Tasting of 6 Bordeaux wines and pairing charcuterie & cheese

Six pours, one very clear lesson.

This Bordeaux wine tasting is built for real understanding, not just sipping. You compare left bank and right bank styles, learn how to read labels and spot aromas, and then test your instincts with food pairings. I like the smart structure of the flight, plus the fact that it covers real Bordeaux producers (Grands Crus Classés and family estates using organic farming). One thing to keep in mind: the charcuterie and cheese are meant as pairing bites, so it is not a big meal.

You get a tasting booklet to keep practicing at home, and the setting changes with the season, from a private courtyard to a cellar or a furnished room. With a max of 6 travelers, you get a more personal pace, and the hosts (Mathilde and Cécilia) guide you in English. If your schedule is tight, the fixed 1 hour 15 minutes can feel quick, so plan your day accordingly.

This is also great value for Bordeaux if you want “winery-style” learning without the long drive. You taste six wines with multiple styles, including a mystery bottle, and you can buy what you like at the end.

Key Points You’ll Actually Care About

• Six Bordeaux wines in a structured order, from whites to reds, plus a mystery pour
• Left bank vs right bank comparisons that make the blends start to make sense
• Mathilde and Cécilia guide the session with professional wine-school training
• Food pairing with charcuterie and cheese, designed to help your nose and palate learn faster
• Tasting booklet included, so you can remember what you noticed
• Wines are for sale, so the tasting can turn into a bottle decision

A Bordeaux Wine Tasting With a Real Point

Bordeaux can look confusing fast. The region uses a lot of jargon, and wine bottles can feel like homework. This experience cuts through that mess by teaching you a simple method for tasting, while still giving you the Bordeaux basics that matter: appellations, terroirs, grape varieties, blends, and classifications.

I like that you are not asked to already know the difference between a Cabernet-led wine and a Merlot-led one. You learn how to smell and taste in a way that makes the wine’s style obvious, even if you are new. And because the flight includes both banks and multiple red styles, you get pattern recognition, not random sips.

The other practical win: the food pairing is not just there to be nice. It helps you connect aroma to taste, then taste to food. So you leave with a usable “when I taste X, food Y makes sense” approach.

Meet Mathilde or Cécilia and Learn How to Taste Like a Pro

The hosts make the biggest difference, and here you are guided by Mathilde and Cécilia, professionals trained at the University of Wine. That training shows up in the way they explain wine in layers, moving from easy observations to deeper ideas like blending logic and terroir.

In plain terms, the session teaches you how to:

• stop guessing and start noticing aromas
• connect what you smell to what you taste
• use the wine’s structure, not just taste sweetness or fruit

Many people get stuck on one of two extremes. Either they only taste fruit, or they get stuck overthinking. This tasting nudges you toward the middle. You use your senses as the main tool, and your guide helps you label what you already picked up.

You also get a tasting booklet. That matters. Bordeaux wine is full of terms and classifications. Having a take-home sheet means you can replay the session later instead of hoping it sticks.

The Flight: 6 Bordeaux Wines, From Mystery to Soft Wine

The tasting is built as a sequence, not a random sampling. You will taste six carefully selected Bordeaux wines with a clear “learning path” through the region.

Here’s the lineup you can expect:

• 1 mystery wine (a fun test of your senses)
• 2 dry whites (one from the left bank style side, one from the right bank style side)
• 3 reds (mixtures that reflect left bank and right bank differences)
• 1 soft wine (lighter, softer style, based on seasonal selection)

That left bank and right bank split is the heart of why this tasting works. Bordeaux is not only about names on labels. It is about how grapes are blended and how the region’s soils and growing areas shape structure, tannins, and aromatics.

A few things you’ll likely notice as you go:

• whites teach you how freshness and aromatics can still be complex
• reds teach you how blending creates balance, not just power
• the mystery wine forces you to use your nose first, then confirm with palate

If you tend to prefer one color, there is a helpful option: the experience can be specialized so you taste only red or only white, depending on what you want. That is a big deal if you are short on time and trying to get maximum value from your one stop.

What Makes the Pairing Feel Bordeaux, Not Generic

You get charcuterie and cheese as part of the tasting. The key idea is not to treat it like a big platter. It is there in pairing bites that match what you are tasting at that moment.

