This wine charity first edition in 2022, was at the initiative of Pierre-Henry Gagey of Louis Jadot in Burgundy, Bordeaux teams from Châteaux Haut Bailly, Giscours and Lynch Bages took part. In 2023, these same properties took up the challenge to organise the event in Bordeaux.
Many other Bordeaux estates joined them; the list reads like a who’s who of Bordeaux. You’ll recognize the names of many Best of Wine Tourism winners amongst them, Châteaux Lagrange, Larrivet Haut-Brion, d’Angludet, Phélan Ségur, du Tertre, Carbonnieux, Cérons, Lafite Rothschild, Palmer, Yquem, Branaire-Ducru, Doisy-Daëne, Beychevelle, Pichon Baron, Pichon Lalande, Fieuzal, Couhins-Lurton, Bouscaut, Coutet, Clinet and Domaine de Chevalier.
Quite the ride
A two day itinerary took nine teams of riders 200 km through the vineyards of Bordeaux. The first day riders covered a 90 km loop through the Médoc, starting and finishing at Château Giscours (2024 Best Of Wine Tourism Global Winner) in Margaux with a pit stop at Château Branaire Ducru and lunch in the grounds of Château Lafite Rothschild. The day ended with dinner at Château Lynch Bages.
The second day also covered 90 kms, this time through Graves and Sauternes starting at Château Haut Bailly this time with a pit stop at Château de Cérons, lunch Château d’Yquem and coming back to Château Haut Bailly for a final cocktail and dinner.
Wine for F & B
The line-up was international with teams made up of chefs and sommeliers from the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Belgium, China and of course France. Each team raised donations for their chosen charitable organisation from their home country. Charities helping people in difficulty in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Together they raised over €400 000. The French teams raised money for l’Association Jean-Claude Vrinat that sponsors young people studying at hotel schools.
The Burgundy and Bordeaux teams had already started their money raising efforts in April, joining forces for a charity wine dinner in Paris. Prepared by the Bras family from Laguiole and held at the Halle aux Grains in Paris they served iconic wines from both regions including: Domaines Sauzet, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Lafon, Louis Jadot, Domaine de Chevalier and Château Fieuzal, but also with Domaines de la Romanée Conti, Marquis d’Angerville, Dujac, Hudelot-Noëllat, Eugénie, and Châteaux Palmer, Léoville Las Cases, Ausone, Latour, Yquem, Lynch-Bages, Giscours and Haut-Bailly.
This year
In 2024, Bike to Care will return to Burgundy on 10th and 11th June but the Bordeaux riders will be there in force. This year’s charity wine dinner already took place on 20th March with support from Domaines Sauzet, Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Comtes Lafon, Louis Jadot, Domaines de la Romanée Conti, Marquis d’Angerville, Dujac, Hudelot-Noëllat, Domaine Fourrier, Domaine Arlaud in Burgundy and the Bordeaux Châteaux Palmer, Yquem, Lynch-Bages, Giscours, Haut-Bailly, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Figeac, Lafite Rothschild, and Montrose.
Link to donate https://www.biketocare.org/en/
Wendy NARBY
Photo credits : © Fred Berho