Schiller's Favorite Wine Bars in Bordeaux City, France

 

Picture: Annette and Christian G.E. Schiller - "Un Pot" in a Sidewalk Cafe in Bordeaux City

Bordeaux City

The city of Bordeaux is a jewel, with vestiges from the Roman era and medieval town gates. However, the 18th century was its golden age. Victor Hugo once said: “Take Versailles, add Antwerp, and you have Bordeaux.”

Bordeaux is often referred to as "Little Paris". Baron Haussmann, a long-time prefect of Bordeaux, used Bordeaux’s 18th century, big-scale rebuilding as a model when he was asked by Emperor Napoleon III to transform a then still quasimedieval Paris into a “modern” capital that would make France proud.

The city was ruled by the English for a long time, which is why Bordeaux seems to have an "English flair". After the marriage of Henry II to Eleanor of Aquitaine, Bordeaux came under English rule between 1152 and 1453. It was then that the British first developed their taste for Claret, as the red Bordeaux wine is called in the UK.

The city has recently been classified by UNESCO as an “outstanding urban and architectural ensemble”.Bordeaux has a million inhabitants, including a lively university community of over 60,000.

Pictures: Visiting Bordeaux City

Bordeaux is a flat city, built on the left banks of the Garonne. The Garonne merges a dozen kilometers below the city with the Dordogne to form the Gironde, which is biggest estuary in France. The two main entertainment spots are: (1) Formerly inhabited by wine merchant warehouses, the docks (les quais) are now home to gardens, bike and skate paths, boutiques, museums, cafés, bars and restaurants. (2) La Victoire is the other area for entertainment: Historical monuments meet student life and bars. Most of the pubs and bars of the town are here. Virtually, all the shops in the surroundings of this area are bars.

See:
In the Wine Capital of the World: the City of Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars

Le Bar a Vin

3 Cours du 30 Juillet

Le Bar a Vin is located on the ground floor of the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux, diagonally opposite the Grand Théatre. The Maison du Vin is the headquarters of the CIVB (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux), home of all the Bordeaux wine professionals, wine producers, brokers and négociants of the Gironde, the Wine School and the Bar a Vin.

Pictures: Le Bar a Vin

Le Bar a Vin is one of the few wine bars open all day. However, if you are interested in premium Bordeaux wines, this is not the place to go. Le Bar a Vin does not showcase the wines of the perhaps 400 producers people talk about in the world, but the wines of the 15.000 or so other producers that also make excellent wines. Most wines are around Euro 3 per glass including tax and service. The menu - updated every several weeks - includes about 20 Bordeaux wines, all served by the glass only. But Le Bar a Vin also serves one or two premium wines; we had the 4. Cru Classé en 1855 Château Lafon Rochet 2007 at €8. The food menu is plates of charcuterie, and cheeses for Euro 6.

Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery

14 Cours de l'Intendance

Not too far away from Le Bar a Vin is Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery, just the opposite of Le Bar a Vin. The enomatic system contains wines of the 400 producers or so that are known all over the world. For higher-end wines, Max Bordeaux is the place to go. If you have questions, a wall-mounted iPad offers fact sheets and wine critics’ tasting notes about every single wine, in English. However, no casual seating or food is available. Also, Max Bordeaux closes early in the evening (8 pm).

Pictures: Max Bordeaux

Aux Quatres Coins Du Vin

8 Rue de la Devise

Like Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery, wines are also dispensed with the enomatic system and, more like Le Bar a Vin, this cute wine bar offers more affordable wines. Unlike both Le Bar a Vin and Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery, its selection includes also non-Bordeaux wines - 32 different wines: 8 whites, 8 red from Bordeaux, 8 red from other parts of France and 8 red from abroad. In addition, you can always order a bottle from the 130 references wine list. Aux Quatres Coins Du Vin also serves cheese and charcuterie platters, but not a full meal. A hipp, young crowd.

