A Winelover Itinerary in the Dordogne and Bordeaux
Looking to savour the very best of southwest France’s wine? This 6-day itinerary is designed for winelovers, with winery highlights, delicious lunches and gorgeous villages — all easily accessible from Chateau Feely in Saussignac. Read on for the full Winelover itinerary Dordogne including wines from the greater Bergerac and Bordeaux regions.
Sunday – Aperitifs & a Walk to Saussignac
Settle in and soak up the organic vineyards of Saussignac Chateau Feely. Take a gentle 1km walk up to Saussignac village. Enjoy a coffee or an apéro at the co-op café Au Timbré then drop into Annabelle DeGroote’s art shop ‘Caprice des Vignes‘ – Annabelle creates gorgeous jewellery from nature including grape vine tendrils.
Lunch suggestion: Restaurant Le Mélange – local, seasonal and relaxed. Afternoon stroll home through vineyard with views of Saussignac castle.
Monday – Explore the Wineries of Saussignac
Book into amorning, a half day or full day wine adventure – or choose from a wide selection of wine courses and experiences at organic farm Chateau Feely try top red cuvées Feely La Source and Feely Grace and white Feely Sincérité- like a Sancerre Taylor Swift’s favourite wine if available. If you are keen to learn how to taste professionally to to get to know the Wine Regions of France book onto the French Wine Regions one day course– it’s a great way to build your wine knowledge in order to get even more enjoyment out of your wine experiences.
Continue your exploration with visits to neighbouring organic vineyards less than 10 minutes walk away – Chateau Le Tap try their white wine Cuvée 3G and Chateau Fayolle try their red Cuvée Sang de Sanglier.
Tuesday – St Emilion – the Kingdom of Merlot
Head west to the UNESCO village of St Emilion (50 mins). Wander the medieval streets in the morning, visit the tourist office to see which wineries are open for drop-in visits that day or plan and book your winery visits in advance. Favourites include Château Bernateau – try their pure Cabernet Franc, Jean Faure, and Guadet and many more. Ask us for more details when you book your accommodation or book a St Emilion tour with Caro Feely if you would prefer to have a guide.
Wednesday – Sweet Wines and a fairytale Castle
Explore the Monbazillac Château, a fairytale castle above Bergerac town and taste the wines of the co-operative of Monbazillac that owns the chateau. The tour includes a wine experience that takes you deep into the history and the creation of noble rot dessert wines like Monbazillac, Saussignac and Sauternes.
Chateau de Monbazillac
In the village of Monbazillac visit the Maison de Vins de Monbazillac and Maison Vari for a tasting or a casual lunch. At Maison Vari try their no sulfite added range or double down on sweet wines and try three Monbazillacs including a pure Sauvignon blanc and a no sulfite added sweet wine. If you feel like splashing out you could book lunch at La Tour des Vents, known for its sweeping views and fine cuisine.
Thursday – A Walking day to Monestier
Take a walk to the Relais de Monestier for a casual day or to Les Fresques at Château des Vigiers for a Michelin star extravaganza (both about 6km away from Chateau Feely). Perfect for a leisurely day or a gourmet experience close to home. Plan a winetasting at a local Chateau like Chateau Monestier La Tour – worth a detour for the chateau, the biodynamic garden, the displays on biodynamics and the drying room for the biodynamic teas – , or Chateau Fayolle (see above for cuvée suggestions) or Chateau Feely before or after lunch.
Alternative: If walking isn’t for you then a short drive to Pécharmant to explore the red wines on the south facing slopes north east of Bergerac is a good option combined with a visit to Bergerac town including the Quai Cyrano Maison des Vins. In Pécharmant we recommend Domaine des Costes, one of very few certified organic vineyards in Pécharmant.
Friday – Bordeaux by Train to visit the Cité du Vin and Les Chartrons
Take the TER train from Gardonne to Bordeaux (approx. 1 hour) then catch the tram (take Line C to ‘Quinconces’ then Tram line B, to ‘La Cité du Vin’) to the Cité du Vin. See French Wine Adventures advice about visiting Bordeaux and Le Cité du Vin. Find out the latest opening hours and more at La Cité du Vin. We also recommend exploring Les Chartrons – the historic Wine Merchant area of Bordeaux – if you have time.
Return for a relaxed evening at Chateau Feely.
If you enjoy fully guided experiences winemaker and certified wine educator, Caro Feely, offers full service wine tours, wine courses and vineyard walking tours.
Evenings at Chateau Feely
Relax in a glorious, peaceful setting .
Enjoy:
- A glass of the organic wine from the vineyard you can see from your terrace.
- Stargazing or a moonlit swim in the salt water pool in summer.
- The sounds and scents of rural France.
- Read the Vineyard Series – recommended by the New York Times – that explores the founding story of the exceptional Feely organic vineyard.
Dreaming of this holiday but not yet ready to travel? Book onto our Virtual St Emilion tour and Red Wine Course or the Virtual Discovery Wine Course and start your exploration before leaving home.
“Chateau Feely combined all our favourite things – being close to nature, fine wine, fabulous food and good company.” Deirdre, Ireland
Tips for This Winelover Itinerary
-
We recommend booking winery visits and restaurants in advance, especially during high season.
-
Consider booking a day tour eg St Emilion Grand Cru Wine Tour with French Wine Adventures to have everything taken care of, the insight of an experienced winegmaker and certified wine educator, and to avoid driving on wine tasting days.
-
Mix wine tasting and walking: a walking day to a relaxed bistro like the nearby Relais de Monestier makes a great balance to days of wine tasting.
- Relax after your exploring with a casual supper on the Wine Lodge Terrace or Wine Cottage Terrace looking over the vines
Plan Your Stay
This fabulous wine itinerary is perfect for a stay in southwest France at Chateau Feely Accommodation. We’re happy to assist with planning your excursions — let us know when you book your stay.
Chateau Feely is winner of the Gold Trophy for education and valorisation of ecological practices at the first French Wine Tourism Competition in 2019 and the has been awarded the Tripadvisor certificate of excellence for more than a decade. You can also experience a half day wine tour, full day wine tour, and multi day gourmet experiences with us – see multi day wine tours. If you would prefer to have a guided experience Caro Feely, certified wine educator, also offers full service wine tours and vineyard walking tours.
