Best Saint Emilion Wine Tours and Tastings
Are you looking for the best wine tours in Saint Emilion, France? Then you are not alone!
No country comes to mind as quickly as France does when talking about wine. Many famous wines, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay originated in France and their versions influenced a lot of wines abroad as well.
France is known for a high amount of vintage variation due to its unstable climate. France can be divided into 11 major wine regions, one of them being the Bordeaux area. It is known as one of the most influential and famous wine regions in the world.
My favorite part of this area is Libournais, Bordeaux. Without a doubt is Saint Emilion the most influential wine village in Libournais.
With an abundance of wine tours and tastings in Saint Emilion, it can be so hard to choose. Luckily, I have had my fair share of wine tastings in that area, so I created this guide to help you pick the best ones.
Let’s dive in!
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Table of Contents
- Best Wine Tours Saint Emilion – at a Glance
- Introduction to the Wines of Saint Emilion, Bordeaux
- What You Need to Know About Saint Emilion Before You Go
- Best Saint Emilion Wine Tours from Bordeaux
- Best Saint Emilion Wine Tours
- Best Chateaux for Wine Tasting in the Saint Emilion Area
- Best Wine Bars in Saint Emilion
- How to Get Around Saint Emilion
- Where to Stay in Saint Emilion for Wine Tasting
- Where to Eat in Saint Emilion
- Wrap-up: Best Wine Tours in Saint Emilion
- FAQ
- About the Author
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Best Wine Tours Saint Emilion – at a Glance
Find my detailed reviews of the best wine tours and tastings in Saint Emilion further down this article. If you just came here for a quick answer, find it here!
Best Saint Emilion Wine Tasting from Bordeaux
Best Wine Tour in Saint Emilion
Introduction to the Wines of Saint Emilion, Bordeaux
In the Bordeaux area, most producers specialize in the eponymous red blend, featuring Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet France. The white Bordeaux blend is usually made of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle.
The Libournais Region, also known as Right Bank is famous for its Merlot-based wines. The best wines there can be found in Saint Emilion and Pomerol. Wines there deliver a bold cherry, tobacco, and chocolatey flavor.
This area does not only offer you amazing wines to drink but also a rather stunning backdrop for your tasting. Picturesque villages, vineyards as far as the eye can see, and countless restaurants offering fine French cuisine.
Here are some wines you should absolutely try in Saint Emilion:
- Merlot & Cabernet Franc & Malbec – This wine is known to be very juicy with bright colors. It tastes very much like cherries and plums. Some people find notes of black currant, bell pepper, olives, oak, smoke, toast, tar, tobacco, green beans, ginger, and vanilla. The wine has a very soft aftertaste.
- Merlot & Cabernet Franc – This is one of my favorites from the region. It has a distinct rich ruby color. It tastes a lot like plum and pepper with a hint of oak.
No idea on how to do a wine tasting properly? Learn all you need to know about your first wine tasting here.
If you are looking for budget wines: we found that the neighboring regions of Pomerol and Montagne-Saint-Emilion house equally refined wines at a much lower price point.
The borders between these regions were drawn without respect to differences in the soil, so you can find a lot of wines that technically grew on similar soil without having to pay the price for the classification.
If you are more of a fan for sparkling wine, you might find the Champagne area of France even more interesting!
What You Need to Know About Saint Emilion Before You Go
Saint Emilion is worth a visit. In 1999 the city was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Every single corner of the small town is packed with history and culture.
The wine history of Saint Emilion can be traced far back: in the 3rd century, BC Romans planted the first wines in the area of Saint Emilion.
Back then it only consisted of 200 hectares of vineyards – nowadays it is a wine empire.
The village got its name from a monk called Emilian. In the 8th century, he lived in a cave in the village, from where he attracted many religious visitors.
Later, the city became an important point for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. There are lots of religious buildings in the area now. The Monolithic church is the most important of them all. Another beautiful spot to see is the Collegiate church, which was built between the 12th and 15th centuries.
During the middle ages, Saint Emilion has been a special autonomous community under the reign of the British Empire. In return for their autonomy, the government of Saint Emilion had to send wine to Britain. That is one reason why the wines became so popular there over the years.
Best Saint Emilion Wine Tours from Bordeaux
1. Saint Emilion Day Trip with Sightseeing Tour & Wine Tastings from Bordeaux
🥰 5/5 (593 reviews)
This 8-hour Day Trip to Saint Emilion from Bordeaux is everything you need when looking for a great wine-tasting trip.
Included in this fabulous tour are three wine-tasting sessions in different chateaux of Saint Emilion or Pomerol. There is also a 45-minute walking tour through the village of Saint Emilion included in this tour.
An air-conditioned mini-bus will chauffeur you around for the day. Free WiFi on the bus is included.
The only downside of this tour is that there is no food included. However, there is time to grab some lunch in Saint Emilion at your own expense.
