Bordeaux Wine Day TourGraves Wine Tour: Bordeaux Wine Trails Day with Picnic
This Graves wine tour from Bordeaux Wine Trails is the only listing on this site that starts its day among the vineyards south of the city. You meet at 9:00 AM in front of the Bordeaux tourist office, ride out in an air-conditioned minivan in a group of up to 8, and taste up to 10 red and white wines across 3 wineries. Lunch is a gourmet picnic of local charcuterie and cheeses served in the vines at a château, with a glass of wine. The day finishes in Saint-Émilion with a village walk and a last tasting. The price is $199.83 per person. You can also browse other Bordeaux wine day tours.
About This Tour
Bordeaux Wine Trails runs this 9-hour small-group day across both banks of the wine region. The morning belongs to the Graves and Pessac-Léognan, where red and dry white are made in about equal importance and the gravelly soil gives the area its name. After a visit and tasting there, the minivan moves to the Right Bank for a picnic lunch in the vines, a walk through Saint-Émilion and a final château tasting.
It is priced at $199.83 per person, carries a 5.0 rating from 349 verified reviews on Viator, and runs with a local English-speaking guide in a group capped at 8 per booking. There is no hotel pickup. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
$199.83 per person, rated 5.0 from 349 reviews on Viator
9 hours, departing 9:00 AM from the Bordeaux tourist office
In front of the Office de Tourisme, 12 Cours du 30 Juillet. Tram B or C to Quinconces. No hotel pickup
Maximum 8 people per booking, local English-speaking guide
3 winery stops with up to 10 tastings of red and white, plus a glass of wine with lunch. Lunch included, a gourmet picnic at a château
Not included: hotel pickup, gratuities and bottled water (bring your own, refills at the châteaux). Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
Check Dates and Availability
The tour needs a minimum of 2 people to run, and the group is capped at 8. Check live dates and secure a place below.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer The day in brief
This Graves wine tour costs $199.83 per person, lasts 9 hours from a 9:00 AM meet at the Bordeaux tourist office and includes up to 10 tastings across 3 wineries plus a gourmet picnic lunch with a glass of wine. Groups are capped at 8 with an English-speaking guide, and children under 12 are not accepted. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure.
Key takeaways
- It is the only listing here that starts in the Graves, a region whose gravelly soils stretch over 50 km south-east of Bordeaux, with the day then ending in Saint-Émilion.
- See how the day unfolds stop by stop in the itinerary section.
- If you would rather spend the day on the Médoc side, look at the Saint-Émilion and Médoc day with lunch instead.
- Short on time? The same operator runs a Saint-Émilion afternoon with two Grands Crus for 5.5 hours.
- Compare every full-day option on the Bordeaux wine day tours.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $199.83 covers the transport, the guide, all three winery visits with tastings, and lunch. Here is exactly where the line sits, from the operator's own listing.
Included in the $199.83
The listing includes transport in an air-conditioned minivan, a local English-speaking guide, visits and wine tastings at three wineries with up to 10 tastings of red and white, and a gourmet picnic-style lunch at a château in the vines with a glass of wine. The lunch is locally made charcuterie and cheeses. Water refills are available at the châteaux, but the operator no longer hands out bottles, so bring your own bottle and refill during the day.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air-conditioned minivan transport | Yes | No hotel pickup or drop-off |
| Local English-speaking guide | Yes | English only, no other language stated |
| 3 winery visits, up to 10 tastings | Yes | Red and white, including the château's red and white at the first stop |
| Gourmet picnic lunch at a château | Yes | Local charcuterie and cheeses, one glass of wine. Vegetarian and gluten-free on request 72 hours ahead, vegan not guaranteed |
| Bottled water | No | Bring your own, refills at the châteaux |
| Gratuities | No | At your discretion |
| Hotel pickup and drop-off | No | Everyone meets at the tourist office |
What You May Pay on the Day
Nothing is mandatory beyond the ticket. The listing states no mandatory extras. The realistic on-the-day costs are a gratuity for the guide if you felt the day earned one, and any bottles you choose to buy at the châteaux, which is always optional.
If you want the vegetarian or gluten-free picnic, request it at least 72 hours before the tour. The listing cannot guarantee vegan catering, so plan around that if it matters to you.
- Gratuities, at your discretion
- Wine purchases at the châteaux, optional
- Nothing else is listed as an extra
Sources: Saint-Émilion Tourist Office, Bordeaux wine, Wikipedia
Autumn vines in front of Château Smith Haut Lafitte in the Pessac-Léognan area of the Graves. Photo: davitydave, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The operator's itinerary gives durations for each stage but few fixed clock times beyond the 9:00 AM start. Here is the day in order, using those stated durations.
Meet and Drive Out
Meet your guide at 9:00 AM in front of the Bordeaux Tourist Office at 12 Cours du 30 Juillet, reached by tram B or C to Quinconces. The first stage is a 15-minute meet and greet, then a 30-minute drive south to the Pessac-Léognan vineyard. Pessac-Léognan sits in the northern Graves, immediately south of the city, so you are among vines quickly for a full-day tour.
