Goes out to nearly 20.000 Bordeaux Wine Lovers all over the world!
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The new cellars at Chateau Kirwan in Margaux
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A Personal Note From Ronald,
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We had a very exciting month of April. Last Sunday we had a narrow escape from the political choice between extreme right and the communists.
Fortunately the French chose more or less wisely. Since we have no French passports we were not allowed to vote. In two weeks there will be a second tour of voting where the extreme right will probably be eliminated and the next president will be the choice of a new generation. We feel confident that once the election dust has settled, the peace and quiet we love so much about France will return.
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The peace and quiet has returned and we can
concentrate on the wine
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I tasted hundreds of wines for you
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Work and play
April was all work and play for us. Work because we attended the Bordeaux “En Primeur week” where I tasted hundreds of wines for you. I know it is a tough job, but somebody had to do it…
I am currently working on my Bordeaux Vintage Special where I will tell you all about the extraordinary vintage 2016. It won’t be long before you can read about my preferred wines in this vintage. This way you have some time to take out your second mortgage because this is a vintage you do not want to miss in your cellar.
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2018 Bordeaux Wine Tour Schedule
Between all tastings and dinners we somehow found the time to plan our exciting 2018 Bordeaux Wine Tour Schedule for you and we are very happy with the result. My stories about food and wine apparently have wet your appetite, or maybe it is all the buzz about the 2016 vintage? Anyway, we already have bookings for 2018 and I am inviting you to join us in Bordeaux for what in the words of many of our guests is an experience of a lifetime. Keywords for our tours remain: Tasting all five First Growths plus Yquem combined with outstanding meals, many at venues not open to the public. And all of this in a carefree and fun atmosphere. Check out our schedule here or ask us for the Itinerary here of the tour of your choice.
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Learn about Bordeaux wines, winemaking and history
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The new concrete vats at Chateau Kirwan
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Play as well
The “En Primeur week” is a busy week of tasting and rating but there are some great meals as well. Margaret and I attended the dinner party where Margaux Third Classified Growth Chateau Kirwan inaugurated their new chai and I will tell you about the chai and our experiences in Margaux.
More play
Margaret and I needed some well-deserved R&R too. So I took Margaret to a very special Relais & Chateaux where chef Michel Trama created a superb meal for us. She will tell you about our experiences at L’Aubergade, not far from rural Agen.
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Spoiler alert
I hope to be sending my Bordeaux Vintage Special soon and –spoiler alert- the Bordeaux Vintage 2016 is exceptional in some appellations. In the meantime I want to expand our subscriber base. May I ask you to suggest to your wine-loving friends that they subscribe to this Magazine? Just forward them this issue with a couple of words of recommendation. Thanks, that would help me a lot.
Any other questions or remarks? I am open to feedback so email me and simply reply to this magazine. I love to hear from you.
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Ronald and Margaret love to share
their passion for Bordeaux with you
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And please remember: Don’t drink anything I wouldn’t drink!
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New cellars at Chateau Kirwan
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The new chai at Kirwan connecting the existing buildings
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Smart solution at Chateau Kirwan
Many chateaux at the famous Route des Chateaux in the Médoc region are built to impress. Showing success and wealth has been en vogue for centuries in the Médoc. We sometimes joke that it must be the protestant background of Kirwan that explains its discretion. This family-owned Third Classified Growth is somewhat hidden behind the church of Cantenac, one of the villages entitled to the coveted Margaux appellation. The history of the estate can be traced back to 1751 when the famous English merchant Sir John Collingwood acquired the property. The Irishman Mark Kirwan married one of the daughters and inherited the Chateau and added his name to the property. The Schÿler family have owned Kirwan and its 37 ha of vineyards since 1926. The family is still very much involved with the two sisters Sophie and Nathalie working together with Yann Schÿler, CEO of the Schröder & Schÿler Trading House.
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Beautiful Kirwan, a hidden treasure
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Concrete vats in the new chai at Chateau Kirwan
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We already had the walls
A family owned company doesn’t always have the same budget as a property owned by a big company. Therefore they have to work smart: “We already had the walls,” smiled Sophie at the opening dinner. “We merged two existing buildings.” As the press release stated: “Architects Caroline Marly and Guy Troprès devised a unique entrance through an imposing glass front above an ornamental metal arabesque depicting a tree of life. The tree is formed of words, which evoke the very identity of this famous wine: the appellation (Médoc), the château, its taste and its characteristics.”
Like I said before, the chateau can’t be seen from the Route des Chateaux but that was no objection for the French Heritage committee (ABF) to stop the work because of the church of Cantenac, which is a historical monument. The fact that you can’t see the church from Kirwan or Kirwan from the church didn’t matter; all construction work was stopped for six months. After a typical French and of course very complicated procedure, the ABF granted their permission without even setting a foot on the building site. Anyhow, that is all forgotten now and the new chai looks great.
