The Bordeaux Wine Magazine 2026 February issue by the Bordeaux Wine Experience, the leading Bordeaux Wine Tour Company
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This magazine was shared with you as a member
of our exclusive circle of Bordeaux wine enthusiasts.
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Guests celebrating an unforgettable experience at Chateau d’Yquem
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A Personal Note From Michael,
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Bordeaux just rolled over and hit the snooze button. It’s February.
Quiet streets. Soggy socks. Groggy kids.
I won’t pretend to speak for the vines, but they look just as drowsy, damp, and unimpressed as the rest of us.
We’re settled in that stuck-in-between moment: happy to leave January’s ambition and forgotten resolutions behind us…
And excited for the en primeurs tastings, where I’ll be discovering the 2025 vintage for you… one of the perks of this passion.
But today, I am warmed by a few small treasures tucked away in my cellar:
Gifts from my ever-charming wife, Maud.
A wine that makes Bordeaux, and our tours, so special: Chateau d’Yquem.
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Michael and Maud, staying dry in the 13-hectare underground cave network of Clos Fourtet in Saint-Émilion
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A Golden Tradition Continues
When visiting Yquem, our guests taste younger vintages, vibrant, beautiful, and full of promise and delight.
Then, as a kind of ritual, the last wine of the last meal on the last day is always a carefully selected older vintage of Yquem.
A bottle that needs no introduction, with history, pedigree, and unchallenged authority. It’s a truly special occasion.
This year, Maud managed to secure some very special Yquem.
Not just rare, but remarkable for its provenance. A bottle with a story that deserves to be uncorked properly.
Here’s the story behind this exceptional wine and why it matters.
I’ll also pause to honour the recent passing of a Bordeaux legend, Daniel Cathiard.
But first, Yquem.
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Guests enjoying a bottle of Yquem during our farewell dinner
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Michael, loves creating unforgettable wine experiences for you
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Join us for an unforgettable wine-filled experience in Bordeaux. Let’s uncork the extraordinary!
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Discover Youtube Channel:
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Experience our Bordeaux Grand Cru & Harvest Tours
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A Superb, Fun, and Exclusive Wine Vacation
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Chateau d’Yquem: A Golden Experience, Best Shared
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Chateau d’Yquem: 1er Cru Supérieur Sauternes
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No Compromises. Just Yquem.
Chateau d’Yquem is a guest favorite, an international icon, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Shaped by over 400 years of care, patience, and extraordinary terroir, the Premier Grand Cru Classé Supérieur has been tended by the Sauvage and Lur Saluces families for generations.
Today, in LVMH’s hands, Yquem honors its history while boldly embracing the future.
But Yquem only exists when nature allows it. Some years, there’s no vintage at all: 2012, 1992, 1974, 1972, 1964, 1952, 1951, 1930, 1915, 1910.
Our guests are always amazed that if the grapes don’t meet Yquem’s exacting standard, they simply don’t make it.
No excuses. No compromises. Just Yquem.
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Michael getting a little frisky with his new bottles of Yquem
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Don’t Be Fooled by Appearances
Botrytis Cinerea, also known as Noble Rot, is a masterclass in patience, precision, and fearless timing.
It takes high-stakes timing, fog-drenched mornings, and a touch of accidental history.
On top of that, you need perfect execution to transform these wilted, fungus-covered grapes into their destined golden nectar.
These grapes are picked berry by berry in what they call waves. As a result, pickers return to the same vine up to twelve times!
It’s no surprise that our returning guests often say the sweetest memories come from tasting these berries straight off the vine.
Yes, Yquem puts the Noble in Noble Rot.
(fun fact: one vine equals one glass of wine)
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Noble Rot (Botrytis Cinerea)
a masterclass in patience and precision
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Maud Found Me a Treasure
Some consider opening a young Yquem sacrilege. Others savor it at every stage.
I prefer it well-aged. However you pour it, it’s unforgettable.
Recently, Maud managed to find the unfindable. She secured some truly special bottles for me.
You wouldn’t believe it…
Maud found bottles of Yquem over forty years old, straight from the personal cellar of the late Count Alexandre de Lur Saluces.
