A “Moveable Feast” on Bordeaux’s Wine Roads
Château Hotel Grand Barrail in the midst of Saint-Émilion’s prestigious vineyards. Photo courtesy of Château Grand Barrail.
by Michel Thibault & Marla Norman
In past years, finding a good meal on the Bordeaux Wine Roads was a difficult proposition, other than Le Lion d’Or in Arsac (Margaux appellation) and Café Lavinal (next to Château Lynch Bages in Pauillac), restaurants offered spotty fares, certainly not on a par with the wines grown in the region. Now, that is no longer the case, as a number of restaurants are able to please wine afficionados. Yes, Bordelais people don’t update as quickly as others, but when they do, they do it right.
For instance, in Margaux the Château Marquis de Terme winery estate has opened up a restaurant, offering a casual and more fomal menu. The decor is pretty but not pretentious, with lots of natural light from open, airy windows. The wine book, of course, features a number of selections from the Marquis de Terme winery but is also rich in other Bordeaux listings.
But mostly the menu will speak to you. The Tajine of Braised Lamb served with Semolina and Tomato Compote has received many “Wows” from our past tour groups, as has the Pavé de Cabillaud (pavé refers to the square shape of the cod fillet) served with a side of Pork-cured Lentils and a Coconut Curry Sauce. Both dishes are light and tasty. The desserts, on the other hand are not light, but worth the indulgence, especially the Valrhona Brownie with Caramelized Bananas and Pecan Ice Cream. What more can we say?
Contemporary decor at Château Marquis de Terme. Photo courtesy of Château Marquis de Terme.
Le Savoie Restaurant is another of our favorites with hearty foods and salads that many Americans will enjoy after a few days of French fare. Also in Margaux, L’Ile Vincent, located in the Relais de Margaux Hôtel & Spa, is an outstanding option. With a refined setting, on the Gironde River, the restaurant offers seafood and local specialties.
While in Margaux, don’t forget to load up at the Chocolaterie Mademoiselle de Margaux. Many of the chocolates are shaped like vines and are good reminders of your Left Bank trip. Our favorite though, are the Grillotes, small cherries in brandy, wrapped in delicious chocolate.
In the village of Saint-Julien is a “Must Stop.” Le Saint-Julien, ideally located across from Château Léoville Poyferré and down the street from Château Léoville-Las Cases has it all: impeccable service, a deep wine list featuring a number of magnums (excellent when you entertain a large group) private rooms, but mostly spectacular foods whether fresh whole Dover Sole or pan sautéed Cèpes Mushrooms when in season. A treat for both eyes and belly!
Intimate, cozy dining room at Le Saint-Julien. Photo by Marla Norman.
Grilled beef at Le Saint-Julien. Photo by Melvin Oakley.
Back up in the northern tip of the Médoc, in Saint-Estèphe, we also hear about La Maison d’Estournel from friends who have stayed and dined in the villa of Cos d’Estournel. An unparalleled experience, they tell us …it’s on our bucket list for sure.
Further South near Martillac is one of the most beautiful properties anywhere — Château Smith Haut Lafitte. Here, owners Daniel and Florence Cathiard produce top quality wines and, with their daughters, also manage a renowned spa, Les Sources de Caudalie. Art installations are everywhere and there is a Michelin two-star restaurant, La Grand’Vigne, for fine dining and La Table du Lavoir, for more casual, but still very high-end dining.
La Table du Lavoir at Château Smith Haut Lafitte was an actual laundry — the old stone tub is a focal point in the gourmet restaurant. Photo by Marla Norman.
On the Right Bank, in addition to the well-known dining room of Hôtel de Pavie, with its two-star Michelin La Table de Pavie, there is also Logis de la Cadène, owned by Château Angélus with a Michelin star.
A more recent addition is Le Jardin de Soutard, established by Château Soutard. Located half a mile from the center of Saint-Émilion, this restaurant over delivers with a spectacular wine list and very pleasing food. Leave a little room for their cheese selection, always a delight!
The countryside around Saint-Émilion is complete with winery restaurants such as Atelier de Candale (next to Château de Candale) where you can sit outside to enjoy Merlot country. On the other side of the village, La Terrasse Rouge sits atop Château la Dominique, with views of Pomerol and the rooftop gardens of Château Cheval Blanc. More spectacular vineyard views await visitors at Château Hotel Grand Barrail.
Hôtel de Pavie, with its two-star Michelin restaurant, is ideally situated at the base of Saint-Émilion’s 11th century monolithic church. Photo by Marla Norman.
At Le Jardin de Soutard, indulge in a selection of exceptional French cheeses. Photo by Marla Norman.
Saving our two favorites for last:
La Table de Catusseau in Pomerol has never ever been anything but outstanding. Over the years we have fallen in love with this place and the owners: Kendji Wongsodikromo and his wife Nadège. Kendji is from New Caledonia and his cuisine, although classically French, is always full of fun twists and surprises that reflect his heritage.
Les Belles Perdrix, the Michelin-Star restaurant at Château Troplong Mondot, marries first-rate food with an incredibly warm and attentive staff. The Troplong Mondot wines are pretty darn nice too!!! And just opened, courtesy of Château Troplong Mondot is La Petite Perdrix, at the entrance of the village of Saint-Émilion. Here, Pastry Chef Adrien Salavert offers many of the desserts available at Les Belles Perdrix: Lemon Tart, Hazelnut Chocolate Tart and Vanilla-Cassis Custard as well as Croissants, Charentes and Pains au Chocolat for a sweet start to mornings. Club sandwiches, Burgers with homemade fries can be ordered for lunch. This gem of a store also has “travel cakes” to take on the road.
Finally, a word about our favorite store in Saint-Émilion: Ets Martin Wine Shop. Like all wine lovers, we seek out fine wine stores and this tops them all. Upstairs, you can taste a dozen or so daily selections, assisted by Benoit Gaillard, whose knowledge is incomparable. Downstairs, Emma Lebacle will walk you through a treasure trove — an enormous selection of Burgundies such as Raveneau, DRC and other Unicorn Wines. There are also numerous top Bordeaux: Pétrus, Le Pin, old vintages. We love to buy Champagne there as their selection is excellent. All the wines are meticulously kept and there’s always a special bottle the staff will find for you.
At La Table de Catusseau, Chef Kendji Wongsodikromo shows off beautifully-plated oysters. Photo courtesy of La Table de Catusseau.
Marla with Michelin-star Chef David Charrier at Les Belles Perdrix, Château Troplong Mondot.
Michel at Ets Martin Wine Shop with Emma Lebacle and Benoit Gaillard.
So much to enjoy now on the Bordeaux wine road(s) with restaurants that offer food equal to the extraordinary wines grown in the region. If you’re planning a visit and are interested in a guide, we highly recommend our good friend, Olivier Dufeu. A sommelier who once worked for top New York-based restaurants Le Bernardin, Café Boulud and Bouley, Olivier has recently launched Terroir Access, for private tours not only in Bordeaux, but throughout France.
More on Bordeaux’s history and many cultural attractions here: Bordeaux: Port of the Moon and Saint-Émilion: A Legend Crafted in Stone & Vines
À bientôt! See you on the wine road.
