our perspective means a maximum of five couples, the maximum number we can accommodate at our chateau.
The Bordeaux Wine Experience is a Dutch company specializing in wine and
culinary tours in the Bordeaux region for an English speaking international clientele. Bookings will take place through our administrative offices in the Netherlands. Activities in the Bordeaux region are based at Chateau Coulon Laurensac.
For more information about us and our experience please click here
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2. Why choose The Bordeaux Wine Experience?
- You’ll travel with the Bordeaux specialists
The Bordeaux Wine Experience is the only company offering tours like these, that is run by real wine professionals who actually live in Bordeaux. Unlike many tours that are run by people who are merely visitors to the Bordeaux region we live here, they don't. They just visit our region. With us you'll tour with the Bordeaux specialists!
We live in the Bordeaux region, we love the Bordeaux region and we tour the Bordeaux region. Some companies tour Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, Languedoc, Italy and Spain and Bordeaux…
We specialize in Bordeaux and tour only the Bordeaux region, because we believe you can’t be good at everything!
We have over 20 years experience in tasting and touring Bordeaux and have been living in the Bordeaux region for years now. Our house, Chateau Coulon Laurensac, lies in the vineyards and we visit the wineries of Médoc and Saint Emilion almost every week.
We personally know chateau owners and wine makers. Nearly all our friends are in the wine business. We personally have the contacts with the top chateaux and very best restaurants in the region.
And last, but not least, we are certified wine experts and non-certified wine lovers with a large collection of Bordeaux wines in our wine cellar, which, by the way, we love to taste and share.
In short: You'll tour with the people who live there!
- You’ll get the personal touch
We personally plan and organize the tours and it’s us who make the contacts with the chateaux and the restaurants. You will be staying at our chateau. It just doesn't get more personal than that.
We don’t just book some fancy hotel for you or a “private” chateau owned by some insurance company. You will stay at our own Chateau Coulon Laurensac. This is one of the reasons our prices can be so competitive. Our chateau is Michelin rated and you'll have all the comfort and luxury you can possibly need, but you won't pay for facilities you are not going to use. We think you can better spend that part of your budget on wine...
We are professionals and we are proud of what we do. But don’t take our word for it. Read what guests on previous tours have said.
- You’ll discover the good stuff, and have fun at the same time!
Leave your tuxedo, suits and ties at home! A wine tour is a vacation and you are on vacation to have fun! With us you visit the good stuff, the best Grand Cru Chateaux. But our wine tours are definitely not stuffy. Sure, we dine at Michelin starred restaurants, but at the good ones, not the formal ones. We try to avoid the somewhat impressive, formal restaurants where eating sometimes turns into an exam. We prefer the more contemporary "younger" ones.
- You’ll share the fun in wine and food
No gala dinners or other formal and stuffy events on our wine tours. In an informal relaxed atmosphere we will introduce you to the fun of wine and wine tasting. The French enjoy their wines; they don’t feel the need to read four different books before they can drink a glass of wine. Of course if you know a little bit more about the region and its wines you’ll appreciate it more. We will introduce you to this knowledge, but the most important part is that you will enjoy tasting these wines.
Do you think it is a coincidence that the life expectancy in the Bordeaux region is the highest in Europe? We don’t think so! We believe it is because people here enjoy the good things in life and have great fun enjoying it. That is one of the reasons we like to live here! And this enjoyment is what we like to share with you when you travel with The Bordeaux Wine Experience.
- You'll be received like welcome friends
We love what we do and it shows. We love sharing our beautiful region with you on our tours. For us this is not a job, it is a passion. Our mission is to make this wonderful world of Bordeaux and its wines accessible to all levels of wine lovers. And we are a strong believers that a sense of humor will keep us all from taking everything too serious. Remember: we tour prestigious estates, not pretentious people.
You'll experience the difference when touring with us. We would love to welcome you at our chateau in Bordeaux!
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3. What's important when choosing a wine tour company?
For us, the most important factors while choosing a wine tour company are: confidence, comfort and quality of the experience. And of course you want to choose a specialized local company.
You obviously want to tour Bordeaux with local wine professionals you can trust.
We would like to suggest you check the following ten important questions and compare them to the ten answers given for The Bordeaux Wine Experience:
- Is the tour company local? Be careful some tour company's operate from other country's, like the USA or Great Britain. This means they are as much a visitor to the region as you are, with all the inconveniences and extra costs involved.
And even if they do come to Bordeaux a few times a year, or use some local guide as a hired hand, you can imagine that their contacts and their local knowledge by definition can not be at the same level as those of Bordeaux wine tour specialists who live in the region all year round.