Alexandre was the last owner of Yquem from the Lur Saluces family.
In 1999, due to the outrageous French inheritance tax laws, he was sadly forced to sell the chateau to the LVMH luxury group.
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Former Owner of Chateau d’Yquem: Alexandre de Lur Saluces
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Provenance is Key
But back to these great wines. These aren’t bottles you stumble upon. With older bottles, the main challenge is always provenance.
Here, the provenance couldn’t be better… directly from the Count’s personal cellar.
And the good news: if you join us in Bordeaux, I’ll be sharing this unique tasting experience with you.
Because yes, opening Yquem is an experience. This golden nectar isn’t tasted. It’s lived, shared, and remembered.
Especially the legendary 1983 vintage.
Why is this wine so special to me? Sure, it’s a Robert Parker 99-pointer. But more importantly, it’s from my birth year!
This particular vintage of Yquem is likely aging better than I am. And in rare form, I decided to show some restraint and will wait to experience the ’83 Yquem with our guests at the Farewell Dinner.
Want to join me? We still have a few spots for 2026, and we’ve just released the schedule for our 2027 Bordeaux Wine Tour.
Uncork the extraordinary. Uncork Yquem.
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Chateau d’Yquem 1983
a legendary vintage, meant to be shared
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Honoring a Bordeaux Great: Daniel Cathiard (1944-2026)
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Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte: Grand Cru Classe in the Pessac-Léognan appellation
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Remembering Daniel Cathiard
In our last issue, I wrote that in Bordeaux, wine is just the starting point.
Follow the wine, and you meet the people. The people who make Bordeaux, Bordeaux.
There is nothing more Bordeaux than Daniel Cathiard and Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte.
With Florence, his wife and fellow Olympic skier, by his side, Daniel revived a struggling Smith Haut Lafitte, transforming the estate into one of the region’s modern benchmarks.
Through careful stewardship, long-term vision, and an unwavering belief in quality, they helped redefine what excellence in Pessac-Léognan could look like.
Daniel Cathiard is a legend.
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Bordeaux Power Couple: Daniel and Florence Cathiard
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An Extraordinary Life
Bordeaux remembers Daniel as a man guided by determination, curiosity, and a deep love for the craft.
His life was anything but ordinary. Before dedicating himself to wine, he was an Olympic skier, a successful entrepreneur, and later in life, an investor.
Yet wine was always the thread that drew him back.
Beyond Smith Haut Lafitte and his ventures in Napa Valley, Cathiard Vineyard, Daniel’s influence extended far beyond any single property.
His patience, precision, and quiet ambition shaped not just an estate but a generation of winemakers and wine lovers who learned from his example.
Just ask anyone in Bordeaux.
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Daniel Cathiard: his life was anything but ordinary
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His Legacy Lives On
We lost one of the greats. Yet his legacy endures in his wines and in the generosity and curiosity he sparked in everyone who knew him.
Today, our guests continue to walk the vineyards he tended and celebrate the wines he championed.
Thoughtful, relentless, and quietly bold, Daniel Cathiard left an indelible mark on Bordeaux.
On its land, its people, and its future.
He was 81 years old.
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Remembering Daniel Cathiard (1944-2026)
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Start Planning Your Bordeaux Wine Experience
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The Bordeaux Wine Experiences are designed for those who value experience over the ordinary,
conversation over crowds, and the rare privilege of being welcomed behind doors seldom opened.
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The Bordeaux Grand Cru Tour
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Venues typically inaccessible to the public
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Join the Bordeaux Grand Cru Tour for an experience of pure opulence, featuring exquisite cuisine and exceptional wines.
Taste the soul of Bordeaux through its most celebrated vineyards and vintages.
From legendary First Growths to hidden family estates, each glass reveals a story of passion, terroir, and time-honored craftsmanship.
Savor exclusive chateau meals for a truly gorgeous, culinary experience.
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The gastronomic delights are nothing short of extraordinary, featuring exclusive meals set in remarkable venues typically inaccessible to the public.