Pictures: Aux Quatres Coins Du Vin

Wine and Soul

23 Rue du Couvent, in the Chartrons district

A cozy and funky wine bar that offers a large selection of wines, good food and music concerts once a week. The ramshackle furnishings belie owner Jeremy Renard’s serious industry connections.

Picture: Wine and Soul (Photo: Wine and Soul)

La Part des Anges

23 Rue des Pilliers de Tutelle

Vicky Wine: This small wine bar with a limited wine list is specialized in Bordeaux Wines but each month you have a focus on 4 regions so you're sure to always get something new. November, Greece and Beaujolais on the menu, and Vicky's wines. The perfect place for an afterwork with a good friend. Bonus: when you buy a bottle you get a saucisson free.

Pictures: At La Part des Anges, with Cecilia Dupuy and Mark J. Dryfoos

Owned and run by Cecilia Dupuy and her mother. Cecilia - who knows a lot about wine - has a number of wines "in tubes", which I found very interesting. Clear focus on Bordeaux wines. No kitchen, only small plates.

Le Wine Bar

19 Rue des Bahutiers, in the historic St. Pierre district

Run and owned by two charming Italians, the large wine list also includes many Italian wines. A cosy, small place. Depending on the time, you may be asked to have a full meal. Le Wine Bar is an excellent location to enjoy a glass on an outdoor terrace.

Pictures: Le Wine Bar

Vinome

13 Bis Rue Montbazon

Showroom and Bar a Vin

Vinome: Dans une ambiance conviviale et chaleureuse, Julien Rouzies convie les amateurs de vin à découvrir au verre toute une gamme de vins de Bordeaux dont de délicieux Sweet Bordeaux ! Le concept est simple et novateur : il vous suffit de recharger votre carte Vinôme pour vous servir librement le verre de Sweet Bordeaux votre choix parmi les bouteilles présentes en vitrine de dégustation. Pour couronner le tout, direction la cuisine pour accompagner votre verre de Sweet Bordeaux par une mise en bouche cuisinée sous vos yeux : toast de chèvre chaud, magret de canard, noix de saint-jacques…

Pictures: Vinome

Vinset

27 Rue des Bahutiers

Recommendation of Cecilia Dupuy from La Part des Anges. Looks very interesting on the web site.

Vinset: Largest choice of Bordeaux Wines by the glass. From 3€ & more. Unbeatable bottle prices. The reference of Bordeaux Wines in Bordeaux. Accompanied by carefully selected local producers of amongst others hams "Jambon de Bayonne" and the famous tasteful cheeses from the Pyrenées "Fromage de Brebis."

Picture: Vinset (Photo: Vinset)

Wine More Time

8 Rue St. James

Wine Shop and Wine Bar

Yelp comment: Calm, kind of groovy space to try some new wine. Sit at the bar, sit on the big sofas, or relax outside and people watch when the weather's right. Various small plates offered: aged ham, cheeses, olives, bread.

L’Univerre

40-42 Rue Lecocq

Bar - Restaurant

Bordeaux expert and Bordeaux City resident Jane Awson recommendation on twitter.

L’Univerre: Après le Verretigo, Fabrice Moisan ouvre l'Univerre à Bordeaux, un bistrot dédié à la découverte des vins. Dans un ancien bistrot de quartier entièrement repensé par LaSuite Atelier, Fabrice Moisan a ouvert début novembre l'Univerre, un lieu où déguster les vins de sa cave prolifique et manger généreusement, façon tapas ou à table. À deux pas de la caserne des pompiers, l'Univerre s'inscrit dans la lignée du Verretigo, dont il fut l'un des fondateurs : une carte des vins rare, curieuse, fournie (1300 références) à des prix d'amis, une cuisine sans chichi mais inspirée qui fait la part belle au produit.

L'Intendant

2 Allées deTourney

Wine Store

Not a wine bar., but an amazing wine store of 4 levels connected by a single spiral staircase, just next to the Grand Hotel. The collection includes over 15,000 bottles.

Pictures: At L'Intendant

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