As the biggest AOC wine-growing region in France, it should come as no surprise that Bordeaux is also a city where you can drink very well - here are some of our favourite bars.
Being a city of wine, Bordeaux has a lot to offer. Sustainability in wine is the region’s top priority and the majority of wines are affordable and can be drunk young. There are not only abundant wines from the region but also from all over France and even other parts of the world waiting to be explored. We have chosen our five favourite wine bars in Bordeaux for you.
Think Bar à Vin as a huge “Enomatic machine” where you can sample Bordeaux wines from many of its 65 appellations by the glass, but just bigger, better, more attractive, and served by real people. Located on the ground floor of the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), right next to Quinconces tram stop, Bar à Vin has magnificent neoclassical architecture with contemporary furniture. This is where you can sample over 30 Bordeaux wines by the glass from its constantly updated wine list stretching from famous chateaux to off-the-radar appellations. The starting price is as little as €2 per glass. There are simple cheese and meat platters to go with the wines and it is a popular spot for tourists and wine professionals alike.
Asking any wine professionals in Bordeaux for a wine bar recommendation, Aux Quatre Coins du Vin will surely be mentioned. Just around the corner of the 15th-century church Église Saint-Pierre in the centre of Bordeaux, Aux Quatre Coins du Vin is a popular wine bar for wine enthusiasts in town. With a comprehensive wine list in a heavy A4 leather ring binder, Aux Quatre Coins du Vin proudly lists more than 1,000 wines, 40 of which are served by the glass. They also have a few enomatic machines where you can try various wines at your own pace.
Not many wine bars publicly promote their toilets on social media profiles but Au Bon Jaja is a lively wine bar that likes to celebrate the humorous side of life. This is a bar, a retail shop and a bistro, and stocks mainly organic, biodynamic, and natural wines. If you enjoy the wines at the bar, you can easily buy another couple to take home at a very reasonable price.
With a charming terrace, located just a few metres from the Garonne riverside, the area, along with roughly half of Bordeaux city by the river, was recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site back in 2007. So don’t be surprised when you hear the staff telling you that their toilet has world heritage status, as that is indeed somewhat true.
Vins Urbains is located in the heart of Bordeaux, just a few minutes walk to the famous Porte Cailhau, a 15th-century monument which looks like a mini Sleeping Beauty castle from the outside. With a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, and more than 500 wines on its list (90% from France), the bar is a great place to chill out and enjoy some simple local bites with friends. They also have about 20 wines by the glass.
Flipping through the bar’s stunningly designed wine and cocktails lists is a delight, especially for wine geeks, since each category has around 80 pages and includes wine maps and the history of cocktails in both English and French. Point Rouge has over 1,000 wines from all over France and further afield and 100-plus cocktails including several wine-based cocktails. “Bordeluche” is their signature cocktail which mixes Bordeaux wine with a Plantation rum aged in Cognac, passion fruit, honey, and Marie Brizard anisette. Or you can sip a “Sauterne Spritz” which uses an aromatic base of Sauternes wine paired with Suze gentian for bitterness, topped with brut Champagne and pure gold flakes. A fabulous place to enjoy Bordeaux wines with a twist!