Arrive early, because the listing is firm that tours leave precisely at the scheduled time.
- 9:00 AM meet at the tourist office
- 15 minutes to meet the guide
- 30 minutes en route to Pessac-Léognan
First Château in Pessac-Léognan or Graves
The first stop is 135 minutes at a prestigious winery in Pessac-Léognan or Graves, with a visit and a tasting of the château's red and white wines. The itinerary names both the red and the white wines of the château at this stop, which fits the region: Pessac-Léognan makes red and dry white in roughly equal importance. The operator does not name the château in advance and does not state how much time is spent in the cellars versus the tasting room.
- 135 minutes at the first winery
- Red and white both poured
Picnic Lunch in the Vines
Next is a 130-minute stage at a family-owned vineyard in the Saint-Émilion wine region, with a tour of the property and a picnic-style lunch in the vines. The picnic is local charcuterie and cheeses, accompanied by wine selected from the winery, and the listing includes a glass of wine with lunch. Request the vegetarian or gluten-free version 72 hours ahead if you need one.
- 130 minutes including the vineyard tour
- Picnic with a glass of wine
Saint-Émilion Village Walk
The minivan then moves to the village itself for a 60-minute guided walking tour through the streets of Saint-Émilion. The village is a UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed as the first vineyard landscape on the list, and it has steep cobbled alleys. The operator recommends comfortable shoes for Saint-Émilion.
The hour is a guided walk through the streets, and the listing does not mention monument entry.
- 60-minute guided village walk
- Comfortable shoes recommended
Final Château and Return
The last stage is a 60-minute tour of a château in the Pomerol or Saint-Émilion appellation, where the château host welcomes the group for one final tasting. The listing does not state which appellation applies on a given day, so the last château could be in either. After that the minivan returns to the tourist office.
The itinerary gives no clock time for the return, only that it comes at the end of the 9 hours, so keep onward travel plans flexible.
- 60 minutes at the final château
- Return to the tourist office, time not stated
Fascinating Bordeaux: Graves and Pessac Léognan Explained
The Graves and Pessac-Léognan explained by a wine merchant. Third-party video by Bonner Private Wines. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing carries several hard limits. Check them before booking, because none are negotiable on the day.
Ages, Pets and Group Size
No kids under 12 and no pets are accepted, and the minimum drinking age is 18. The listing prices the tour for ages 18 to 75. The group cap is 8 people per booking, which keeps the minivan small.
If you travel with younger children, the Saint-Émilion Village and Grand Cru Half Day accepts children from 4, though every passenger needs a ticket.
- No children under 12
- No pets
- Minimum drinking age 18, priced for ages 18-75
Access, Fitness and the Two-person Minimum
Saint-Émilion village is not wheelchair accessible, and the operator asks anyone affected to contact them for alternatives. The tour itself suits all fitness levels, but the village walk covers steep cobbled lanes. The tour needs a minimum of 2 people to run, and the operator can cancel with a full refund if that minimum is not reached, so avoid booking a non-refundable dinner for the same evening.
There is no hotel pickup, so everyone makes their own way to the tourist office. Rain is not a listed cancellation reason, and the listing states no weather policy either way.
- Saint-Émilion village not wheelchair accessible
- Minimum of 2 people to run
- No hotel pickup
Who Should Book Something Else
If your priority is the Médoc and its classified growths, this tour never goes there. The Saint-Émilion and Médoc Day with Lunch covers the Route des Châteaux with more than 10 tastings, and the Médoc and Saint-Émilion, Three Châteaux with Lunch pairs a Classified Growth estate with a picnic at a Saint-Émilion château. If 9 hours is too long, the same operator's Saint-Émilion Afternoon with Two Grands Crus runs 5.5 hours.
For a shorter and cheaper Saint-Émilion option, the Saint-Émilion Half Day by Wikitour starts at $84.
Getting to the Start and the Rest of Your Day
The meeting point is the Bordeaux tourist office, reached by tram, and there is plenty to do around the start and finish times.
Finding the Meeting Point
The tour meets in front of the Bordeaux Office de Tourisme at 12 Cours du 30 Juillet. Take tram line B or C to the Quinconces stop, which has been the city's main transport hub since 2003. A single tram ticket costs €1.90, and the network runs from about 04:30 until midnight.
The Monument aux Girondins, a 54 m column, stands on Place des Quinconces. If you drive, note that many city-centre streets are restricted traffic zones watched by cameras.
- Tram B or C to Quinconces, €1.90 single
- Meeting point at 9:00 AM, tours leave on the dot
Before and After the Tour
The CIVB Bar à Vin at 3 Cours du 30 Juillet is on the same street as the tourist office, run by the Bordeaux wine council with sommeliers behind the bar, and open Monday to Saturday 11:00 to 22:00. It lists 2 glasses of Bordeaux for €3. After the tour, tram line B runs from Quinconces out to La Cité du Vin, the wine museum in the Bacalan district whose ticket includes a tasting at the Belvedere.
