• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Tiny Urban Kitchen
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • Michelin
    • Subscribe
    • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » World Travel » Europe » France » Bordeaux

    Chateau Haut-Brion Tour in Bordeaux France

    Published: Apr 12, 2016 · Modified: May 11, 2016 by Jennifer Che

    X1C0549.jpg
    This is the twelfth post in the Around the World Birthday Extravaganza Series. Please scroll to the bottom to see all the other posts in this series.

    It was the year 1855.

    Paris was hosting Exposition Universelle, a huge exhibition held on the Champs Elysees showcasing art from artists all around the world. At the expo, Emperor Napolean III wanted to display the wines of Bordeaux, one of the most well-known wine-producing regions in France. He requested that a classification system be created, asking wine brokers to rank the wines. The top wines would be called Premier Cru, or first growths. It would go down from there to the fifth growths.

    Only four wines received the coveted honor of Premier Cru: Château Latour, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, and Château Haut-Brion.

    The classification system stuck around, and is still used today, though it has been slightly modified. (Most notably, Château Mouton Rothchild also obtained Premier Cru status in 1973 after decades of lobbying.)
    D4C3946.jpg
    Our goal in Bordeaux was to visit as many of these top wineries (first or second growth) as possible.

    We soon learned that many of the top wineries do not give public tours. You have to be a person who works in the wine industry. The places that did offer tours to the public were quite selective. One winery asked us to describe our knowledge and appreciation of their wines before agreeing to host us. Another winery charged quite a bit of money for the tour and tasting.
    D4C3927.jpg
    This is why our first visit to Château Haut-Brion was so special. It was the only first growth winery that was willing to let us visit. We had to make an appointment for a private tour in English, but the tour was free. Best yet, it included a tasting of two (!) of their (insanely expensive) wines. X1C0540.jpg
    Here's a quick peek at their stainless steel fermentation tanks. This is where grapes go after they are de-stemmed and crushed. Through the use of gravity only, the grapes go through a two-step fermentation process, with fermentation at the top of the tank and malolactic fermentation occurring at the bottom.
    D4C3931.jpg
    Once the two step fermentation process is complete, the wines are aged in oak barrels up to 18 months.

    D4C3929.jpg X1C0545.jpg

    Château Haut-Brion is unique is that they make their own oak barrels. We visited many wineries in Bordeaux, but this was the only one that had its own cooperage (a barrel maker).
    X1C0552.jpg
    Finally, our last stop was the tasting room.
    D4C3938.jpg
    Isn't it gorgeous?
    D4C3937.jpg
    It was unreal to see so many bottles (of all different sizes!) of such a highly-respected wine. We were thrilled to sample TWO different wines that day. A 2007 Château Haut-Brion (~$500 USD value) and a 2007 Château La Mission Haut-Brion (~$200 value).
    D4C3941.jpg
    It was most certainly a treat to try such sought-after wines. Surprisingly, several of us (me included) preferred the 2007 Château La Mission Haut-Brion. Perhaps it was a better vintage. In any event, it was really interesting to try both.
    D4C3932.jpg
    The tour took less than two hours. We didn't have much time to walk around the grounds, but I did snap a few photos.

    X1C0553.jpg X1C0543.jpg

    This winery is conveniently located very close to downtown Bordeaux. We took a taxi out there and it was only about a 10-15 minute drive. Traffic can get hairy in Bordeaux, though, so plan for a much longer drive if you are traveling during rush hour. Make sure to keep the phone number of a cab company handy, because the vineyard is far enough out that there will be no taxis nearby.

