Six Bordeaux sips, one sharp lesson.

This tasting in Bordeaux turns confusing wine labels into something you can actually talk about, guided by Mathilde and Cécilia in English. You’ll taste 6 carefully selected wines—including a mystery pour—and connect them to left bank vs right bank style, blends, and terroir.

What I like most is the friendly, structured way you learn to smell and taste (you’re not stuck nodding through a lecture), and the food pairing with charcuterie and cheese that helps your brain make sense of the flavors. One consideration: it’s only about 1 hour 15 minutes, so the session can feel tightly packed, especially if you’re arriving late or you’re on a cruise-day schedule.

Key highlights you’ll feel right away

• Small group format (max 6), so you can ask questions without shouting over everyone
• Mathilde and Cécilia guide you with a tasting-method focus, not just facts on a slide
• 6 Bordeaux wines in one flow, including a mystery wine and both dry whites and reds
• Left bank and right bank comparisons so you taste the difference, not just read about it
• Charcuterie & cheese pairings built to show how wine changes with food
• Tasting booklet included, so you can keep practicing at home

Wine tasting in Bordeaux that actually teaches your nose

If you’ve ever bought a bottle in France and wondered what you were supposed to taste, this is the kind of session that fixes that. The setup is simple: you sit down, you taste, and you’re coached on how to taste—what to notice in aromas, balance, and structure—so the wine starts making sense instead of staying mysterious.

I also like that the tasting doesn’t treat Bordeaux like one big blob. You’ll get a mix of whites and reds, plus a soft wine, and the guiding thread is Bordeaux style: how different appellations and grape blends can taste different even when they’re all from the same broad region.

One more plus: the wines aren’t random. They come from Grands Crus Classés and family estates in organic farming, so you’re not just tasting “tourist-friendly” bottles.

The 90-minute flow: 6 wines, a mystery pour, and food along the way

The experience runs about 1 hour 15 minutes. There isn’t a parade of stops around town—this is designed for learning in one comfortable setting—but the pacing is built like a mini wine course.

Here’s how it typically unfolds:

1) The warm-up and tasting method

You start with a tasting approach that makes your senses do the work. Expect tips on what to look for in the glass and how to describe aromas and flavors with more precision than just fruity or dry. The goal is to help you taste like a professional, even if you’re new.

2) The mystery wine

Then comes the fun part: one mystery wine. This isn’t a gimmick; it’s a training tool. You’ll practice using smell and taste cues to guess what might be going on—style, balance, and general character—before the explanation lands.

3) Two dry whites: left bank and right bank

Next you’ll taste 2 dry whites with the tasting broken into left bank vs right bank. This matters because Bordeaux isn’t only red-famous. The session pushes you to notice differences in how whites can feel—texture, aromatics, and overall profile—when you change sides of the Gironde.

4) Three reds across styles and banks

You’ll taste 3 reds made from mixtures that reflect both left bank and right bank thinking. The key value here is learning to hear the logic behind Bordeaux blending: how multiple grapes contribute to body, flavor, and the way the wine finishes.

5) One soft wine

Finally, there’s 1 soft wine (a gentler style). This gives your palate a break and shows how sweetness or softness changes the way aromas read and how the wine behaves with food.

6) Charcuterie & cheese pairings (small plates, big lesson)

Throughout—or at key moments—you’ll pair wines with snacks and a food-and-wine pairing featuring charcuterie and cheese. Don’t expect a full lunch board. This is more like a tasting-sized pairing that proves the concept quickly: how salt, fat, and salt-cured flavors can make wine taste smoother, sharper, or more aromatic depending on the pour.

7) You leave with notes and a booklet

You’ll get a tasting booklet, so you can repeat the same smell-and-taste steps later. That’s what turns an hour-long event into real progress.

Mathilde and Cécilia: the teaching style that keeps it fun

The hosts—Mathilde and Cécilia—are trained professionals and teach in a way that feels approachable. In plain terms, they do two things well:

They translate wine language into sensory cues.

Instead of drowning you in jargon, they push you to think in aromas, structure, and balance. That’s why you can go from unsure to confident surprisingly fast.

They keep the room relaxed and interactive.

Small-group tastings work because you can ask questions, and you get answers tied directly to what’s in your glass. The whole vibe is friendly and focused, not stiff.

Also, the tasting is offered in English, which makes a big difference when you’re trying to learn quickly (and not lose the important parts).

What you’re tasting: real Bordeaux categories, not random pours

You’ll taste 6 Bordeaux wines designed to cover the region’s main ideas. Here’s what that means for you when you’re choosing bottles later.

A mystery wine to train your instincts

You’ll practice guessing what style you’re tasting based on aroma and structure. That’s helpful if you like browsing menus or shops and want to narrow down what to buy.

Dry whites split by bank

You’ll learn to taste differences between left bank and right bank dry whites, which makes your future ordering easier. When you see a white on a list, you’ll know what to ask yourself: does it feel more aromatic and crisp, or more textured and rounded?