The tour presents a rare opportunity to taste all five First Growths of over 25 years old, plus the Superior First Growth Chateau d’Yquem of over 40 years old!
This tour offers exclusive dining, exceptional wines, and aged vintages, creating an unforgettable journey into Bordeaux’s culinary and wine excellence.
What makes it even more special is the inclusion of older vintages, adding a unique dimension to the wine-tasting experience.
It’s no wonder that the Bordeaux Grand Cru Tour has earned its status as a beloved favorite.
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The Bordeaux Grand Cru Harvest Tour
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The Bordeaux Grand Cru Harvest Tour
Behold one of our most exclusive tours, a wine lover’s dream come true in the heart of Bordeaux.
This ultimate wine tour promises an unparalleled experience, setting the bar for perfection.
Harvest time in Bordeaux is thrilling, filled with anticipation and vibrant energy in the vineyards.
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Taste all five First Growths of over 25 years old
plus Chateau d’Yquem of over 40 years old
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Prepare to be amazed as you savor the exquisite taste of all five First Growths of over 25 years old, plus the Superior First Growth Chateau d’Yquem of over 40 years old!
The tour doesn’t stop there; it extends to include the best offerings from Saint Emilion and Pomerol, featuring many older vintages.
Elevating the experience further are the outstanding meals meticulously curated at exceptional venues rarely accessible to the public.
This blend of exceptional tastings and exclusive dining makes this tour highly sought-after, offering Bordeaux enthusiasts the ultimate wine, culinary, and harvest season experience. season.
It’s no surprise that the Bordeaux Grand Cru Harvest Tour has become a cherished favorite.
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2026 Bordeaux Wine Tour Schedule
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What makes our Bordeaux Wine and Culinary Tours so special?
- Exclusive Touring Experience:
Limited to just six double/twin rooms and two singles, our tours prioritize intimacy and personalized attention for a truly exclusive experience.
- Effortless and Carefree Travel:
Enjoy carefree and seamless travel in Bordeaux as we take care of every detail, ensuring a hassle-free journey from start to finish.
- Taste all 5 First Growths and Chateau d’Yquem!
Savor all five First Growths and Chateau Yquem, providing an extraordinary opportunity to taste some of Bordeaux’s most prestigious wines.
- Expert and Humorous Guidance:
Benefit from the expertise and humor of Michael and Maud, along with their dedicated team, for an informative and enjoyable tour.
- Gourmet Dining at Exclusive Venues:
Savor gourmet meals at exclusive Bordeaux chateaux and private venues for a unique culinary experience.
- An Entertaining, Michelin-Star Cooking Class:
Join a fun, Michelin-Star cooking class to master culinary techniques and taste Bordeaux’s finest wines.
- Chateau Accommodation:
Rest in comfort at an air-conditioned, 1872 chateau, offering an elegant and historic setting for a truly authentic Bordeaux experience.
- Luxury Transportation:
Explore Bordeaux in comfort with our air-conditioned luxury motor coach throughout the tour.
- Small Group, Big Fun:
Enjoy fine food, great wines, and fun in an intimate small group, making your Bordeaux adventure truly memorable
- Grand Cru Farewell Dinner:
Culminate your journey with a Grand Cru Farewell Dinner featuring an array of Grand Cru wines, including a well-aged Chateau Margaux and the prestigious Chateau d’Yquem, over 40 years old!Discover Bordeaux beyond the ordinary, exceptional wines, gourmet cuisine, and intimate group charm.
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The ultimate destination to enjoy all five First Growths plus Yquem
in a relaxed and informal atmosphere
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The Bordeaux Wine Experience
Domaine de Coulon
2 Chemin de Meydieu
33360 Latresne (BORDEAUX), France
Website: www.BXWINEX.com
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Call us:
+33 (6) 83 44 89 41
(These lines go directly to our Chateaux in Bordeaux, so please remember that we’re on Paris time!)
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Copyright 2026 by The Bordeaux Wine Experience. All rights reserved. The content, design, and graphical elements of this Magazine are copyrighted. The Bordeaux Wine Experience is a company specializing in wine and culinary tours in the Bordeaux region for an English-speaking international clientele.
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