Circuit des châteaux "Vignoble et découverte" - La route du vin de Bordeaux - Blaye-Bourg

The vineyard is present since the Roman time. At the beginning of the 20th century, Sir Coutin, solicitor in Jonzac, inherits from a Côtes de Bourg wine-making property. He gets hooked and quickly the property is known as "Le Cru du Notaire" (as the "Vineyard of the Solicitor") then "Château le Clos du Notaire". Since 1974, Sylvette and Roland Charbonnier write in their turn the story of the Château le Clos du Notaire, around this mysterious Summer-house, reigning over the vineyard. Come to discover this mysterious Summer-house by walking in our vineyards. You can then taste red wines and rosé of the property, every year praised by the most famous wine tasters.

On the hillsides over Bourg-sur-Gironde, at 40 km in the North of Bordeaux, discover Chateau de la Grave, a seigneurial house of the XVIth century with towers and turrets. Belonging to the same family since 1900, the domain is managed by Philippe and Valérie Bassereau today, who welcome you warmly to make you discover the wine grower estate. In the comfort of a guest houses, under the covered hall, in the park or in the heart of the vineyard, succumb to the charm and to the peace of mind of this place.

Laurent Chassin welcomes you all year long in his wine storehouses to make you share his passion in the middle of a natural vineyard. Composed of about fifteen hectares in the Côtes de Bourg, the 40-year-old vineyard is constituted by Merlot, by Cabernet Sauvignon, by Frank Cabernet, by Malbec and by Small Verdot. Many of his customers are faithful to him for several decades, what is for him the most beautiful of the awards but it is also the obligation of a constant questioning to offer the best of his wine.

La Maison des Vins de Bourg, situated on the threshold of the old town facing the estuary, has a dual role: to welcome the general public and to serve as a veritable centre for the range of activities undertaken by the producers (SVCB) of this famous appellation. Products scratched "Côtes de Bourg" are in the underground cellar which offers a wide choice of wines. It is the unconditional passage of the wine lovers! The Wine Information Center welcomes you all year round: visit of the cellar and free tasting. In summer, every weekend, a wine grower presents his products and explain his job. Advises, information, documentations on wines and properties are available. Possibility of booking an appointment to visit properties.

Belonging to the family Sinan-Braud since more than 5 generations, Château Sauman is a beautiful house of the XVIIIth century situated at 50 km from Bordeaux, in the heart of the Côtes de Bourg. Listen to the noise of the springs of drinking water in the park of the domain while admiring the 25 hectare vineyard. Claudine and Véronique welcome you with benevolence, taking time to tell you the terroir and to share with you their passion.

Former monastery Lazarite of the end of the Gallo-Roman period, the domain La Croix Davids established an major stage on the path of Santiago de Compostela. Belonging to the same family depuis1800, it benefits from one of the best points of view on the Côtes de Bourg, that faces the Médoc, on the left bank of the Estuary of the Gironde.

At 5 minutes driving from the Wine Information Center, Château Lamothe is an authentic architectural house with a beautiful central round tower, surmounted by a clock. The wine storehouses were built at the end of the XVIIIth century. Your host will be Anne. In 1900, her great-grandfather François Pessonnier, wine grower in Lansac, purchases the Château Lamothe and his vineyard. Previously, from the middle of the XIXth century, the previous owner Pierre Charpentier had given a particular development to the wines of the domain by exporting them to the United States. The visit continues with a presentation of the soil and the 23 hectares of the vineyard, the discovery of the cuverie and the wine storehouses. Finich the guided tour with a tasting commented.

At 40 km at the North of Bordeaux, on the right bank of the Dordogne, Château Fougas welcome you (by appointment) in this region called "small Girondist Switzerland". Set up in 1778, this Girondist house is one of the most former properties of the Côtes de Bourg. Until XVIIIth century, Fougas and its 17 hectares of vineyards were a part of lands of the priory of Bellegarde. Acquired in 1976 by Jean-Yves Bechet and his wife Michèle, Château Fougas, certified in organic farming since 2007, is hired from now in a conversion towards the biodynamie. Fascinated by their work, your hosts reserve you a warm welcome. There what consists the organic farming? The biodynamie? What are the various stages of the wine making?