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: Unlike many tours that are run by people who are merely visitors to the Bordeaux region we live here, they don't. They just visit our region. With us you'll tour with the Bordeaux specialists!
With us you will tour with Ronald and Margaret, wine professionals who actually live in the Bordeaux region and not with some hired gun! Our house, Chateau Coulon Laurensac, lies in the vineyards and we visit the wineries of Médoc and Saint Emilion almost every week. We personally know chateau owners and wine makers. Nearly all our friends are in the wine business. We live in Bordeaux and we have the contacts with the top chateaux and the very best restaurants in the region. We offer a "local" Bordeaux experience that non-Bordeaux based companies just can't offer. Remember we live here, they don't.
- Is the company specialized in Bordeaux? Be careful, some companies try to tour everything. They tour Burgundy, Loire, Champagne, Rhone, Languedoc, Italy and Spain, etc, --and sometimes even Bordeaux…
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: With us you’ll travel with the Bordeaux specialists. We specialize in Bordeaux and tour only the Bordeaux region, because as wine professionals we believe you can’t be a specialist at everything!
Of course as wine professionals our knowledge and experience is broader than Bordeaux alone. We have specialized on Bordeaux but we taste wines from other regions in the world regularly and of course know a lot about them.
- Is the company a bonded and licensed tour operator? Be careful, some companies offer wine tours as a sidekick without any form of consumer protection in place. Sometimes restaurants, sommeliers, wine shops or educators offer tours without being a licensed tour operator or sometimes even without being a "real " company or even without a real address...
Check out their address (if they provide one...) on Google. Don't forget to ad something like "postal center" to your search. Some of these "postal centers" even offer questionable wine tour companies the thrill of a bogus real street address. In reality there is nothing more than a private post office box...
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience:
Licensed: With us you travel with a bonded and licensed tour operator. The Bordeaux Wine Experience is a licensed tour operator with registration number: 320.66.170.
Bonded:
With us you travel with a bonded and licensed tour operator. It is very important to us that you do have a good wine vacation as we passionately believe that holidays are important. You want to be sure that your money is secure with us. This is about your vacation and your money and we understand that both are important to you.
Our company has been established since 1997and is financially sound and as a professional wine tour operator we are bonded. We have a large bond protected by an irrevocable letter of credit. In the unlikely event of our insolvency this money will be used to refund advanced bookings.
Address
The Bordeaux Wine Experience is a Dutch company specializing in wine and culinary tours in the Bordeaux region for an English speaking international clientele. We have two very real addresses, one in The Netherlands and the other in Bordeaux:Bookings will take place through our administrative offices in the Netherlands:
BXWINEX BV d/b/a The Bordeaux Wine Experience
Patrijzenhof 125
3755 EN EEMES
The Netherlands.The wine tour activities in the Bordeaux region are based at:
Château Coulon Laurensac
(Click here to locate us on Google Earth you can even see our pool!)
1, chemin de Meydieu
33360 Latresne (BORDEAUX)
France.
- Why are non-local companies so much more expensive?
Be careful, with a non-local company you are paying more, for two obvious reasons:
Firstly, other companies, from the USA for instance, have to fly people in and need hotels for their staff, which you will pay for of course.
Secondly, to impress you, they need to book expensive hotels with tennis courts, sauna's and other facilities you are not going to use, because you will be touring the vineyards most of the time.
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience:
Firstly, as we have seen before, we live in the Bordeaux region so there is no travel expenses or hotel accommodation needed for us.
Secondly, You will stay at our own Chateau Coulon Laurensac. This is one of the reasons our prices can be so competitive. Our chateau is Michelin rated and you'll have all the comfort and luxury you can possibly need, but you won't pay for facilities you are not going to use. We think you can better spend that part of your budget on wine...
- Is the tour going to be fun? Be careful some tour company's emphasize on prestige, gala dinners, superlative service and all the other pretentious and overpriced stuffy blah blah.
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: With us you'll taste, learn and enjoy in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Leave your tuxedo, suits and ties at home! A wine tour is a vacation and you are on vacation to have fun! With us you visit the good stuff, the best Grand Cru Chateaux. But our wine tours are definitely not stuffy. Our mission is to make this wonderful world of Bordeaux and its wines accessible to all levels of wine lovers. And we are a strong believers that a sense of humor keeps us all from taking everything too serious. Remember: we tour prestigious estates, not pretentious people.
- What is the minimum number of guest for a tour? What is the risk for a cancellation due to low bookings? Be careful, some company's let you book a tour and after you've made your travel arrangements they will cancel due to low bookings.