If the day leaves you wanting more of Saint-Émilion, the village is easy to revisit without a car, because the train from Bordeaux Saint-Jean takes around 30 minutes with about 15 direct trains a day by one source, while another says 30 to 35 minutes with trains every 1 to 2 hours. Read the Bordeaux to Saint-Émilion by train guide, or the page on Saint-Émilion itself, for a village-only day.
The Day, Step by Step
Clock times beyond the 9:00 AM start are not stated by the operator, so later steps are given as phases with the listing's own durations.
-
9:00 AM
Meet at the tourist office
Meet your guide in front of the Bordeaux Tourist Office at 12 Cours du 30 Juillet. The meet lasts 15 minutes. All tours leave precisely on time.
-
After 15 minutes
Drive to Pessac-Léognan
A 30-minute ride in the air-conditioned minivan south to the northern edge of the Graves.
-
Morning
First winery visit and tasting
135 minutes at a prestigious Pessac-Léognan or Graves winery, with a tour and a tasting of the château's red and white wines.
-
130 minutes
Family vineyard and picnic lunch
130 minutes at a family-owned vineyard in the Saint-Émilion wine region, with a property tour and a gourmet picnic of charcuterie and cheeses among the vines, accompanied by the winery's wine.
-
Afternoon
Guided walk in Saint-Émilion
60 minutes exploring the streets of the UNESCO village with the guide. Wear comfortable shoes for the cobbled slopes.
-
60 minutes
Final château in Pomerol or Saint-Émilion
60 minutes at a château in the Pomerol or Saint-Émilion appellation, where the château host leads one last exclusive tasting.
-
End of the 9 hours
Return to Bordeaux
The minivan heads back to the tourist office. No return time is stated, so keep evening plans flexible.
Strengths and Trade-Offs
An honest read of what this listing does well and where it asks something of you.
What we genuinely like
- The only listing here that starts in the Graves, so you taste Cabernet-led Left Bank reds and dry whites before the Merlot country of the Right Bank in one day
- Up to 10 tastings across 3 wineries, red and white
- Lunch is included and it is a proper meal, a gourmet picnic at a château in the vines, not just a snack
- Group capped at 8 with a local English-speaking guide, and a 5.0 rating from 349 verified reviews on Viator
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure
The honest downsides
- Nine hours is a long day, and part of it is time in the minivan between two banks
- The picnic is charcuterie and cheeses, with vegetarian and gluten-free versions needing 72 hours notice and vegan not guaranteed
- The picnic comes only at the second stop, after a 135-minute first winery visit, so eat breakfast before the 9:00 AM start
- The châteaux are not named in advance, so the first stop could change within the Pessac-Léognan or Graves area and the last within Pomerol or Saint-Émilion
- No hotel pickup, and the tour needs a minimum of 2 people to run
Who it's NOT for: Not for families with children under 12, wheelchair users visiting Saint-Émilion, or anyone whose real target is the classified growths of the Médoc.
Questions About This Tour
How much does this Graves wine tour cost and what does that include?
It costs $199.83 per person for 9 hours, and the price covers minivan transport, an English-speaking guide, 3 winery visits with up to 10 tastings, and a gourmet picnic lunch with a glass of wine. See the full breakdown in what the price covers.
Where and when does the tour start?
It meets at 9:00 AM in front of the Bordeaux tourist office at 12 Cours du 30 Juillet, reached by tram B or C to Quinconces for a €1.90 single, and it leaves precisely on time. The meeting point is the same one used by the operator's Saint-Émilion afternoon with two Grands Crus.
Is lunch included on this tour?
Yes, a gourmet picnic of local charcuterie and cheeses at a château in the vines with a glass of wine, and vegetarian or gluten-free versions are available if you request them 72 hours ahead. That makes it one of the full-day Bordeaux wine day tours where the midday meal is genuinely covered.
Can I bring children or a dog?
No, the operator accepts no kids under 12 and no pets, and the minimum drinking age is 18. For a listing that takes younger children, consider the Saint-Émilion Village and Grand Cru Half Day, which accepts children from 4.
Does the tour visit the Médoc?
No, this day covers the Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Saint-Émilion and possibly Pomerol, and it never crosses to the Médoc. If the Route des Châteaux is your goal, book the Saint-Émilion and Médoc day with lunch instead.
What happens if the tour does not reach its minimum?
The tour needs at least 2 people to run, and the operator can cancel with a full refund if the minimum is not reached, so keep a buffer before any fixed evening plans. Cancellation by you is free up to 24 hours before departure, per the listing. See other Bordeaux wine day tours if you need a different cancellation window.
Is Saint-Émilion accessible for someone with limited mobility?
The listing states that Saint-Émilion village is not wheelchair accessible and asks affected travellers to contact the operator for alternatives. The village has steep cobbled alleys, and the Saint-Émilion guide covers the terrain in more detail.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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