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Food and wine pairing
The talented chef Tanguy Laviale created the opening dinner. Those of you who toured with me can vouch for the food, as you have tasted Tanguy’s creations as the former chef of Haut Bailly.
We started with the powerful Kirwan 2010, not a wine for little girls. We then went to the Kirwan 2005, a wine that showed more evolution than many other of he ‘05’s I have tasted so far. The Kirwan 2000 surprisingly showed less signs of evolution than the 2005 with a strong tannic backbone. I just loved the nose on this wine. I was a bit surprised that they served the 2001 after the 2000. But tasting the beautiful Kirwan 2001 I understood: this was clearly the leader of the pack! Again the nose was very expressive with spices and beautiful evolved black fruit, secondary aromas such as undergrowth and the wine finished with a refreshing acidity.
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Ronald with Rodrigo Laytte, technical director of Château Kirwan
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A superb pairing of Kirwan 2014 on the chocolate desert
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I discussed the wines with Rodrigo Laytte, the technical director of Château Kirwan, who was sitting next to me and he explained the differences between the 2001 and the 2000 to me. Until recently the consultant was Michel Roland, known for his “Parker-style” of wine making. Rodrigo thought that the grapes might have been harvest a bit to ripe in 2000. The vintage 2001 was not so hot and more difficult to produce. That’s probably why this wine is now showing a more elegant and what we would now call” “a post-Parker style of wine making.” Whatever the reason, I just loved this wine.
To my surprise they served the Kirwan 2014 on the dessert but I must admit that the chocolate on the nose works very well with Tanguy’s superb chocolate dessert. A memorable night.
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The ornamental metal arabesque is depicting a tree of life…
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From scuba-diver to Michelin-rated chef
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Ronald and Margaret enjoying Michel Trama’s talents
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5 star hotel and 2 star restaurant
Ronald and I love to sneak away for a small romantic getaway weekend. And now that our boys are older and more independent it is very easy to leave for a few nights to a luxury hotel, of course with an excellent restaurant and ditto wine list. We are spoiled for choice in the area of the South West of France. Since we had recently been to the Dordogne and to the Biarritz area we decided to head east this time to Puymirol.
You have probably never heard of Puymirol and neither had I, to be honest. Puymirol is what the French like to call a ‘trou’ meaning a tiny hamlet, right in the middle of nowhere. The main attraction of Puymirol was our quest as well: the 5 star Hotel and 2 Michelin star restaurant of Michel and Maryse Trama called L’Aubergade.
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Always go with the vintage and pedigree:
The Clerc Milon 2009 was drinking wonderfully well
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Scuba diving chef
The career of Michel Trama is an interesting one because he started out as a scuba diver with Captain Jacques Cousteau, the famous conservationist, filmmaker and researcher. But cooking turned out to be Trama’s greater passion and in 1974 Michel opened his first restaurant in Paris together with his wife Maryse. Michel has no professional chef training but makes up for it with a lot of talent and creativity that drives him.
Michel and Maryse fell in love with a 13th century country house in Puymirol back in 1978. They embarked on their adventure, which gave this establishment the reputation of one of the most beautiful Relais & Châteaux in Europe. A mere ten years after he started out as a chef, Michel received his second Michelin star and he has kept his two stars ever since.
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Michelin meals can be cheap
Puymiron lies in the Gers just south east of Bordeaux and a short 2-hour drive from our chateau. On our way over we stopped at several Brocantes to search for a centerpiece for our new stylish vegetable garden we have been planning over the winter. I had no luck with garden ornaments but I fell in love with a small tin vase that is now in my kitchen. Scavenger hunting makes you hungry and in the Michelin guide I discovered a tiny restaurant in the town of Villeneuve sur Lot. La table du Sens has one Michelin star and we ordered their 26-euro lunch menu. For as little as 78 euros we had an excellent lunch for two, wine and coffee included…
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Our cheapest Michelin starred meal ever
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Executioner
Check-in at L’Aubergade was a little awkward. We had just arrived and put our luggage down when the girl responsible for the reception already insisted on us deciding at what time we’d liked breakfast the next morning. I would have preferred to settle down in our room first maybe? The room, on the other hand, was lovely with many original beams, wooden floors and an oversized freestanding tub under a canopy. A small carafe of local sweet wine and some pastries where placed on a table to welcome us.
Puymirol is perched up high on a rock outcrop and has parts of its ramparts still intact as well as remains of one of the lookout towers – the Tour Ficat from where you have lovely views across the countryside. Interestingly this later became the residence of the town executioner who was not allowed to live in the bastide!
