WINE & SPIRITS

BORDEAUX OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE MASSES

Everywhere I went on a recent trip to Bordeaux—from Margaux to Saint-Emilion, Graves to Sauternes—there was James Suckling, Wine Spectator's longtime Bordeaux expert. I recognized him from his appearance in the controversial wine documentary Mondovino. It was a few weeks before the public unveiling of the 2006 vintage in an annual ritual known as en primeur. Every year Suckling gets a sneak preview before the rest of the trade, with red carpets rolled out for his celebrated and fearsome palate.

As wine regions go, Bordeaux has always been closed to all but the rarefied few—the James Sucklings and Robert Parkers of the world. Its First Growth chateaux—Margaux, Latour, Haut-Brion, Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton Rothschild—have never opened their doors to mere mortals. And even lesser properties have historically welcomed visitors by advance appointment only. Wine tourism, as a result, has long floundered.

Recently, however, that's all started to change. Bordeaux, as a brand, is slowly but surely letting in the barbarians. I traveled through the region not to taste alongside Suckling but to witness its new open spirit. Sure, the top-tier properties are still tighter than Fort Knox, but many others, including some esteemed Second Growth properties, have started welcoming visitors.

Chateau Lynch-Bages in Pauillac is among the region's most accommodating, with its own Relais & Chateaux—the posh hotel Cordeillan-Bages—and tours of its winery, museum and art gallery. A few years back, Lynch-Bages owner Jean-Michel Caze began buying up real estate in the village of Bages, hoping to transform the hamlet into a tourist destination in its own right. He is overseeing the reconstruction of the 19th-century wine village with a lively brasserie, bakery, movie theater and gift shop. "In Bordeaux, until recently," he says, "we couldn't even fathom the idea that people might want to visit our vineyards."