Château Haut-Macô is a family exploitation since 4 generations situated in the wine-producing region of the Côtes de Bourg, site favored for the culture of the vine. 49 hectares of vineyards give us an annual production about 200 000 bottles. The breeding is made in tanks and in barrels for 18 months, before being bottled in the wine estate by ourselves. Our objective is to obtain every year of representative wines of our soil by allying at the same time modern techniques and tradition. We try to develop wines where notion of balance and regularity guides us in our choices of production. So the respect of the fruit, the harmony and a logic of structure are the key and the qualitative identity of our wines in an environment-friendly frame.

The château faced the Dordogne and the Garonne, it has an incredible view on the estuary of Gironde. In 1959, Pierre Saturny, decided to buy it. With help from his wife and his two sons they make sure they keep a good quality wine.

The romans put the first vines in the property. The Château dominates the Estuary of the Gironde, and you have an incredible view from the belvedere.

At 800 meters of the right bank of the Estuary of the Gironde, Château Rousselle built from 1636, was in the XVIIth century one of the three " noble houses " of Saint-Ciers-de-Canesse classified Premier Cru Bourgeois. In 1999, Vincent Lemaitre buys the property and begins then renovation work until 2006. Thanks to him, Château Rousselle finds its respectability and obtains 8 golden medals and 2 knocks of Heart to the Hachette Guide. Visits are regularly programmed where will be evoked the history of the vineyard, the soil, the culture of the vineyard and the wine making. And if you fall in love with Château Rousselle, you can also stay in one of the three guest houses. Infos +33 (0)5 57 42 16 62 Infos chateaurousselle.com English, Spanish and Italian spoken

Château partner of the Destination vignobles network. Free visit and tasting from Monday to Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and from 2.00 p.m. to 18.00 p.m.. Week-end on appointment. Infos +33 5 57 64 91 39 Infos www.chateauhautguiraud.com English speaking

Close to the Citadel of Bourg, Château Mercier is a 25 hectare vineyard and a property of Chéty's family for thirteen generations. Philippe and Martine welcome you with their children, Isabelle and Christophe, in front of their house who has also two guest houses and a holiday cottage. Faithful to the tradition and to the savoir-faire heritate from their predecessors, the Chéty's family made for their vineyard the choice of the integrated farm management. In the vineyards where they invite you to follow them, note the presence of a small meteorological station and a machine to count the insects. The various stages of the traditional wine making are explained to you in the wine storehouse. In the tasting room, find out produces "Bienvenue à la ferme" and produces cooked by the family such as marmelade, juice and salt infused into wine.

Halfway between the Citadels of Bourg and Blaye on the right bank of the Estuary of the Gironde, Château De Rousselet is a domain of 12 hectares of vineyards on the municipality of Saint-Trojan. Emmanuel Sou runs this wine-making property in his family for five generations. This young dynamic wine grower leads you at first in his vineyards where he describes you the works realized in the respect for the nature. Pursue your visit in the wine storehouse where are revealed to you the secrets of the wine making and the bleding. Be allowed guide in the tasting of some vintage wines.

Wine growers since 1976 in the Côtes de Bourg, we always pursued our efforts to produce quality wines. Château Haut-Mousseau is the result of this relentless work. The qualitative development of the vineyard, a rigorous selection of our berries and a well-kept and rigorous work in the wine storehouse are our passion. Of 3 hectares in 1976, we have now 33 hectares.

The Château Falfas is an historic monument built in 1612 with a chai from the same time. From the end of 1988, Falfas' Vineyards is grown in bio-dynamic, this agriculture respect and protect the environment.

If the region of the Côtes de Bourg is considered as the sweetness of its climate and its period of sunshine, the influence of the quite close Gironde Estuary is widely responsible for it. Implanted on hillsides exposed well by the municipality of Lansac, the 10 hectares of the Castle Martinat are led since 1994 by Lucie and Stéphane Donze. They suggest you to discover their wines all year long during a visit-tasting (by appointment).

In Teuillac, 35 km at the North of Bordeaux between the Citadels of Bourg and Blaye, the vineyards of the wine estate Plantier extends over 31 hectares all in one piece. The Pauvif family welcomes you to this country formerly populated with mills and qualified today as a "Small Girondist Switzerland" for its relaxed rhythm of life. By trailing round you in this vineyard of the Côtes de Bourg, share with the family Pauvif the memories of the creation of the vineyard VIEUX PLANTIER in the years 70/80 and of its development over time. Concerning cuvier and wine storehouse, discover modern, convenient installations to release the quintessence of the grape. At the end of this visit, a tasting is offered to you to perfect your knowledge of the wine. Château awarded "Vignoble et chais en Bordelais". Free visit and tasting from Monday to Saturday.