A comparative tasting of the four classic Bordeaux red appellations: Médoc, Pessac-Léognan, Saint-Émilion, and Pomerol. Tannin, oak, and Right-vs-Left-Bank Merlot or Cabernet dominance define every bottle.
Where to eat it: 6 restaurants across 1 city.
Bordeaux has been the centre of French wine commerce since the 12th century, when Eleanor of Aquitaine's marriage to Henry Plantagenet opened the English market. The 1855 classification of the Médoc remains the most influential wine ranking in the world. The wine flight at La Cité du Vin, La Brasserie Bordelaise, and Le Quatrieme Mur is the canonical introduction to the region's appellations.
Tip from the editors. Glass shape matters; use the same Bordeaux glass for all four if possible, rotated between the wines, so the variable being tested is the wine, not the vessel. Decanting 90 minutes ahead is non-negotiable for properly aged Bordeaux.
Le Quatrieme Mur in Bordeaux's Grand Theatre is Philippe Etchebest's one-Michelin-star brasserie under the colonnade, with a high-end terrace looking.
Tip: The brasserie side at lunch is the price-friendlier entry; the starred dining room takes evening bookings only.
La Brasserie Bordelaise in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is the golden-triangle institution on Rue Saint-Remi with non-stop kitchen service from noon to midnight.
Try: Southwestern French plates, foie gras, cassoulet
Order: Beef cheek a la bordelaise with a glass of Saint-Estephe
Tip: Kitchen runs without a break so a 22:30 plat principal is no problem; book a window table for the after-theatre crowd.
Soif in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre is Cecile Lambre and Nico Lefevre's natural-wine and small-plate bistro on Rue du Cancera, with around 350 low-intervention.
Signature: Pate en croute, Calf's head ravigote, Charcuterie boards
Tip: Pull up a stool at the windowed wine collection; the chalkboard menu changes daily and runs until they sell out.
Symbiose in Bordeaux's Chartrons is the bistronomic dining room and speakeasy on Quai des Chartrons, run by four young partners with seasonal small plates.
Signature: Tasting menu, Sea-driven small plates, Speakeasy cocktails
Tip: Book the dinner sitting; the cocktail bar behind the bookshelf takes walk-ins only and stays open until 01:00.
Racines in Bordeaux's Chartrons is the neo-bistro on Rue Georges Bonnac with a single daily set menu, French market produce and a small but considered.
Signature: Daily market menu, Roasted bone marrow, Seasonal vegetable plates
Tip: Tables turn fast at dinner; lunch is by far the calmer service and the daily set is around €28 for three courses.
La Tupina in Bordeaux's Saint-Pierre district is the southwestern French institution founded by Jean-Pierre Xiradakis in 1968, now led by chef Franck Audu.
Signature: Entrecote a la bordelaise, Tricandilles, Sanguette
Tip: Sit near the open fire for the tricandilles; the lunch formula is a serious value if you book ahead for noon on a weekday.
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