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: The minimum number of guest for a tour is just two! So if you are a couple booking you won't have any risks for cancellation due to low bookings. All our tours will start with a two guest minimum.
- Where and when will the tour begin? Be careful, some tour company's start their tours early in the morning on the first day. In reality this means you have to book an extra night somewhere (not included in the price of course).
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: Our tours always start with a check in in the afternoon so you have some time to settle in before your first tasting experience that evening. No hidden costs of an extra night here.
Our tour price also includes all taxes, tips and gratuities. We hate hidden costs just as much as you do.
- What meals are included? Be careful some company's do not include all meals, especially not all the lunches are included.
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: On our tours all meals are included with the exception of one dinner on your own in the city of Bordeaux.
- Are all the wines during the meals included? Be careful some tour company's let you buy your own wine with the meals, or not all the wines are included.
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: All wines are included. No one will leave thirsty; or hungry for that matter. You can see what we tasted on our past Bordeaux wine tours here.
- What kind of transportation is used? Be careful some companies will cram you in a 9 passenger minibus for 8 guests and a driver (not our idea of luxury and comfort).
Answer for The Bordeaux Wine Experience: We use very comfortable air conditioned vehicles well adapted to the size of the group Of course these vehicles are loaded with ice cold bottled water.
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4. Are the Bordeaux Wine Experience Tours in English?
Yes. All of our tours are designed for an international English speaking clientele.
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5. How do I book one of your tours?
Just take a look at the tours we offer and select the tour you like best or the dates that are convenient for you. Then fill out the form. On reception of this form we will send you the reservation forms for the tour of your choice. We'll send them to you by email, fax or postal mail. You can fax your forms to us at +31 35 531 80 49 (our Dutch fax number) and send them to us by postal mail to the address indicated on the forms, along with your deposit of €1000 EURO per guest. We'll send you confirmation of your reservation within ten days of receiving your forms, along with information about the tour to enable you to make your travel plans. Your balance payment is due 90 days prior to your tour start date.
Reservations will be accepted on a first come first serve basis (based on the date of receipt of down payment) and are subject to availability.
Please don't hesitate to call or e-mail us about any tour that you are interested in and to check if there are places available.
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6. How far in advance do I need to book my tour?
Reservations will be accepted on a first come first serve basis (based on the date of receipt of down payment) and are subject to availability. The farther in advance that you book, the greater availability of dates or room preferences you'll find. Avoid disappointments and reserve now.
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7. Can I make a last minute booking for one of your tours?
Yes you can. Many people book well in advance and to be fair to everyone there are no last minute discounts. However, it is always worth contacting us as we may have an availability.
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8. Do you recommend taking trip insurance?
If you think you might cancel then don't take the risk and purchase it. Your local insurance company can provide you with an insurance against: trip cancellation, trip interruption, emergency assistance and medical evacuation, accident and sickness medical, expense and baggage. We of course hope you won't be needing it, but if you do, you will be glad you did purchase it.
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9. What is double occupancy?
Two people sharing a room.
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10. What credit cards do you accept?
We accept Visa, Master card and American Express credit cards.
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11. Where are your activities based?
The tour activities of The Bordeaux Wine Experience have their base at Chateau Coulon Laurensac in Latresne just outside the city of Bordeaux. No hotel hopping on our tours, you will stay in the same room during your entire tour.
The location is ideal for visiting Bordeaux and its vineyards. People sometimes think the Médoc is the best place to stay during a visit to this region. In reality the Médoc is great to visit and we go to this area on every tour, but it is less ideal for staying. The Médoc is rather rural and people often find themselves a little "lost" when they are staying there.
Staying close to the city of Bordeaux is much more convenient if you also want the visit Bordeaux itself and the Saint Emilion, Graves and Sauternes wine regions. Obviously the transfers to the train station and airport are much shorter.
Chateau Coulon Laurensac has a real country feel to it, but is very close to Bordeaux and the surrounding wine growing regions.
The Chateau is our home and we live here all year round. Our administrative offices are in the Netherlands. Bookings will take place through these offices.
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12. What is your address?
The Bordeaux Wine Experience is a Dutch company specializing in wine and
culinary tours in the Bordeaux region for an English speaking international clientele.
Bookings will take place through our administrative offices in the Netherlands:
BXWINEX BV d/b/a The Bordeaux Wine Experience
Patrijzenhof 125
3755 EN EEMES
The Netherlands.
The wine tour activities in the Bordeaux region are based at:
Château Coulon Laurensac (Click here and you can even see our pool!)
