Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/889690
Later we tour the Roquetaillade Castle, privately owned by the same family for 700 years, and originally built in the 10 th century by Charlemagne. Around 1870, Viollet le Duc, who had a huge influence on Frank Lloyd Wright, restored it to its current neo- Gothic architecture. Back on board AmaDolce, the Bells con- duct their first of many wine-tasting seminars, proudly comparing their highly rated 2015 Napa Valley Sauvignon blanc and 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon to a white Bor- deaux (Sauvignon blanc/Sémillon) and a red Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot). Situated on the south bank of the Gironde estuary, Pauillac is our next stop. This gateway to the Haut-Médoc wine regions is home to three of the five "first growth" wineries, the world-renowned 1855 Wine Classification that gave the world Cru and Grand Cru wines. The region's gravelly soils produce some of the world's finest Bordeaux wines—especially those made from the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grape vari- etals. This is also where you will find the most beautiful estates: Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux and Château Pichon Longueville Baron. At Château Léoville Poyferré, owned by the Cuvelier family for 100 years, we taste four wines ranging from a very young 2016 Château Moulin Riche to an exquisite 2000 Château Léoville Poyferré, which sells for 220 euros. A treat indeed. On our fourth morning, we visit the charming town of Blaye, where we happen upon a delightful festival at the Citadel of Blaye—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, we travel to Bourg, situated at the confluence of the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Due to its location, Bourg became an important trading centre and its medieval walls were built in the eighth century to pro- tect it from raids or invasions. Our walking tour takes us down picturesque alleyways and into the Horse-Carriage Museum and the World War II Petrol Cistern before ending at the Maison des vins des Côtes de Bourg for an exclusive wine festival and— you guessed it—more wine tasting. The next day, my husband embarks on a bike tour from Libourne to Saint-Émilion, while I sign up for an afternoon excursion of Saint-Émilion, a charming village known for its picturesque architecture, monuments and historic vineyards—and delicious mac- arons made from the original recipe handed down through generations. Remnants of monasteries and convents from the 11 th to 18 th centuries line its steep, narrow cobble- DREAMSCAPES FALL/ WINTER 2017 54