Bordeaux Masterclass with Simon Woods

Bordeaux is the most famous wine region in the world and – for many people – also the finest. Places such as Pauillac and St Emilion, St Julien and Pomerol, Graves and Sauternes are etched into the minds of wine lovers everywhere, and the great estates in these places are household names. In wine lovers’ households at least…

In our first ever Bordeaux Masterclass, we’ll be taking an in-depth look at what makes the region so special, exploring why certain parts specialise in certain grapes, discussing the merits of the various classifications of châteaux, and looking at how the wines have evolved in recent years due to both the whims of fashion and climate change.

Speaking of wines, there’ll be eight in total. We’ll start with a delicious white from Pessac Léognan before moving on to six reds. From the ‘Right Bank’ where Merlot is the dominant grapes, we’ll be trying wines from St Emilion, Pomerol and Lalande de Pomerol. From the ‘Left Bank’ across the Gironde estuary, where Cabernet Sauvignon rules the roost, we’ll sample three wines from the Médoc (probably from Pauillac, St Julien and Listrac), including one that features in the famous 1855 classification. And we’ll finish off with another classed growth wine, a sumptuous sweet wine from Sauternes.

In all our Masterclasses, the average price of the wines is over £25. In this instance, it’s considerably higher than that, which makes the cost of £50 per head something of a bargain. So do join us for what should be a popular and memorable evening.