1, chemin de Meydieu
33360 Latresne (BORDEAUX)
France.
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13. Why are your administrative offices in the Netherlands?
Although we have been living in France for almost eight years now, we are originally from the Netherlands. Cutting through the Dutch red-tape was much easier (and cheaper) for us than doing it in France. (And we prefer the Dutch "Uncle Sam" over the French...)
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14. Are you a real company? (believe it or not, but people ask us this sometimes).
I can understand you are careful in the Internet age, but don't worry: we are a real company with brick-and-mortar offices in Bordeaux and in the Netherlands. (In Bordeaux the brick and mortar actually is over two hundred years old!). You can find our addresses here. We are registered by the government (registration number: 320.66.170). With The Bordeaux Wine Experience you travel with a professional bonded and licensed tour operator.
We are a member of the Bordeaux Tourist Office and we are a member of the W.T.I.A.: The Wine Tour International Association. Our company accepts American Express, Visa and Master Card.
Chateau Coulon Laurensac, were you will stay when you tour with us, is our home. This Chateau is rated by the Michelin guide and we are included in the well known "Special Places to Stay".
Every month you can find our ads in Wine Spectator Magazine, on the Wine Spectator web site and in Decanter Magazine.
We have had many satisfied (or should I say: delighted) clients. Believe me, we didn't make up those guest comments on this web site.
If you still have any doubts or questions, please call me (Ronald) direct at +33 556 20 64 12 and I will be more than happy to answer all the questions you might have. If you want to, it will be my pleasure to bring you in contact with some of our guests from previous tours.
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15. What kind of transportation do you use on your tours?
We use very comfortable air conditioned vehicles well adapted to the size of the group, of course these vehicles are loaded with ice cold bottled water.
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16. Do you organize wine tours to other wine growing areas than Bordeaux?
No, we don't. We specialize on wine tours in the Bordeaux region. We believe you can't be a specialist on everything. That's why we don't do Burgundy, Rhone, Champagne, Italy, Spain or any other wine growing region.
The Bordeaux wines are our preference and our passion.
Bordeaux and its region is the wine growing region where we have been coming for over 20 years and where we live now permanently.
Remember: We live in the Bordeaux region, we love the Bordeaux region and we tour the Bordeaux region. But we tour the Bordeaux region only.
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17. What about airfare, train tickets etc?
Roundtrip airfare from your home to the point of departure is not included in our tour packages. Many of our clients use frequent flyer miles or make pre- and post-trip plans that they prefer to control themselves by booking their own air transportation. We do not arrange or reserve any travel (air, land or sea) to any destination. You will have to make all travel arrangements directly yourself. Please contact your local travel agent about airline tickets to Paris and from there to Bordeaux. If you 'd like to spent a few days in Paris (and who wouldn't), you can take the high-speed train in Paris and will be in Bordeaux (Gare St. Jean) within 3 hours. At the Gare Saint Jean train station or at the Bordeaux Mérignac airport you can easily get a taxi. A short ride will bring you to Chateau Coulon Laurensac.
You can reserve you train tickets online by clicking here.
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18. Where do your tours start and end? How do I get there?
All our tours start at Chateau Coulon Laurensac just 5 km from buzzing Bordeaux. The Chateau is conveniently situated at 20 minutes from the airport Bordeaux Mérignac and 10 minutes from the Gare St. Jean train station. At the train station or at the Bordeaux airport you can easily get a taxi. A short ride will bring you to Chateau Coulon Laurensac.
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19. What kind of accommodation will we be staying at?
During your tour with The Bordeaux Wine Experience you you’ll stay at the beautiful Michelin rated Bed and Breakfast rooms of Château Coulon Laurensac. The enchanting Palladian Château (built in 1790!) is located just ten minutes from the city of Bordeaux and has beautiful views of the vineyards surrounding the property.
The chateau, which figures in the prestigious "Special Places to Stay" guidebook, offers two suites, one junior suite and two deluxe rooms. That is why five couples is the maximum number we can accommodate at our chateau.
The rooms are situated next to the château in the former 'chai à barriques', where the wine used to age in oak barrels. The rooms are completely renovated and redecorated to welcome you with all the modern comfort. Of course the traditional qualities of the building have been respected.
All rooms have king size beds and include private, en suite bathrooms with a jacuzzi bath and toilets.
Guests will stay not in hotels but at this privately owned Chateau. This is one of the reasons our prices can be so competitive. You'll have all the comfort and luxury you can possibly need, but you won't pay for hotel-like facilities you are not going to use. We think you can better spend that part of your budget on wine...