We decided to walk around the village of Puymirol and discovered the footpath around the ramparts. We had booked dinner that night in the bistro restaurant of l’Aubergade called Le Poule d’Or, the gilded chicken. Chicken was the theme here both on the menu and in the tasteful and creative decoration of the dining room.
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Antique hunting
The next morning we decided to check out Agen, a nearby town. The main attraction of Agen is the aquaduct, which carries the Canal de Garonne across the Garonne river. Maryse had also directed us towards some antique shops in the area and a lovely drive through the countryside brought us to the charming village of Nérac. Here we wandered through the Garenne Park.
We strolled down the Allée des 3000 pas, past the Saint Jean fountain, the statue of Fleurette, and the Dauphin fountain towards the chemin des Amoureux, or “Lovers’ Pathway”, a favorite with the ladies of the court centuries ago, and both with us and the Nérac-locals to this very day.
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The chemin des Amoureux, or “Lovers’ Pathway”
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The green balls actually tasted great
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Green balls
We had to work up an appetite because this evening we had a table in the gastronomic restaurant l’Aubergade. Our table was beautifully set facing the large fireplace. We opted for the tasting menu that holds all the classics that have made Michel’s reputation over the years. We started with his Pommes aux Papillotes, a jacket potato wrapped in Swiss chard with truffles. I have to admit I found the presentation not so attractive: A couple of green balls in a black sauce. However the flavors of the dish were remarkable and very rich.
For our main course we chose warm foie gras hamburger with cèpes (mushrooms) with a strong duck gravy.
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McDonald’s for inspiration
Christopher Trama, Michel and Maryse’s son was our sommelier for the evening. And while he poured our Clerc Milion 2009 he explained the origins of this dish.
As a young boy Christophe had asked his father to go out with him to buy him a hamburger.
Trama felt a little embarrassed by his son’s request. After all how could he, a Michelin-starred and award-winning chef, take his son to McDonald’s? On the other hand he didn’t want to disappoint his son.
A great compromise
Michel compromised in promising his kid a homemade hamburger like he had never had before. This would become the now famous Foie gras and cèpes hamburger that has been on L’Aubergade’s menu ever since. Christopher didn’t show any signs of childhood traumas from never having visited a fast-food restaurant. His father still holds the reigns but Christopher is absolutely making his mark on the family business.
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This may look great in our vegetable garden
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We’ll have to do this again
We had decided to keep one of Maryse’s brocante-recommendations for Sunday morning. A twenty-minute drive took us to the village of Lectoure. Here the 18th century chateau used to serve as a hospital and now hosts over 30 different antique and brocante shops, each one with its own specialty.
I struck my luck in the first shop finding a beautiful blue antique Wedgwood tea service. It now holds a proud spot in our dining room. Still no luck though for my vegetable garden ornament. We’ll just have to come back another weekend.
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The crossing of two waterways is the main attraction in Agen
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Our 2018 Bordeaux Wine Tour Program
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2018 Bordeaux Wine Tour Schedule
(Open for booking)
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_____________________________________________________________________
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What makes our Bordeaux Wine and Culinary Tours so special?
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Carefree and truly effortless travel in Bordeaux: We take care of everything, really everything |
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See and taste all 5 First Growths and Château d’Yquem! |
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Expert (and humorous) guidance by Bordeaux specialist Ronald Rens |
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Air-conditioned accommodation at our privately owned 18th century chateau |
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Taste more Classified Growths than on any other Bordeaux wine tour! |
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Grand Cru Farewell Dinner with all Grand Cru wines (including Chateau d’Yquem!) |
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Gourmet meals at Bordeaux Chateaux and a Michelin starred restaurant! |
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Grand Cru wines with all meals (except breakfast…) |
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Air-conditioned, luxury motor coach transportation throughout the tour |
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Great food and wine and a lot of fun in a small group |
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Because you want a Bordeaux Wine Experience and not “just a tour”
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The Grand Tour of Bordeaux
The Grand Tour maybe the most special tour we offer, with meals as exceptional as your visits. Imagine tasting all five First Growths and Yquem. And there is more: Superb chateau meals and Michelin rated dining… Add to this the best of Pomerol and Saint Emilion and you’ll see that this dazzling Grand Tour of Bordeaux is your chance to see and taste the very best that Bordeaux has to offer.
Ask us for an Itinerary here.
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Seeing the medieval chateau at Superior First Growth Yquem is a highlight on all our Bordeaux week tours
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A master-class on tasting Classified Growths marks the
start of each of our Bordeaux Week Tours
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The Bordeaux Grand Cru tour
This is probably our most exclusive tour. This ultimate wine tour for Bordeaux lovers is as good as it gets. Can you believe that you’ll see and taste all five First Growths and Superior First Growth Chateau d’Yquem including some older vintages! Of course we include the best of Saint Emilion and Pomerol as well. Add to this outstanding meals at exceptional venues not normally open to the public and you’ll see why this tour usually sells out early.
