Ok, I've been back from France for a while now. I guess I should post my tasting notes.

The problem is visiting Bordeaux is nothing like visiting Sonoma or Napa. I've visited probably a 70 different wineries in California. The routine is predictable, you get to taste wine and if you like, buy it. Bordeaux, on the other hand, you don't get a drop. You can't even buy wine at the wineries, that's what wine shops are for.

Now I knew going in that most wineries demand a reservation to take the tour. I just didn't count on them not answering their phone, or getting their voice mail system (in French of course).

The local guide books list many wineries which are "no appointment necessary." As best I could tell after visiting a few, this means that during open hours (all wineries are closed noon until 2pm) that there is someone on staff to tell you that without an appointment you will see nothing, taste nothing, and leave soon. If the guide book lists the winery as speaking English, you have the added bonus have having this told to you in your native tongue.

So after a wasted day driving up and down Bordeaux, we found a little shop tasting wine. At this winery we tasted a $7 Medoc, that for a $7 wine was quite good. However we were drinking similar red "table wines" throughout France. This was not the year 2000 first growth barrel sample I was looking for. At least we didn't go away empty handed.

The lessons learned are this:

1. Don't go to Bordeaux, I've heard just about every other wine region in France is much more accommodating.
2. If you must go do 2 or more of the following: speak fluent French, call or fax a month in advance of your arrival, or be Robert Parker.

If you want to see some pictures of my trip, look here. I should warn you there are all of the Tour de France, and not much about wine. Bryn

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