Click here to read more and see pictures of the rooms at the Chateau.
The location, on the riverbanks of the Garonne River, just outside Bordeaux, is the perfect starting point for tours in all the famous wine regions of the Bordeaux area.
For your health and enjoyment, Chateau Coulon Laurensac is a NON SMOKING property.
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20. Will we be changing accommodations on the tour?
No! There will be no hotel hopping on our tours. Chateau Coulon Laurensac, where you will be staying, is centrally located for visiting the Bordeaux vineyards. You will stay here from the first wine tasting until the farewell dinner and the final breakfast.
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21. How many people will there be in a group?
We want to keep things personal and aim for the highest level of service and quality. That's why we only organize tours for small groups and tailor made trips.
A small group from our perspective means a maximum of ten people. Five couples is the maximum number we can and will accommodate at our chateau. That’s just you and four other couples!
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22. What is the minimum number of guest for a tour? What is the risk for a cancellation due to low bookings?
The minimum number of guest for a tour is just two! So if you are a couple booking you won't have any risks for cancellation due to low bookings.
All our tours will start with a two guest minimum.
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23. I didn't see a single rate. Do you have single rooms available?
We do not have a single rate for our tours. Chateau Coulon Laurensac is a relative small property with just 5 rooms. At the Chateau there are no single rooms so there are no single rates. We do have twin rooms, so if you are traveling single, you could could team up with a friend and take a twin room without any single supplement.
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24. What kind of people take your tours and what age groups can I expect?
That's one of the most interesting parts of our profession. We receive and get to meet guests from all walks of life and of all ages. We have received people from the world of finance, education and the medical professions. We have had guest who were CEO's, real estate agents, airplane pilots or entrepreneurs, both active and retired. The age of The Bordeaux Wine Experience travelers, generally ranges from early to mid-30's up to late-50's. Until now we have had people in an age range from 25 to 80 years. All have a common interest in travel, food and wine.
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25. Do I need to know a lot about wine to take one of your tours?
Absolutely not! A wine tour is a vacation and you are on vacation to have fun. Some of our guests are just discovering the basics of the wonderful word of wine where as others already have a more in depth wine knowledge. All guests have a common interest in travel, food and wine and enjoy the good things in life.
Our guide will quickly have a feel for the way our guests are interested in wine and can explain things in a way that will be interesting for all "levels" in wine knowledge.
In an informal relaxed atmosphere we will introduce you to the fun of wine and wine tasting. There is plenty of room for more advanced discussions for those who have more experience or a specialty interest
The French enjoy their wines; they don’t feel the need to read four different books before they can drink a glass of wine. Of course if you know a little bit more about the region and its wines you’ll appreciate it more. We will introduce you to this knowledge, but the most important part is that you will enjoy tasting these wines.
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26. What should I prepare for when traveling to France?
Many things are different in France. That's of course part of the thrill of traveling abroad.
The French organizational skills are at a different level than there cooking and wine making skills. Although we meticulously prepare every step of our tours, we at times have to improvise which means we sometimes all have to adapt to a new reality. If you have read any of Peter Mayle's books on living in France, you know what we mean. We live here so we know that functioning in France means we all have to be a little flexible at times. If you'll come to France with an open mind, a little flexibility and a mild sense of humor, I am sure you will love this French experience as much as we do.
The French take food and wine very serious. That's why in France the evening meal in a restaurant usually takes up the entire evening. No three seating's in French restaurants. The advantage is of course that you can take the time to enjoy the delicious food and wine pairings. The dining experience will start later than you might be used to. Restaurants usually start serving at eight O'clock in de evening.
Some times guests at first are amazed that waiters in restaurants don't clear the dishes away as soon as they have eaten their food. In France this is considered impolite and the waiting staff will wait until everybody at the table has finished their course. Then they will usually wait a while before they bring in the next dish. Don't be surprised to spend a few hours at dinner.
People that are used to functioning in an air conditioned environment are sometimes amazed that restaurants and rooms do not have AC in France. This is quite normal in France. We don't know a restaurant in the region that is air conditioned and the rooms at Coulon Laurensac have no air conditioning either. Nor do our private quarters (just my wine cellar...).
On the other hand all vehicles we use on our tours are air conditioned!
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27. What can I expect from a wine chateau or winery visit?
Maybe you have been to wineries where you choose wines you want to taste from a list, pay and then taste. You may have seen the wine busses in California loaded up with a bunch of people who know nothing of wine but simply want to "drink it up". In France it is very different.
Without sounding snobbish, winery visits in Bordeaux are about tasting, not drinking, and are very different from visits in the U.S. and many other country’s.
