Beautiful Bordeaux

Exploring Jewish Wine Country

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June 30-July 6, 2025

7

days

The Journey:

Travel through France’s breathtaking Bordeaux region as we uncover the proud legacy, heritage, and rich Jewish history of Southwest France. Explore stunning landscapes, centuries-old winemaking traditions, and cultural treasures in Bordeaux, Médoc, Cadillac, Blaye, Libourne, and more. Wander through archaeological marvels, historic landmarks, and magnificent vineyards, and discover why this region is one of France's most enriching areas to explore.

Savor locally produced kosher wines during our daily excursions to renowned wineries, meet the passionate winemakers behind the labels, and immerse yourself in the medieval villages steeped in centuries of Jewish heritage.

Kosher Wine Program – Discovering the Kosher Wine Route of Bordeaux:

Bordeaux is home to the world’s largest concentration of premium kosher wine producers outside Israel. Join us as we tour historic châteaux and magnificent wine estates, sample exceptional kosher wines, and meet influential wine professionals who continue to shape this centuries-old tradition.

Whether you're a novice or seasoned oenophile, you’ll explore iconic appellations like Sauternes, Médoc, Pomerol, and Saint-Émilion, discovering how unique terroirs give each wine its defining character.

Jewish Bordeaux: Jewish presence in Bordeaux dates back to the 6th century, as recorded in ancient texts. By the 11th century, a community existed near the ancient city walls in an area called Mont-Judaïque, where generations of conversos secretly practiced Judaism in hidden cellars. The community emerged from the shadows in the mid-18th century, achieving full political equality in 1791 with the Declaration of the Rights of Man.

Bordeaux’s Great Synagogue was originally built in 1812 and rebuilt in 1882 after a fire, featuring stunning Gothic and Oriental architectural elements designed in part by Gustave Eiffel.

During World War II, over 1,600 Jews were detained in the synagogue before being deported to concentration camps. After the war, an influx of Sephardic Jews from North Africa revitalized the community. Today, Bordeaux’s vibrant Jewish life includes daily minyanim, kosher restaurants, and kosher markets.

Sample Itinerary

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*Custom Wine Groups: Itineraries can be modified specifically for private groups interested in a more focused wine / winery only program.

ACCOMODATIONS

Five-star luxury hotel based in Bordeaux in walking distance of the local synagogue available for daily davening and Shabbat programming.

**Private VIP groups with Villa and Chateaux takeovers available. Call or email for more information.

ACTIVITIES

Our all-inclusive program provides delicious Glatt Kosher cuisine, daily minyanim, engaging lectures, wine exploration tastings and amazing activities exploring the wonders of Jewish wine country.

KOSHER CULINARY EXPERIENCE 

All daily kosher meals will be freshly prepared in our private dedicated kosher kitchen and served in our private meeting space on-site.  All meals and evening lectures will take place in our private meeting center.   

The Kosher X kitchen team combines their love of cooking with their goal to present you with a delicious classical approach to food. All food and standards for the program will be under strict kashrut supervision.   

Arrive at Bordeaux airport, transfers to Bordeaux hotel, welcome dinner, orientation and intro wine tasting (introduction to Bordeaux wine).

After breakfast we will depart for St. Emilion where you will have a choice of a walking or bike tour of the medieval town followed by two chateaux tours and tastings. St. Emilion is the cultural heart of Bordeaux and one of the most visually stunning areas of the region, with vineyards sprawling in every direction from the city walls. The cobblestone streets are lined with wine merchants who offer some of the most exclusive wine bottles, attracting collectors from around the world. St-Emilion is also home of the garagiste wine revolution, a movement by winemakers in the 1990s that rebelled against traditional production methods and used dynamic modern techniques to create more intense, fruit forward wines. We will enjoy a kosher picnic lunch along the way with the serene natural backdrop of the vineyards.

Afternoon Tour: Truffle Hunting: Visit to a local truffle farm for truffle hunting and tasting.

We will end our day with an amazing winemaker barbecue on the grounds of the only full-time kosher producing winery in Bordeaux. Our host is one of Bordeaux’s most innovative and cherished kosher winemakers.

