Bordeaux, France
While in France, we had the opportunity to tour and taste at Chateau Dauzac. It is a Margaux “Grand Crus Classe”. This is a classification that dates back to 1855. They have a 49 hectacre vineyard and a gorgeous chateau. One thing that I love about European wineries is the fabulous long histories associated with them.
The oldest known owner in this sector of Margaux was Pétrus d’Auzac. He received the land from Richard I, “Richard the Lionheart”, King of England.
Chateau Dauzac is open Monday through Saturday to the public and offers many different experiences. We enjoyed the Discovery Tour. You are given a brief history of the area, why Margaux wines are special and a tasting of two wines for $25. One tour that would have interested me was a Wine Tasting with Meat and Cheese Pairing for $45. If you want to do a tour you will need a reservation.
We really enjoyed the tour. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable and spoke excellent English. The barrel room was really impressive. While the wines were good, I had higher expectations and did not purchase any. Wine in France for me was a sensory overload. I am also used to Washington State and California wines. I love bold rich cabs, so I found the French wines, many were pinot noir, lacking the complexity that I prefer.
Definitely worth any opportunity to visit any of the French wineries. All the ones we went to were terrific.