In Bordeaux it often is difficult getting in to the most interesting wine chateaux if you are not an established wine professional. Chateaux are generally not open to the public and are not used to receive visitors. Don't worry, we have the contacts and will get you in.
With us you will be received in a very welcoming way. We usually get a personalized tour conducted by the cellar master, the winemaker, the chateau owner or sometimes a guide. Usually they will speak English, if they don’t, we will translate everything for you, including any questions you might have.
Normally, before we taste we will first visit the chateau’s wine making facilities such as the vat room and aging cellars.
And then there is the tasting. Some chateaux have a tasting room at others you will taste in the cellar or in the chateau itself. The tastings vary from chateau to chateau and can be extensive with barrel samples or wines from older vintages.
Each visit has its own charm apart from the wine. Sometimes it will be the spectacular architecture of the chateau, next time it may be the gardens that leave an everlasting impression. Mouton Rothschild for instance has its own private museum, at Chateau Haut Brion you will see a cooper working.
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28. What kind of physical shape do I need to be in to enjoy a wine tour?
Naturally we'll drop you off as close to the chateaux as possible but there is of course some walking involved. To visit cellars you obviously have to be able to climb stairs and walk around at the wineries, although the distances usually aren't very far. Often there is no place to sit during the tastings. If you need a hand, we are always more than willing to help you.
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29. I want to take the tour, but my partner is not that interested in wine. What can you suggest?
For partners who are not that interested in winery visits, we can create an alternative program for some events of the tour, for instance shopping, sightseeing, golf, or spa treatments. Bordeaux and it's wonderful region offers plenty points of interest for all travelers. If you lest us know well in advance we love to suggest and book alternative options for you (additional charges will apply).
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30. Can I buy wine during the tours? How can we ship it home?
Of course you can, although you must realize that only a few of the Classified Growth Chateaux sell wine directly. Even if they do, however, the choice of vintages is often limited. There are merchants in Bordeaux or Saint Emilion who can ship for you and, of course you can always bring some wine home with you on the plane. Sometimes you might be required to pay some duty on these. As the duty is based on the alcohol content, it is usual only worth your while bringing home some of the better wines.
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31. Do you, The Bordeaux Wine Experience, sell any wine?
No we don't. Many of our guests ask us to sell wine to them because of our contacts in the world of Bordeaux wines. We have chosen not to sell wine because we want to remain independent and objective. If you sell a certain wine you might be tempted to include this chateau in tours or serve these wines at dinners. We want to be able to give our honest opinion on wines and choose chateaux for visits that we think are worth the detour without being commercially involved.
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32. Can I book just a day in the Bordeaux region for my next trip to Paris?
Yes of course. Just click here for our Paris - Bordeaux wine tour combination.
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33. What should I bring with me on my trip?
- Bring a copy of your passport's first page, copies of all your credit card numbers and the phone numbers to call in case you have to report a lost credit card. Keep these in a separate location from your wallet or purse. It's also a good idea to leave copies of all these numbers with a friend or relative back home. Should you lose your passport or credit cards, having this information will be invaluable.
- Bring comfortable shoes.
- Bring two sets of all prescription medicines that you must take and pack them in different locations in case one bag gets lost. Also bring a copy of your written prescriptions, including those for eyeglasses and contacts.
- Electric current in Europe is 220-240 volt/50 cycles in Europe and 120/110 volt and 60 cycles in North America. Make sure your personal appliances like hair-dryer, electric razor, computer power supply, etc., are multi-voltage compatible or bring a small converter.
- Bring a small carry-on with an extra set of clothes. Should the worst happen and your bag is lost, you will have a change of clothes until your bag catches up with you. If you must take daily medication, bring a two-day supply with you in the carry-on.
- You will also want your camera and lots of film or an extra memory card. Bringing a spare battery for your camera is also a good idea.
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34. What kind of clothes are suitable for your Bordeaux tours?
Leave your tuxedo, suit and ties at home! You 're on vacation to have fun!
Sure the French are somewhat more formal sometimes. Dress code in France is a combination of "casual and smart ". For your day trips to the Bordeaux vineyards, we advise you to bring some skirts and/or pants with tops/ light blouses. Men can wear pants with a (polo) shirt. We wouldn't recommend sneakers, t-shirts, sweats or shorts. Nice jeans are OK. The weather in summer usually is nice but a light sweater is a good idea to pack. Evenings can be cooler and the cellars we'll be visiting are usually around 60 Fahrenheit, so you better bring a sweater. Also pack a coat for the occasional shower.