This approach can be surprisingly effective. When the food is small and timed with each wine, you have a sharper experiment in your hands. You start noticing questions like:

• Does the wine’s acidity make the cheese taste sharper or creamier?
• Do salt and fat smooth tannins in a red?
• Does the aroma of the wine change when you switch from cheese to charcuterie?

Keep your expectations aligned. Some people want a more generous “cheese board” experience, and this pairing is more focused than a feast. If you are arriving hungry, I suggest eating beforehand or planning a proper meal after. Think of the pairing as training wheels for your palate, not dinner.

Where You Taste in Bordeaux: Courtyard, Cellar, or a Room With Character

Depending on the season, the tasting takes place in a private courtyard, cellar, or furnished room. That means the experience can feel different across the year, but the setup stays intimate.

Why this matters: wine tasting in Bordeaux can either feel like a rushed stop in a busy room, or like a calm lesson. A courtyard or cellar setting usually supports the slower pace you want when you are learning aromas. And with small group size, you will likely feel like you are part of the session, not just watching from the sidelines.

You meet at 25 Av. Thiers (33100 Bordeaux), and the activity ends back there.

Price and Value: What $54.44 Buys You

At $54.44 per person for about 1 hour 15 minutes, you are buying three things at once:

• instruction (how to taste and understand Bordeaux)
• the equivalent of a tasting flight (6 wines with 6 glasses)
• a food pairing component (charcuterie and cheese snacks)

This is not the cheapest way to drink in Bordeaux. But it is often cheaper than doing a full-day winery trip with transport, and it gives you more structured learning than “walk in, taste a couple bottles.”

You also get a tasting booklet, plus the wines tasted are available for sale. That turns the session into something more practical. If you find a bottle you like, you can leave with a specific recommendation instead of guessing later in a shop.

One more value point: the group stays small, max 6 people. In a small class, you tend to get more questions answered and more feedback on what you are tasting.

When This Tasting Fits Best (And When It Might Not)

This experience is ideal if you:

• want to understand Bordeaux fast, without a long drive
• like learning by tasting, not only listening
• care about the left bank vs right bank idea and want it explained clearly
• want both whites and reds, so you can decide what styles you actually enjoy

It can be less ideal if you:

• want a long, unhurried food experience (the pairing is designed for training, not a full meal)
• have a very tight transit timeline and need extra buffer, since the tasting is a fixed 1 hour 15 minutes

If your day is packed, consider choosing the earlier starting time if available. The host has referenced an 11:30 am tasting option, which can help when you have train connections later.

One odd note: if you are also looking at Spanish lessons offered by the same operator, there are no Spanish classes from August 14 to August 24.

Should You Book This Bordeaux Wine and Cheese Tasting?

If you want the best version of Bordeaux in a short time, I would book it. You get six Bordeaux wines, guided by Mathilde or Cécilia, with real instruction on how to taste like a professional. The pairing makes the learning stick, and the booklet helps you carry that knowledge home.

Book it especially if you are the type who wants clarity. Bordeaux can feel like an alphabet soup of classifications. Here, the alphabet turns into a method you can use when you look at the next bottle.

If you want a full, slow meal with lots of cheese and wine, you might find the pairing bites too small. But for learning, deciding what you love, and leaving with a bottle you actually understand, this is a strong choice for a Bordeaux first-timer.

FAQ

Where is the meeting point for the tasting?

You start at 25 Av. Thiers, 33100 Bordeaux, France. The experience ends back at the meeting point.

How long is the Bordeaux tasting?

It lasts about 1 hour 15 minutes.

How many wines do I taste?

You taste 6 Bordeaux wines with 6 glasses included: 1 mystery wine, 2 dry whites, 3 reds, and 1 soft wine.

What food pairing is included?

The included pairing is charcuterie and cheese with snacks designed to match the wines.

Can I choose a red-only or white-only tasting?

Yes. The tasting can be specialized so you do only red or only white, depending on what you prefer.

Is the experience offered in English?

Yes, it is offered in English.

What is the maximum group size?

The group is limited to a maximum of 6 travelers.

Is free cancellation available?

Yes. You can cancel for a full refund if you cancel up to 24 hours in advance. If you cancel less than 24 hours before the start time, the amount paid is not refunded.