IT'S ALL SIP-SHAPE

A new itinerary through the famous Bordeaux wine region promises chocolate, charm and chateaux Marc Shoffman sets sail down the Garonne and Dordogne to test it out

- Marc Shoffman

It's 10.30am and I'm sipping my first glass of Bordeaux. Spittoons are available but the silky merlot and cabernet sauvignon blend that dances down my throat is too good to waste – even if it is still breakfast time.

Bordeaux wine is, after all, the French region’s proudest export. Even King Charles made sure he came to the city during one of his first state visits to France as monarch in September 2023.

Forget the French road trip. A river cruise is the best way to discover the various vineyards and culture of Bordeaux, a Unesco world heritage site since 2007, and the locals are on board with welcoming passengers – as I discovered on a trip with Avalon Waterways.

The operator is the latest to launch sailings along the calm Garonne and Dordogne rivers, with Avalon Waterways president Pam Hoffee sharing that the region is top of its cruise passengers’ wish lists for ideal itineraries.

Local wine – and lots of delicious cheese – is, of course, a key part of the schedule on and off the ship, with pairings at dinner and excursions focused on visiting charming chateaux.

It was at the 15th-century Chateau Siran in Medoc, on the left bank of the Gironde estuary where the Garonne and Dordogne rivers meet, that I sipped its highly regarded 2017 vintage for breakfast after visiting the vineyard’s vast stainless steel tanks used to ferment the wine before it is aged in oak barrels for up to 15 months. The velvety fruit blend with delicious hints of vanilla is worth waiting for.

Across the river, to the east of Bordeaux along the Dordogne, there is an opportunity to blend your own wine at Chateau La Dauphine. It felt like being back at school as we were presented with a worksheet explaining how to use sight, smell and taste to identify a wine’s flavours. It is a good party trick to take home.