For your day trips you'll need comfortable shoes. The cellar floors can be slippery, so you better avoid high heels.
You can also bring swim wear because we have a lovely swimming pool at Château Coulon Laurensac.
The restaurants we will visit vary from casual to modern and more elegant. Sure, we dine at Michelin starred restaurants, but at the good ones, not the formal ones. We try to avoid the somewhat impressive, formal restaurants where eating sometimes turns into an exam, and we prefer the more contemporary "younger" ones. Men won’t need a jacket for the restaurants we mentioned. You could wear one if you like; however French men don't wear ties very often, especially in summer. Women could wear dress pants or a skirt with a top or a dress.
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35. What is a good time in the year to visit Bordeaux and its vineyards?
Bordeaux and its vineyards are well worth visiting all year round. The yearly average temperature in Bordeaux is higher than that on the Cote d'Azur at the Mediterranean!
The city and its vineyards have their own charm and beauty in every season:
Spring is my favorite season in Bordeaux. Starting as early as February spring shows its self everywhere with beautiful Narcissus and lilacs. This season offers the promise of a new crop with the fresh new leaves with their fragile greens.
Summer shows the vines suffering under the hot sun with the turning of the grapes in July and the promise of another harvest .
Autumn brings busy period of the harvest and of course the spectacular site of the turning of the leaves under the, often still very warm, October sun. The sight of people harvesting everywhere in the region is worth the visit in itself. Please be aware that some chateaux won’t be very accessible.
Winter is one of the underestimated seasons to visit Bordeaux 
and its vineyards. The city of Bordeaux round Christmas, is downright spectacular. The decorations and the Christmas trees with their lights are beautifully set against the 18 nth century facades. The Christmas market at the Place Tourney attracts many visitors from every corner of the world. Even the vineyards in their winter rest offer an undeniable charm of their own. If you are lucky there will even be a little snow..
There is one period in the year that is less open for visiting the wineries
Unless you are in the wine trade, you should avoid Bordeaux in the last week of March and the first week of April. Those weeks are traditionally reserved for showing the new vintage to the trade. One week is for importers and key restaurant/retail buyers and the other week is mostly devoted to showing the wines to the press. You may still be able to visit some of the chateaux but many of the more interesting ones will be pre-occupied.
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36. What kind of meals will we have on your wine tours?
Our guest usually are delighted with the restaurants and meals we choose on our wine tours. Some will be at Michelin-starred restaurants; others at very fine, typically-local establishments that offer finely prepared gourmet dishes; often local specialties. Lunches will be full meals, at least appetizer-main dish-dessert; dinners usually include more courses. Sometimes you'll have a choice of dishes; other times, everyone will eat the same meal. In that case, Margaret will expertly have selected these dishes to ensure that everyone enjoys their meal.
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37. Can you have people with special dietary restrictions?
Menu planning is important, complex and arranged well in advance to feature local specialties and complement the wines. If we are advised on the booking form we can make arrangements for dietary requirements and serious dislikes. Vegetarianism is not understood in certain restaurants so alternatives may be limited, but in some places this is less of a problem than others. Please also state if you will for instance eat fish or chicken.
If you have dietary restrictions, dishes you can't eat or really hate, please let us know in advance. Usually we can accommodate most restrictions.
Don't worry, no one ever leaves our tours feeling hungry. Or thirsty for that matter.
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38. What kind of wines are included in the meals?
Well, Bordeaux wines of course... But seriously, we select premium wines from the best appellations such as Pauillac, Margaux, Saint Julien, St. Estèphe, Saint Emilion, Pomerol and Sauternes. Ronald will expertly match these premium wines with the different dishes selected by Margaret. You are of course free to order additional wine, other beverages or other extra's at your own cost, in addition to those included in the tour. This actually almost never happens as there is plenty of wine included at all meals.
Lunches generally will be accompanied by two different wines. At the dinners from a minimum of three different wines to six at the farewell dinner. You will taste many Classified Growths.
To get an idea about the wines you will taste you can have a look at the wines tasted during previous Bordeaux wine tours. You will agree with us that no one will leave thirsty; or hungry for that matter.
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39. Wont 't I gain weight eating all those delicious meals?
Yes, very likely..., but for some reason French Women don't get fat...
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40. Are all taxes and service charges included in the tour price?
Our quoted tour prices include all taxes, tips and gratuities. There are NO HIDDEN COSTS like service charges, local taxes or other charges.
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41. What do you recommend for accessing money during a tour?
In France travelers checks are a nuisance. The easiest (and cheapest) way to get money is by using your bank ATM card or credit card!