Duration: 8 hours
Included: Three wine tasting sessions, 1 bottle of water
This was an excellent tour! Got to visit 3 different wineries and the beautiful town of St. Emilion. Colas was an excellent host, even making the bus ride to and from interesting with commentary and a little test of knowledge on the way back. Highly recommended!
George_J, Mar 2023
2. Saint Emilion Afternoon Wine Tour with Winery Visits & Tastings from Bordeaux
🥰 5/5 (299 reviews)
This Saint Emilion Afternoon Wine Tour is great for everyone that wants to get a real taste of the region.
Not only will you enjoy two wine tastings at two different wineries but also enjoy a cheese and charcuterie board with an additional glass of wine.
The tour takes about half a day and is limited to very small groups. This ensures lots of attention from your knowledgeable local guide.
Of course, a walking tour through Saint Emilion is included in this package. And at the end of the tour, you will know how the famous Grand Cru wine that Saint Emilion is so famous for is being made.
Duration: 5 hours
Included: two wine tasting sessions and an additional wine & cheese combo
3. Full Day to Saint-Emilion and Medoc from Bordeaux
🥰 5/5 (54 reviews)
The only thing even better than a guided wine tour to Saint Emilion is a combined wine tour of Saint Emilion and Medoc.
On this small group tour, you will spend your morning discovering the beautiful city of Saint Emilion, trying its famous Grand Cru at Château la Croizille.
After a lovely picnic lunch, you will head towards the Medoc wine area. The sweet picnic basket filled with cold delicacies and a glass of Saint Emilion wine is for me the highlight of this tour.
In the afternoon you will visit Château Siran and the grand cru classé at Château Marquis de Terme. A quick photo stop at Château Margaux is also included in this tour.
Talk about seeing all the highlights of the area in one day!
Duration: 9 hours
Included: three wine tasting sessions, picnic lunch with wine
Best Wine Tour Ever If I could give more than 5 stars, I would. I’ve been all around the world and been on many tours, but this was easily one of the best. Florentine and Morgain (sorry if the spelling is wrong) were personable, funny, and knowledgeable. We had the perfect balance of wine, trivia, and history. They showed us several wineries on both banks, explained the differences in the vines, as well as backstory, and gave us context for all the wines we were trying. We also visited the amazing village of St Emilion, and they gave us the best tour. We saw every point of interest, and they timed it so each stop built on the last. We have been in France for several weeks and this was easily the highlight of our trip. Do the full day tour and don’t look back!
Anthony_S, Mar 2023
4. Bordeaux Wine Lovers – Saint Emilion with a Private Driver
I had to include this private tour of Saint Emilion in my list of best wine tours from Bordeaux.
Going with a private driver gives you a lot more flexibility for your trip. This tour provider creates a custom (!) itinerary based on your personal preferences for all their tours.
During the 8-hour tour you will be able to explore however many estates you want to see.
Keep in mind, that the actual cost of tastings and food is not included in the price, which I find a bit of a pity.
Duration: 8 hours
Included: Private Driver for 8 hours, Planning of your perfect day trip
Best Saint Emilion Wine Tours
If you are looking for Saint Emilion wine tours without transportation from Bordeaux, you can find my favorites here. These tours are a lot cheaper of course since they don’t include transportation. Keep in mind that if you are not staying in Saint Emilion you might need to organize how to get to your tour.
Here are my favorite wine tours in Saint Emilion (without transportation):
Saint-Emilion – Private Guided Walking Tour with a Wine Tasting
🥰 5/5 (1 review)
This is my absolute favorite wine tasting tour in Saint Emilion.
Your personal tour guide will take you on a 3-hour walking tour through the charming streets of Saint Emilion.
You will pass by the famous Monolithic Church, and the Bell tower and make various stops for wine tasting.
Drinks and snacks (delicious cheese) are included on this tour. This is such a great way to learn about the history from a knowledgeable guide while doing some amazing wine tasting!
Guided Vineyard Tour with Wine Tasting in Saint-Émilion
🥰 5/5 (1 review)
This 2-hour guided vineyard tour of Saint Emilion offers great value for little money.
The tour includes a tour and tasting at the Château de St-Emilion as well as a tasting at the O Tour du Vin wine cellar.
All alcoholic beverages and a knowledgeable guide are included in the price already.
Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé: Guided Tour & Tasting
🥰 4,5/5 (48 reviews)
This tour includes two tastings at two different wineries. It takes about an hour and starts at the Château Croizille, which is located right outside of Saint Emilion.
The second place you will visit is the Château Baladoz where you will have another tasting and a tour of the winery and the cellars.
This tour is extremely cheap and covers all the most important things you want to experience during a Saint Emilion wine tasting.
Best Chateaux for Wine Tasting in the Saint Emilion Area
Over the last two years, we have visited a couple of estates and done some wine tours a bit outside of Saint Emilion, and I can especially recommend two of them. The perk of visiting wineries a bit farther away is that there are no crowds and you can do your tours in peace.