Reds that reflect Bordeaux blending logic

With three reds spanning both sides, the session helps you understand why Bordeaux red styles can shift even within one region. You’ll taste blends as blends—how multiple grapes work together, and how the wine’s structure affects the finish.

One soft wine to round out the palate

A softer final pour prevents the common mistake of judging a wine only by how your palate feels at the end of a heavy tasting. It helps you recalibrate and makes your notes more accurate.

One important detail: the wines include Grands Crus Classés and family estates that use organic farming. That doesn’t just sound good—it means you’re tasting wines from serious producers, not just volume labels.

Charcuterie & cheese pairing: how to use it, not just eat it

Food pairing is included: snacks plus a food and wine pairing with charcuterie and cheese. The practical value is that you get instant feedback. Wine can taste one way by itself and another way with salty cured meats and cheese fat.

Here’s how you can get more out of the pairing, even if the board is relatively light:

• Taste the wine first, then the food. Notice how the flavors shift.
• Look for contrast and harmony. Salt can sharpen fruit; fat can smooth tannins.
• Make one quick note like: more aromatic with cheese, drier after charcuterie, or smoother with fat.

Also, keep your expectations realistic: some people find the pairing is mostly a small set of bites rather than a large spread. That’s not a deal-breaker for a wine-focused session—it just means don’t plan this as your main meal.

Where the tasting happens: courtyard, cellar, or a furnished room

This tasting can take place in a private courtyard, cellar, or a furnished room, depending on season. That flexibility is actually a plus in Bordeaux. In warm weather, a courtyard makes sense; in cooler months, a cellar or indoor room keeps the tasting comfortable.

Either way, the setting is small and cozy enough that you’re not fighting noise. And because it’s a maximum of 6 travelers, you get that calm “focus on the glass” feeling rather than a crowded tasting room push.

Price and value: what $54.44 buys you in real Bordeaux terms

At $54.44 per person (about a 1 hour 15 minutes session), the value comes from three things:

1) You taste 6 wines, not 3 or 4.

That math matters. By the end, you’ve tried enough styles to understand your own preferences.

2) You get professional guidance plus a tasting booklet.

The booklet turns the session into something you can replay at home. Without that, a tasting can feel like fun but forgettable. With it, you leave with a tool.

3) Alcohol and pairing are included.

You get 6 glasses of wine plus charcuterie and cheese pairings. So you’re paying for a complete experience, not just “admission” to taste a couple sips.

If you’re short on time and you can’t do a full-day vineyard tour, this is one of the better ways to learn the Bordeaux system fast—how classifications, terroir, and grape blends connect to what’s in your glass.

Tips to make this tasting work for you

Here are a few practical moves that’ll pay off during the session:

• Go with a simple goal. Decide you want to learn one thing: how whites differ across the banks, or how Bordeaux reds behave with food.
• Ask one question early. Like what to look for in aroma or how to interpret the label logic. The hosts are happy to guide, and early questions help the rest of the tasting click.
• If you only want reds or only whites, ask about it. The experience offers specialized tastings for people who prefer one style. That can make the lesson even tighter to your interests.
• Plan your timing. Because the session is around 1h15, building in a buffer helps if your day is scheduled.

Who should book this Bordeaux wine and cheese tasting

This is a strong fit if you:

• want an English-led Bordeaux wine intro that doesn’t talk down to you
• like small-group, hands-on learning (max 6 travelers)
• want both white and red context, including left bank vs right bank comparisons
• care about pairings and want to learn how to taste with food, not just eat it

It’s also a great choice if you’re traveling with mixed wine interest—one person can be totally new, and the other can still learn, because the tasting method is built for real questions.

Should you book this tour?

I’d book it if you want a fast, guided Bordeaux education with serious bottles, included food pairing, and a booklet you can keep using. The small group size helps a lot, and the hosts’ teaching style makes it feel like you’re getting personal attention rather than following along.

Skip it (or adjust expectations) if you’re mainly craving a big meal or a long, scenic winery day. This is a tasting course. It’s not an all-day tour. You get a lot of learning in a short window—and that’s exactly the point.

FAQ

How long is the Bordeaux wine tasting?

It lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes.

What wines and styles will I taste?

You’ll taste 6 Bordeaux wines: 1 mystery wine, 2 dry whites (left and right bank), 3 reds (mixtures across left and right banks), and 1 soft wine.

Is charcuterie and cheese included?

Yes. The experience includes snacks with a food and wine pairing featuring charcuterie & cheese.

What’s the price and what does it include?

The price is $54.44 per person. Included are a tasting booklet, 6 glasses of wine, and the food and wine pairing.

Is it offered in English?

Yes, it’s offered in English. The notes also say there are no Spanish classes from August 14 to August 24.

Where does the tasting start and end?

It starts at 25 Av. Thiers, 33100 Bordeaux, France and ends back at the same meeting point.