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42. Brochures - Can you send me a brochure?
No we can't! A printed brochure is notoriously outdated by the time it reaches you. Our brochure pages are electronic and are only displayed on our web site. This allows us to redirect the costs on printing expensive brochures to better quality services for our guests.
You can print pages of the site yourself. For this purpose you can use the printer icon at the top left hand side on every page (next to the language flags).
You should find all the information you need about your desired wine tours on these pages. If there are other details you would like to know that are not specified anywhere on these pages, please contact us through our online contact form.
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43. I got an error using the site
We strive to provide the best possible experience for our site visitors. However, technology isn't perfect so we need your help in finding and correcting any technical problems. Should you encounter one, please send an email to supportatBXWINEX.com
Please let us know:
- the kind of error you got (e.g., any words displayed in your browser to alert you to the error -- you may be able to copy and paste these directly into your email);
- what you were doing when the error occurred; and
- if the occurred when you were doing a search, please tell us what you typed into the search engine before the error occurred.
Thank you for your cooperation.
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If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!
Answers to day tour questions
A. Are your Bordeaux day tours pre-scheduled?
No they aren't. Each and every day tour is different and is created especially for you. If you want us to put together day tour for one or more days for you, you can ask us to do so by clicking here.
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B. How much does a day tour Bordeaux Grand Cru cost?
For the prices of day tours, please click here.
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C. Can we choose the chateaux we want to visit?
In general we plan the tours. You may suggest chateaux of your choice. Keep in mind, some chateaux require appointments several weeks in advance, and we can not guarantee their availability.
Please don't ask us for a day tour with just First Growths, because that is not possible on day tours. A day tour sometimes includes a visit to a Medoc First Growth, but usually it will be other Classified Growths.
If you are really set on visiting Medoc First Growths you should join one of our week Wine Tours.
If you have a larger group, or plan on visiting more exclusive wineries, then we must make arrangements with the wineries well in advance.
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D. We've never been to the Bordeaux region before, can you plan the tour and choose the best wineries for us?
Absolutely! Our day tours are designed to meet such needs, and we can also customize your day tour to meet the needs of your individual group. We will ask you some basic questions, such as the types of wine you like, what you think you'd like to see, and if you are a 1st time visitor or an experienced Wine Country traveler. Then we use that information to begin planning a unique experience for you.
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E. There's only two of us for a day tour, is this then a private tour or will be there other people on the same tour?
All our day tour packages are will be private. At the visits at the chateau's sometimes you will be joined by other people as the wineries occasionally group visits.
The minimum number of guest for a tour is just two! So if you are a couple booking you won't have any risks for cancellation due to low bookings.
All day tours will start with a two guest minimum.
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F. We went on one of your tours before, can we do something different on our next trip?
Of course! We have guests who have visited the Bordeaux region several times, and they call upon us to provide them with another unique experience. With over 10.000 wine chateaux, hundreds of places to dine, and special events throughout the year,
no wine tour to Bordeaux and its region is ever the same!
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G. Do you offer self drive, self guided tours?
Yes we do. For guest who stay at Chateau Coulon Laurensac we can make recommendations for some wine chateaux in the Médoc an Saint Emilion areas that allow drop in visits. They won't be the same chateaux as in our day trips program, but they will be nice visits and you will have to make your appointments yourself. It often is difficult getting people in to the most interesting wine chateaux without a guide. These chateaux often only receive visitors accompanied by an established wine professional. We have the contacts and we can get you into those, but not alone. Apart from that, we are convinced that you'll be getting so much more out of the experience if you visit the vineyards with the guidance of a wine expert. So, even if you are planning on exploring the area for a longer period of time we would like to suggest to take at least one guided day tour with us. You'll get a better orientation on Bordeaux and its region. You can ask all the questions you like before further exploring the region on your own.
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H. Are all taxes and service charges included in the tour price?
Our quoted tour prices include all taxes, tips and gratuities. There are NO HIDDEN COSTS like service charges, local taxes or other charges.
I. Brochures - Can you send me a brochure?
No we can't! A printed brochure is notoriously outdated by the time it reaches you. Our brochure pages are electronic and are only displayed on our web site. This allows us to redirect the costs on printing expensive brochures to better quality services for our guests.
You can print pages of the site yourself. For this purpose you can use the printer icon at the top left hand side on every page (next to the language flags).
You should find all the information you need about your desired wine tours on these pages. If there are other details you would like to know that are not specified anywhere on these pages, please contact us through our online contact form.
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us!
For more information or bookings
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Wine and culinary tours in the Bordeaux region, France
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