Mindi Abair's Wine + Jazz Bordeaux Adventure

Tour Details

• Trip Dates: August 15 – 20, 2023 & August 22 – 27, 2023
• Trip Price Per Person: $5,250
• Single supplement: $1,200 per person
• Group Size: 35 – 40 people estimated
• Guide: To Be Assigned
• Meals:  All meals except one lunch and one dinner
• General Tour FAQs

Curated Experiences

• Enjoy outstanding concerts in amazing settings with 2X Grammy-nominated Mindi Abair and her musician friends
• Travel in an intimate group with Mindi and her wine star husband Eric Guerra
• Visit iconic Bordeaux wineries on both the Left Bank and Right Bank
• Dine at top French restaurants, including one that has the best cheese cave in Bordeaux
• Explore the ancient subterranean Saint-Emilion Monolithic Church

Day 1

Welcome to the wine capital of France! We will meet in our downtown five-star hotel at 1:30 PM for introductions, an overview of the tour, and a wine tasting featuring both wines of Bordeaux and those from our hosts Mindi and Eric. Later in the afternoon we have an optional walking tour of the lovely city of Bordeaux, taking in as many sights as possible, including Mirroir d’eau, Place de la Bourse, Rue Saint Pierre, Rue Saint Catherine, La Grande Cloche, and Marché des Capucins.

Dinner this evening is at La Brasserie Bordelaise, only a few blocks from our hotel, for a classic Sud-Ouest (South West France) meal.

Day 2

After breakfast at the hotel, we will make our way to the Left Bank of Bordeaux. Our first stop will have you believe that we’ve stumbled upon a fairy tale as we will be exploring the castle of Chateau Pichon Baron Longueville. Our visit will take us into the cellars underneath the impeccably manicured lawn and finish with a tasting of one of their unreleased wines.

For lunch, we’ll head into the town of Pauillac to a quaint little restaurant along the River Gironde, partaking in the local seafood (with other options).  Once we’ve eaten our fill, we will hear from Mindi in her first concert of the week.

We’ll then return to Bordeaux where you’ll have time to relax and explore on your own.  That evening, we’ll reconvene in our hotel’s lobby and walk to Baud et Millet for dinner – a cheese lover’s paradise!  They have their own cheese-aging cave where you can go in and help yourself to over 100 different cheeses from all over France.  You also have the opportunity to pair regional wines with the cheese of your choice. C’est magnifique!

Day 3

Yesterday we explored the Left Bank of Bordeaux; today we’ll explore the Right Bank! We begin with a tour and tasting at Château Beau-Séjour Bécot, a Saint Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé. It was once cultivated by an order of monks and even has an extensive network of underground limestone caves.

Once we’ve tasted a few of their well-known Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon blends, we’ll depart for the village of Saint-Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the celebrated center of Right Bank wine production. This picturesque village dates back to ancient times with its unique Romanesque architecture and ruins scattered among the narrow and steep streets. You will have free time to explore and grab lunch on your own at one of the many quaint cafes.

Our next concert will be in Saint-Emilion with special local guests of Mindi. After the concert we will head to the village’s namesake monolithic church where we’ll learn about the story of Monk Emilion, the carving of the monolithic underground church, and the fascinating catacombs. Once back above ground, we will drive back to Bordeaux where you will have time to relax. In the evening, we will engage in a cooking demonstration and dinner at a local cooking school.

Day 4

Today we explore the wine region of Graves and Sauternes, a very large wine region to the south of Bordeaux, which is famous not just for its wine but for its huge swathes of forest. We start with a tour and tasting at Château Haut Bailly, a Cru Classé Graves founded in 1953 and set in a gorgeous 19th-century chateau. This will be an exclusive visit to discover the secrets of their grand cru and a tasting of three wines including an older vintage paired with cheese and nuts. Due to the surrounding gravely fossil soil, there is more of a mineral taste to their Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon blends.

After, we set off for Sauternes and stop for a hearty lunch along the way at Auberges Les Vignes, an adorably cozy restaurant where meals – the specialty is local fish – are cooked over an open fire. We then continue on our way to the stunning estate of Château Suduiraut, formerly Cru du Roy. The estate encompasses 200 hectares of land of which 98 hectares are vineyard – 90% of their grapes are Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc. The Chateau’s gardens were designed by Le Nôtre who designed gardens for Louis XIV; they are the perfect location for our third concert of the week. After the concert and our exploration of the estate, we will engage in their Masterclass tour and tasting, which is a vertical tasting of three wines served in black glasses, challenging you to match the wine with the aromas revealed in the Aroma Gallery.

This evening, you will have a chance to further explore the city of Bordeaux and have dinner on your own.

Day 5

After breakfast we move right into a gastronomic luxury, a visit to Mademoiselle de Margaux, a gourmet chocolatier, for an“Awaken your Senses” Workshop. What a way to awaken your senses this morning.

We then shuttle to Bordeaux’s world-class interactive wine museum, La Cité du Vin. A fun way to cap off the trip, we’ll learn about the world of wine – from history, viticulture, producers, and Bordeaux in general.

The museum is visually and architecturally spectacular both inside and out – the building itself is built to resemble “the swirls in a wine glass”!  It offers hands-on, hi-tech exhibits where you are encouraged to use all five of your senses. To top things off, we’ll have a world wine tasting on the eighth floor while taking in the 360-degree view of Bordeaux.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we return to Bordeaux for a bit of rest before listening to Mindi and a special guest perform in her fourth and final concert of the week.

Tonight we feast at La Belle Époque, a superb quayside restaurant. Formerly the Nantes Hotel, the restaurant has maintained the exquisite decor that was designed by Amedee de Caranza at the end of the 19th century – making it a grand setting for our farewell dinner.

Day 6

This morning we will have a final meeting with Eric and Mindi, recall a few of our shared experiences, and say our goodbyes – at least until the next Wine & Jazz Adventure!

Nights 1 – 5:  Situated on the Place de la Comedie in the center of Bordeaux, the Intercontinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hôtel has for over 200 years been the center of the city’s luxury tourism. It sits opposite the Opera National de Bordeaux and is within walking distance of many of the city’s top sights. Inside, the five-star hotel features two restaurants, including one with two Michelin Stars, and a 1,000 square meter (10,800 square feet spa). You can also relax – when we have free time – on the rooftop bar overlooking the city.