Ask us for an Itinerary here.
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The Bordeaux Grand Cru Harvest Tour
The Harvest Tour is Grand in every way, both in food and wine. Enjoy chateau meals and Michelin rated dining. The most exciting time in Bordeaux is harvest time. You can sense the anticipation in the air.
And the food is superb as well: Exclusive meals at extraordinary venues not normally open to the public. On top of that you’ll see and taste all five First Growths and Superior First Growth Chateau d’Yquem and many of them will be older vintages!
Ask us for an Itinerary here.
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Bordeaux in full harvest swing
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Prestigious estates, not pretentious people
It is true: Bordeaux and its wines can seem a bit intimidating at first. Don’t worry, on this tour Ronald will guide you through all this like an insider. Remember: we tour prestigious estates, not pretentious people. You’ll develop a preference for “Left-Bank” or “Right-Bank”, while visiting some of the best chateaux in the world. Our tours are both entertaining and informative. Some of our guests already know a lot about Bordeaux and its wines. For others a tour serves as a top-down introduction to the fascinating Bordeaux Wine World. Whatever your background, we can guarantee that you will have a great time.
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Superior First Growth Yquem
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Intimate, not intimidating
We combine a down-to-earth approach with a great sense of humor. And we prefer nice people on our tours. Pretentious or obnoxious people: please stay away! We’re serious about this because it is a personal, intimate experience (i.e. with us), filled with a lot of fun, so there is no time or energy for jerks… So please only join us if you are a nice person who likes wine and want to learn more about the intriguing Bordeaux wine world and want to taste the best wines in the world while having a fun vacation.
Click here for our Tour Schedule.
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Culinary highlights and great fun!
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A Food and Wine Experience
Although this Bordeaux wine tour seems to emphasize “just” on wine, we feel wine is best enjoyed with great food. That’s why we put as much effort into the planning of the meals as we do on the planning of the vineyard visits. This Grand Tour of Bordeaux includes memorable dinners in the best restaurants of the Bordeaux area. You will enjoy a dinner at a famous Michelin starred Relais & Chateaux Restaurant.
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First Growth Mouton Rothschild, a highlight on all our week tours
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Intimate, not intimidating
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Culinary highlights
And there is more! You’ll never forget those gourmet meals in different Bordeaux Chateaux.
And if that is not enough, the Farewell Dinner will be at our Chateau Coulon Laurensac. Our private chef will prepare another wonderful meal for us that we’ll accompany by an impressive succession of library wines that have been aging in our cellar, including a First Growth from an older vintage and Superior First Growth Chateau d’Yquem of over 20 years old!
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2017 Bordeaux Wine Tour Schedule
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_____________________________________________________________________
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What makes our Bordeaux Wine and Culinary Tours so special?
| • |
Carefree and truly effortless travel in Bordeaux: We take care of everything, really everything |
| • |
See and taste all 5 First Growths and Château d’Yquem! |
| • |
Expert (and humorous) guidance by Bordeaux specialist Ronald Rens |
| • |
Air-conditioned accommodation at our privately owned 18th century chateau |
| • |
Taste more Classified Growths than on any other Bordeaux wine tour! |
| • |
Grand Cru Farewell Dinner with all Grand Cru wines (including Chateau d’Yquem!) |
| • |
Gourmet meals at Bordeaux Chateaux and a Michelin starred restaurant! |
| • |
Grand Cru wines with all meals (except breakfast…) |
| • |
Air-conditioned, luxury motor coach transportation throughout the tour |
| • |
Great food and wine and a lot of fun in a small group |
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2017 Bordeaux Day Tour Packages
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The most complete Wine Day Tour Packages in Bordeaux!
Stay at our Chateau and be chauffeur-driven to Classified Growths on a private tour that combines the best of both worlds in Bordeaux: the Médoc and Saint Emilion.
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Chateau Coulon Laurensac, without a doubt the best place in the world to taste all five First Growths and Yquem…
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The Bordeaux Wine Experience
at Chateau Coulon Laurensac
1, chemin de Meydieu
33360 Latresne (BORDEAUX), France
Website : www.BXWINEX.com
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Call us:
1-877-203-2665 (toll free from USA & Canada) or
+33 556 20 64 12 (from anywhere else in the world)
(These lines go directly to our Chateau in Bordeaux so please remember that we’re on Paris time!)
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Copyright © 2017 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 Dutch company specializing in wine and culinary tours in the Bordeaux region for an English speaking international clientele.
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