After breakfast we will depart by bus to Pessac Leognan for a panoramic tour and first winery excursion. Pessac Leognan, within the Graves region, is the oldest wine-producing area in Bordeaux, making it the perfect place to begin our journey. The grapes grown here are influenced by the gravel terroir (earth) for which Graves gets its name. The red wines from Pessac are rich and robust yet distinguished for their supple tannins and elegance. The white wines have the rare distinction of being more coveted than the outstanding reds. Following the tour, we will enjoy a delicious kosher picnic lunch.

Afternoon tour choice in Pessac

Choice 1: Spa Day: Enjoy a relaxing afternoon in a luxurious chateaux spa.

Choice 2: Sauternes: Winery visit and tasting. Sauternes has been captivating wine lovers for centuries. The hallmark of Sauternes wine is the luscious, honeyed sweetness that results from the natural occurrence of botrytis in the vineyards, a phenomenon in only a few wine regions of the world. While easily mistaken as sweet dessert wines, sauternes are highly sophisticated wines that are paired with some of France’s most exquisite cuisine.

After breakfast, we will depart for the Margaux to visit two wineries. Located in the Medoc region, Margaux is synonymous with Bordeaux’s legendary wines. Its gravelly soil and maritime climate yield powerful yet refined vintages epitomizing balance and complexity. Driving along the D2 roadway reveals storied kosher names like Cantenac Brown, Lascombes and Leoville Poyferre, while medieval castles and vineyards evoke a regal, historic charm.

In the afternoon, we will be treated to a French cooking class by our own local kosher chef!

Dinner will be aboard a river cruise as we relax and take in the evening scenery.

After breakfast we will discover the city of Bordeaux’s many charms with a choice of walking or bike tour: the locals preferred method of navigating the city’s charming backstreets. You’ll have a wonderful selection of active opportunities to see this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage city. 

Bordeaux has a rich history and vibrant cultural heritage, all of which can be absorbed while immersing yourself in the modern style and dynamic energy of an entirely contemporary metropolis. From the bustling crowds shopping in the boutique and couture shops along St Catherine St, to children jumping in the reflecting pool on the riverfront, Bordeaux has a distinct modern urban charm that is embraced by its ancient city walls. The city was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. Bordeaux’s Gironde River and its port on the Atlantic Ocean has made it a hub of international commerce since its founding in 300BCE. Trade with French colonies in Africa brought enormous wealth to Bordeaux, which grew into one of the most important cities in France after Paris. The region's thriving wine industry brought international merchants from England and the Netherlands as early as the thirteenth century, and Bordeaux became a major throughway for religious pilgrims walking the Camino de Santiago from the Franch to Spain. The city has an outstanding urban feel and architectural ensemble. Today, the city’s fashion industry has made it a beloved “Little Paris”, and university students add vigor and vitality to modern enterprises and cultural landscape.

Jewish Bordeaux:  Explore over 1,000 years of Jewish presence in the city.  We complete our tour with a visit to the majestic Great Synagogue of Bordeaux, inaugurated in 1882, where we will have the chance to meet and interact with the local Jewish Community. 

We will enjoy some free time for shopping and relaxing and then we will gather for a baking class where we will learn the art and skill of making the French classic cookie: the macaron!

We will then get ready for a beautiful Shabbat at the Grand Synagogue, followed by Kabbalat Shabbat services and dinner

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

TRANSPORTATION:   

Transfers between all activities and wineries are by comfortable modern private buses complete with facilities with multiple stops along the way. 

Air Booking 

For those who need assistance with booking your air travel, please contact us and we can supply you with the contact information for an outside air agent.  

Gentle Walkers 

Excursions are a mix of both walking and bus touring that require movement over cobblestones or up and down stairs. Therefore, a physically challenged guest will require the services of a responsible adult, as crew availability is very limited in most circumstances and therefore unable to assist. Motorized scooters are typically not suited. Guests have the option of taking taxis and meeting the group at our designated meeting points to cut down on the amount of walking from site to site. Please note that this is at the expense of the individual guest and must be arranged by the guests themselves.

Security: The safety of our guests is something we take very seriously, and we consider it our most important responsibility. Our policy is to be in constant contact with local municipalities regarding our arrival and departure at our various locations. 

Your tour includes: 

Lodging, full time KosherX guides and wine expert, daily transfers to activities, all activities listed above, all Glatt kosher meals cooked fresh under strict supervision.

*Custom group departures for 30+ participants available year round.

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