An Insider’s Guide to Bordeaux’s Best Wineries and Restaurants

Talk to any self-respecting oenophile and Bordeaux is bound to come up. How could it not? From Grand Crus to table wine to those aged bottles that nail the ripeness-acidity ratio, the calcium-blessed soil belonging to this historic corner of southwestern France makes it one of the country’s—nay, one of the world’s—most important wine-growing regions.

The stats speak for themselves, as does Bordeaux’s history. With wine production dating back to Roman times, it’s the Grand Crus Classés—a classification pertaining to the area’s five finest wines, as mandated by Emperor Napoleon III in 1855—that truly put this viticultural region on the map. Today, Bordeaux is France’s largest wine-growing region, with 6,000 wineries and vineyards spread out across 57 appellations and approximately 280,000 rolling acres of vineyards.  

As to the best wine within Bordeaux, the debate rages on. Left or right bank? Cabernet- or Merlot-based? The jury, as it were, remains out. But put an expert on the spot, one of those unabashed grape geeks to whom wine is a way of life, maybe even a religion, and you’ll certainly get a few personal favorites. That’s why we turned to our friend Damien Mottier, a Bordeaux-based guide for DuVine. Though a native of Normandy, Damien has spent the last seven years living and riding in Bordeaux. Along the way, he’s discovered some of his favorite wineries and restaurants, ten of which he was happy to share with us. Click through our gallery to find out what and where Damien likes to sip and savor within his adopted home. 

Set on the northwest outskirts of St. Emilion, Château La Dominique dates back to the 1700s. But don’t be fooled by this Grand Cru’s heady history. Known for its mix of Cabernets and Merlots, which give each glass an intense nose and fruity finish, it’s the winery’s avant-garde architecture—from a cellar designed by world famous architect Jean Nouvel to the light-filled restaurant (replete with glass pebbled roof deck)—that proves equally seductive. 

Want to rub elbows with Pauillac vintners and other locals? Head to Café Lavinal in the village of Bages. Set next to the historic Château Lynch-Bages, this warm and inviting bistro serves hearty fare based around a seasonal menu sourced from local produce. Hunker down in the dining room for a spirited meal, or opt for the terrace, where the stunning views pair perfectly with the impressive wine list.

Another Grand Cru belonging to the St. Emilion appellation, Château de Pressac keeps things timeless. Perched on a plateau, the views stretch endlessly—a tapestry of green vineyards unfurling beneath a blue sky—and the medieval estate itself is the stuff of fairytale lore. Tour the cellars and learn the secrets of barrel aging before putting your palate to the test with a blind tasting. 

At Château Pédesclaux, the architecture might rival the agriculture—which is certainly saying a lot for this historic producer of Bordeaux Grand Crus. Designed by architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, the sleek, steel and glass structure flanks the original château, and now houses the fermenting room and wine storehouse. And that’s not the only modernization. A special emphasis has been placed on sustainability, with vineyards farmed organically, and the entire winery being gravity-fed, while still producing some of Bordeaux’s most complex and balanced wines.

In a region rife with tradition, it’s nice to dine at a restaurant that doesn’t take itself too seriously. La Table du Lavoir is a charming bistro set within a renovated washroom (the winegrowers’ wives would come here to tend to their husbands’ soiled clothes). Dine by the aromatic fire or under beams recovered from cellars at Château Lafite-Rothschild, and tuck into delicious fare—from foie gras to Pyrenean pork—with mismatched cutlery found at antique stores.

The gravelly soil of this otherwise verdant terroir gives Château Smith Haut Lafitte’s wines their distinct flavor, be it the smokey whites or the smooth yet complex reds. Visit the impressive cellar and cooperage, where all barrels are made in house, then amble through the trees along the Forest of the Senses—a blissful nature trail dotted with contemporary artwork made by local Bordeaux artists. 

Not only is this restaurant set within a former chapel—and boasting a menu that draws near religious-like devotion—but it’s the first eatery found on an 1855 premier Grand Cru Classé estate. Both modern and laidback, La Chapelle de Guiraud puts an emphasis on traditional French cuisine, sustainable gastronomy, and—of course—the finest Sauternes sweet wines.

Amid the vineyards of Pessac Léognan—another Grand Cru Classé—sits Château de Lantic, an 18th-century property whose Semilion restaurant is here to awake your inner epicurean. The locally-sourced menu changes on a weekly basis (with plenty of options for vegetarians), and the wines burst with grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Muscadelle.

The sweet Sauternese white wines of Château d’Yquem command a hefty price, and have inspired legions of fans dating back to George Washington. A lot of that has to do with the winery’s mastery of selective harvesting in waves—more colloquially known as “noble rot”—which gives the wine its sugary taste. No visit to Bordeaux is complete without an afternoon spent at this Premier Cru Supérieur appellation.

The cavernous dining room and wine cellar of La Tertre mirrors the stone dwellings of St. Emilion. Here, in this intimate, 28-seat restaurant, Chef Julien Elles—alongside his wife Catherine—serves a minimal menu focused on hyper local and seasonal ingredients. You might tuck into Escalope de Foie Gras or speck carpaccio or oysters from Oléron, then work dinner off with a stroll through this magical UNESCO-protected village.