    This is definitely a fun winery to visit. Our host spoke very good English and took good care of us during our tour. The space is pretty and it's cool to see the home-grown oak barrels. Of course, the biggest reason to come here is for the chance to taste some crazy nice wines. That alone probably made the tour worth it. 🙂

    All Posts In This Series
    Around the World Birthday Extravaganza
    Alba White Truffle Fair
    Osteria Dei Sognatori - A Traditional Piedmontese Dinner
    Italy Wine Tour - Barbaresco
    Lunch at Donna Selvatica in Neive, Italy
    Dinner at a Truffle Hunter's Inn - Tra Art e Querce
    G.D.Vajra Winery
    Trattoria Della Posta in Montfort D'Alba
    Nighttime Truffle Hunting with a Dog in Alba
    Osteria della Arco - last dinner in Alba
    Stunning Images of La Morra and Barolo, Italy
    First Day In Bordeaux, France - Une Cuisine en Ville
    Chateau Haut-Brion Tour in Bordeaux France

    More Bordeaux

    • Chateau Cordeillan-Bages
    • Touring Bordeaux - Pauillac, Chateau Lynch-Bages
    • Cos d'Estournel Tour - Bordeaux Day 2
    • La Tupina Bordeaux

    Recent Posts

    • La Salita Valencia Spain January 16, 2023
    • El Poblet Valencia Spain -2 Michelin Stars December 29, 2022
    • MercatBar by Quique Dacosta - Valencia December 9, 2022
    • La Pepica Waterfront Paella - Valencia December 5, 2022
    • Llisa Negra Valencia Spain December 1, 2022
    • Central Bar by Ricard Camarena - Valencia Spain November 29, 2022
    • Casa Ripoll Valencia - Beachside Paella November 27, 2022
    • Valencia Spain Trip Report - Itinerary November 23, 2022

    Reader Interactions

    Trackbacks

    1. Touring Bordeaux Wineries - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      June 2, 2016 at 12:40 am

      […] a couple miles outside the center) is highly regarded, (very expensive!), first-growth producer Chateau Haut-Brion (where we spent our first afternoon). Drive out a bit, however, and you’ll experience the […]

      Log in to Reply
    2. Pirouette Paris - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      August 4, 2016 at 1:01 am

      […] Images of La Morra and Barolo, Italy First Day In Bordeaux, France – Une Cuisine en Ville Chateau Haut-Brion Tour in Bordeaux France Restaurant Le St. James Touring Bordeaux Wineries – Day 1 – Left Bank La Tupina, […]

      Log in to Reply
    3. L'Ambroisie Paris - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      August 14, 2016 at 12:06 am

      […] Images of La Morra and Barolo, Italy First Day In Bordeaux, France – Une Cuisine en Ville Chateau Haut-Brion Tour in Bordeaux France Restaurant Le St. James Touring Bordeaux Wineries – Day 1 – Left Bank La Tupina, […]

      Log in to Reply
    4. Hiking at Mount Takao (Takao-San) in Japan - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      October 4, 2016 at 8:31 am

      […] Images of La Morra and Barolo, Italy First Day In Bordeaux, France – Une Cuisine en Ville Chateau Haut-Brion Tour in Bordeaux France Restaurant Le St. James Touring Bordeaux Wineries – Day 1 – Left Bank La Tupina, […]

      Log in to Reply
    5. Sushi Harutaka Tokyo - Tiny Urban Kitchen says:
      October 15, 2016 at 11:34 am

      […] Images of La Morra and Barolo, Italy First Day In Bordeaux, France – Une Cuisine en Ville Chateau Haut-Brion Tour in Bordeaux France Restaurant Le St. James Touring Bordeaux Wineries – Day 1 – Left Bank La Tupina, […]

      Log in to Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

    More about me →

    Explore

    • Recipe
    • Restaurant
    • US Travel
    • World Travel

    Popular Posts

    • La Salita Valencia Spain
    • El Poblet Valencia Spain -2 Michelin Stars
    • MercatBar by Quique Dacosta - Valencia
    • La Pepica Waterfront Paella - Valencia

    Recipes

    • Appetizer
    • Snacks
    • Meat
    • Vegetables
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Noodles

    Recently Traveled

    • Hong Kong
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Boston
    • California
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • Spain

    Support Us

    Recognition


    Featured on the front page
    of the FOOD Section: 2015

    Best Food Blog Awards:
    Restaurant & Dining 2012

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Equipment
    • In the Press
    • Project Food Blog
    • Privacy Policy

    Eating Guides!

    Eating & Travel Guides
    Trip Reports
    "Kawaii" (Cute Foods)
    Around the World

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • RSS Feed

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shop at Amazon

    Copyright © 2022 Tiny Urban Kitchen