OT: Travel Recommendations

[BiochemPSU]

Dear all-knowing and all-powerful board: big anniversary trip with wife. Don't let me down. Amongst a few other places, we are going to be in Bordeaux (that's in France for the geographically-challenged) for two days at the end of August. We will be there on early morning Friday, do an overnight, and then leave late Saturday night. I am told the month and days of the week matter because of the seasonal nature of the grapes/harvest time and because some wineries are shutdown on Saturday and most are closed on Sunday. Looking for suggestions on what to do as there are a million chateau's offering wine tours. Some of the wine tours are super expensive and I have no idea if the cost is worth it (also, I am not really a wine guy). Likewise, some wine tours seem cheap or very reasonable and I have no idea if that is for a good or a bad reason. Also open to non-alcoholic trips or excursions in and around the area. Any help would be appreciated. If anyone can assist, I would be grateful. And though I will be in your debt, I can only offer you my gratitude and the knowledge that my wife will give me an opportunity to pay for another expensive anniversary trip in the future (perhaps with me accompanying her).

 

[psuro]

If you are in France then take her to the French Riveira. Nice Cannes and Monaco. It’s absolutely gorgeous.

 

[ClarkstonMark]

If you’re not a wine guy I would skip the chateaus in Bordeaux.
But if you really want to do a winery tour / visit, do Mouton Rothschild.

 

[Bean78]

We have been to Bordeaux as part of a Viking River cruise in 2015. As far as a scenic cruise goes it was boring. However we are wine snobs so we had fun tasting the wines. The city of Bordeaux itself is fun for exploring. Lots of good food and wine there too. Most chateaus are not open to the public without an appointment(at least the high end ones). As a wine lover, even I have a hard time distinguishing between wines over $100 and those costing $35. My advice is: don't spend more than $35 for a bottle while over in France, especially because you are not really into wine. We had our tours arranged by Viking but you can get a tour operator to arrange to take you to the moderate Chateaus for a tasting. In 1855, the top 60 Chateaus were ranked into 5 Crus (growths). These are consistently the top wines as evident by their cost. A 1st growth(Mouton Rothschild) could set you back $1000 for a bottle. Don't go there! Try a 4th or 5th growth chateau and you will get the best the region has to offer at a more affordable price. The 4th and 5th growths are Saint-PierreTalbot, Duhart Milon, Branaire Ducru, Pouget,La Tour Carnet, Lafon Rochet, Beychevelle, Prieure Lichine, Marquis de Terme, Pontet Canet, Batailley, Haut Batailley, Grand Puy Lacoste, Grand Puy Ducasse, Lynch Bages, Lynch Moussas, Dauzac, d’Armailhac, Du Tertre, Haut Bages Liberal, Camensac, Cos Labory, Clerc Milon, Croizet Bages, and Cantemerle. A good tour operator should be able to get you into a few of these places as they are all Left Bank vineyards(same side of river as Bordeaux). Wines of the Left Bank are predominately Cab Sav with Merlot mixed in smaller amounts. The whites are few and far between and are mostly Sauvignon Blanc. All the wines except Sauternes(southern Bordeaux) are very dry.

Regardless of whether you like wine or not, you will enjoy the City of Bordeaux itself. Have fun!

 

[Class of 67]

An anniversary trip I can recommend is the two-week Viking river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest (Rhine, Main, Main-Danube Canal, Danube). Not a wine snob's ideal, but you can join a Viking-arranged winery tour and view dozens of vineyards while relaxing on the long boat sun deck. Other land excursions every day. Limitless wine and beer is included at every lunch and dinner. The most awe-inspiring vineyard viewing I've experienced was on another Viking cruise that took us up the Moselle through extremely steep grape-covered hills lining the river banks. Included a fun tasting activity at a winery.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

An anniversary trip I can recommend is the two-week Viking river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest (Rhine, Main, Main-Danube Canal, Danube). Not a wine snob's ideal, but you can join a Viking-arranged winery tour and view dozens of vineyards while relaxing on the long boat sun deck. Other land excursions every day. Limitless wine and beer is included at every lunch and dinner. The most awe-inspiring vineyard viewing I've experienced was on another Viking cruise that took us up the Moselle through extremely steep grape-covered hills lining the river banks. Included a fun tasting activity at a winery.

The Moselle valley is gorgeous. I’ve been to Cochem and Trier.