Châteaux Chefs
Bordeaux has a unique collection of historical chateaux and experiencing chateau life has never been more accessible as properties open their dining rooms to guests. Châteaux chefs create original menus from seasonal produce that allow the wines to shine. This is all about matching food to wine rather than choosing the wine for the food.
Chateau Haut Bailly in Pessac Léognan is a pioneer of the ‘Table Privée’ concept, opening up their private dining room of the chateau in 2009, employing a chef uniquely to welcome wine enthusiasts.
At Château Giscours in Margaux the chef offers farm to table dining with produce from their rare breed farm and kitchen garden, served with bread made with yeast from the wine cellar.
Chateau Pichon Baron in Pauillac, Château Beychevelle and Gruaud Larose in Saint Julien are amongst many other Bordeaux properties that share the intimacy of their beautiful architecture to host guests.
A chef in the garden
In Cadillac-Côtes de Bordeaux, Château Biac keeps it green by co-hosting with local chefs in their ephemeral restaurant in their olive garden at the heart of the wildflower meadow. Launched with chef Pierre Rigottier of Lune Restaurant in Vayres, guests enjoyed the spectacular views across the Garonne River while enjoying the food and wine pairings.
Château Dauzac in Margaux takes you on a voyage to Japan and across time, serving the prestigious Wagyu beef with older vintages of their wines.
Picnics chic
The chicest picnic is at Château Malartic Lagravière in Pessac-Léognan. Deckchairs, blankets and picnic baskets await you on the lawn after a tour of the cellars where your private chef will grill your choice of meat in front of you, serve fresh local vegetables and a selection of wines from this classified estate. There’s a special menu for children, making it a perfect family outing.
At Château de Cérons choose your white, red or gold picnic menu echoing the range of wines offered by the property. You will be served under the century old trees in front of the beautiful 18th century chateau at the heart of the quaint river front village.
Rivers are never far from the best vineyards of Bordeaux. As you picnic in the park of Château La Dauphine in Fronsac, you’ll be overlooking the Dordogne. Or perhaps you prefer the more formal setting of lunch by the pool of this 18th century chateau. For something more contemporary, wait for the sunset apéro platters on the terrace of nearby boutique winery Château George 7.
Château Loudenne, the beautiful pink Médoc château on is the banks of the Gironde. They welcome visitors for a picnic in the grounds and the grounds are huge. Choose to spread your picnic blanket on the lawn, in the rose garden or sit at one of the picnic tables at the water’s edge. If you are seduced by the river, you might want to arrive by boat at their private dock.
Restaurant stars
Some chateau chefs have become so successful they now have Michelin stars. The Belles Perdrix at Château Troplong Mondot has one Michelin star, La Grande Vigne at Les Sources de Caudalie in the grounds of Château Smith Haut Lafitte and the Lalique Restaurant in Chateau Lafaurie Peyraguey in Sauternes both have two stars.
There’s a more relaxed offering at neighbouring Chateau Guiraud. As well as La Chapelle in the old chapel of the property, this year, they re-opened Le Cercle Guiraud offering local food and an eclectic wine list in the village where the terrace overlooks the vines leading up to the chateau on the hilltop. Chateau Marquis de Terme (2023 Best Of Winner for its wine services) in Margaux has partnered with chef Gregory Coutanceau at their Au Marquis Restaurant.
The stunning rooftop Terrasse Rouge restaurant above the ultra-modern cellars of Chateau la Dominique in Saint-Emilion has some of the best views of Pomerol vineyard as well as great food. The terrace is covered in red glass pebbles that represent the wine fermenting under your feet whilst you dine.
Food trucks
For an even more relaxed evening, go where food trucks are invited to the party. Every Thursday throughout the summer, owner Estelle Roumage opens the gates of her Château Lestrille in the Entre deux Mers, to a different food truck. The Apéros Dorées at Château La Tour Blanche (2023 Best Of Winner in Innovative wine experiences) are a chance to savoir the golden wines of Sauternes with food trucks and live music in the vines
Hands on
Bordeaux Chateau Chefs are happy to share their secrets, showing guests how to reproduce unique Bordeaux recipes and experiences back home. Château Phelan Ségur in Saint Estèphe, Château Gruaud Larose in saint Julien and Château Kirwan in Margaux offer cooking classes of local specialities. Also, the Japanese chef Junko Sakurai goes around places and makes her national recipes easy and matches them with the property’s wine. Of course, the amateur chefs will enjoy the fruits of their labours with a glass, or two, of wine.
Keeping it sweet
The L’Atelier Cuisine in the kitchen of Chateau Haut Bailly shares how to make the famous Bordeaux cannelés and savoury gougères (even they’re a Burgundy specialty). They have a sweet tooth at Château Phelan Ségur also, macaroons, chocolate truffles, and cannelés are on the menu to be enjoyed with the red wines of the property – new and surprising red wine pairings.
At Chateau Kirwan in Margaux, you can make iconic French macarons, sweet or savoury, and take a box back home. Or join them for the chocolate workshop. Chocolate and wine is one of my favourite pairings. Master chocolatier, Hasnaâ Ferreira has created unique pairings at both Marquis de Terme and Château Dauzac in Margaux using the ‘Les Accords Parfaits©’. She works closely with chateaux to create single origin, exclusive chocolate with aromas and textures to perfectly complement each wine.
In 2019, she launched the ‘Instant à Bordeaux’ collection, a series of chocolate ganache made with wines from four grands crus classés (from Saint-Julien, Margaux, Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe famous wine appellations). In October 2020 she added the appellation Moulis with Château Poujeaux and in 2021 the “Rive droite” right bank collection with Château Toulouse Lautrec Malromé for Bordeaux, Château La Dauphine for Fronsac, Chateau Bellegrave for Pomerol, Château de la Grave for Cotes de Bourg and Château Palais Cardinal for Saint Emilion.
A coffee to go with all those chocolates? On the terrace of Château Sigalas Rabaud in Sauternes, sip on their exclusive coffee made from beans aged in Sauternes barrels.
The Art of food and wine
How about some entertainment whilst you taste? From May to September Château Toulouse Lautrec Malromé in the Entre deux Mers organises ‘apéros dînatoires’. The chef of their Abeilles restaurant creates picnic baskets to enjoy during jazz concerts, poetry readings, literary events and art exhibitions in their gallery.
At Château de Ferrand in Saint-Emilion, house chef Marylin Madray serves lunch on the terrace of the tasting room above the cellars that host the Humble Bic exhibition.
Once the sun goes down, the Cloître des Cordeliers in the heart of Saint Emilion is the place to go and party at the weekend. During the day it’s a quiet and bucolic spot to picnic amongst the ruined cloisters of the church and sip on a glass of Crémant de Bordeaux. But all summer, on Friday and Saturday nights, it comes to life with free electro evenings. You’ll find electronic DJ sets, a wine bar, a cocktail and spirits bar and picnic paniers.
From kitchens to parks and dining rooms to discos, Bordeaux food and wine paring comes in many different and unique flavours.
Wendy Narby
Photo credits : ©Château Loudenne / ©Château Guiraud / ©Château Lestrille / ©Château Lagrange / ©Château Toulouse Lautrec