Chateaux le Grand Verdus
The Chateaux le Grand Verdus is a family estate and offers a broad variety of different wines to try. We were able to taste white, red as well as rose wines at the estate.
Furthermore, I got to try my first natural wine, which was made without adding conservatives to the blend. The tour guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, and we were able to explore the winery in a private setting for a very affordable price.
Needless to say, you can buy the wines at an excellent price, much cheaper than in retail stores. Visiting France by car I would therefore strongly recommend.
Vignobles Chatonnet
Secondly, I can recommend a visit to another family-owned winery, the Vignobles Chatonnet estate. The tour takes you through grand gardens, a stunning mansion as well as wine cellars.
The tour is followed by a tasting in their newly renovated tasting rooms. My favorite wine from Vignobles Chatonnet was their La Sergue wine.
Best Wine Bars in Saint Emilion
If you have the time, sit down in one of the charming wine bars in Saint Emilion. I found it to be a nice change from all the tours and tastings to just sit down, sip a glass of wine and enjoy the atmosphere.
Here are my favorite wine bars in Saint Emilion:
How to Get Around Saint Emilion
Saint Emilion is about 20 – 30 minutes away from Bordeaux. Bordeaux Airport is the closest airport to the city. If you are coming from Bordeaux, I suggest getting either a rental car at the airport or booking a guided day trip from Bordeaux to Saint Emilion.
There are plenty of parking spots just outside Saint Emilion. Within the city, you can walk to all the attractions and wine bars. Some chateaux might be a bit further away and not in walking distance, so a car is really useful.
The alleys are quite steep and filled with cobblestones in Saint Emilion. Make sure to bring good shoes.
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Where to Stay in Saint Emilion for Wine Tasting
If you are looking for a fancy place to stay in Saint Emilion for your wine tastings I got just the thing for you. The Chateau Hotel & Spa Grand Barreil is probably the fanciest place that you can stay in the area.
The Hotel de Pavie in Saint Emilion is another fabulous choice for your stay in the wine village. Their suites are simply magnificent!
If you are looking for a more budget accommodation, the IBIS in Saint Emilion is probably your best bet.
Where to Eat in Saint Emilion
A day of wine tasting and strolling through historic villages are topped off best with a fancy dinner, I can especially recommend La Table de Catussou in Pomerol. This place is a bit outside of Saint Emilion, but the quality of the food and the wine was amazing. Also, it was a lot cheaper than to eat in touristic Saint Emilion.
There are of course plenty of fine restaurants in Saint Emilion that I can wholeheartedly recommend:
Wrap-up: Best Wine Tours in Saint Emilion
There are so many fabulous wine tours in Saint Emilion that it can be quite hard to choose the best one.
If you are looking for a more relaxed experience without crowds, I suggest booking one of the private tours I mentioned above. The Bordeaux Wine Lovers – Saint Emilion with a Private Driver or the Saint-Emilion – Private Guided Walking Tour with a Wine Tasting are excellent options.
Of course, you can also just visit one of the many chateaux by yourself and book a tasting there. We loved the Vignobles Chatonnet winery as well as the Chateaux le Grand Verdus.
Whatever option you choose, you will not be disappointed by the delicious Saint Emilion wines and the picturesque village.
If you are interested in wine travel in France, why not spend three days in the Champagne Region? Before Christmas, make sure to take a romantic couples trip to Paris or a road trip in Alsace?
Interested in more wine tastings? Check out the best wine tours from Paris to Champagne.
FAQ
The Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé: Guided Tour & Tasting that I recommended in this article takes about an hour. This tour offers all the important things in a short amount of time.
I suggest booking a private wine tasting tour or a small group wine tasting tour if you wish to avoid crowds. Find my favorites in this article.
Yes, you can walk to some wineries in Saint Emilion. However, I suggest bringing a rental car or renting a bike if you wish to visit wineries that are a bit further away.
Chateau de Pressac is said to be the most beautiful Chateau in Saint Emilion. It was renovated in the 19th century and is overlooking endless beautiful vineyards.
Yes, Saint Emilion is worth a visit. From the medieval town square to a beautiful monolithic church, there is so much to see and do in Saint Emilion. Of course, a wine tasting should also be on your itinerary.
Chateau de Pressac is said to be the most beautiful Chateau in Saint Emilion. It was renovated in the 19th century and is overlooking endless beautiful vineyards.
I find autumn to be the best time for a wine tasting in Saint Emilion. During the fall months, you can see beautiful colorful foliage all over the area. This makes the small wine village even more picturesque.
About the Author
Sabrina is a passionate travel blogger and content creator, based in the Netherlands. She spends about half of the year traveling to various destinations together with her husband.
She provides slow-paced itineraries that focus on quality over quantity. Sabrina wants to help her readers to get more out of their travel experiences – while doing less. Read more.
