Château Arricau Bordes
Arricau-Bordes, France
There's tremendous lore surrounding the Château Arricau-Bordes winery: the first lords of Arricau appear in records from the Middle Ages, and the chateau itself, a numinous hodge-podge of honey-coloured stone, red-tile roofs and miscellaneous towers, dates back as far as the 16th century. A bastion of local winegrowing, the estate's ancestral vineyard is said to have helped establish Madiran's reputation for powerful, age-worthy reds – and it's still upholding the legacy today, its plots planted predominantly with tannat, the region's revered, distinguishedly dark grape. Robust reds aren't the only bottles worth uncorking here, however. Arricau-Bordes also produces a selection of dry and sweet Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh whites, grown on a series of rippling, tree-flecked hillsides – from which, on clear days, it's possible to see the faraway peaks of the Pyrenees. Each May, the estate's six growers organise walks across the slopes and ridges, just as their wild orchids come into flower; it's a beautiful sight to behold before reconvening at the cellar for a tasting.
Key Information
- Opening times: Year-round, by appointment
- Signature wine: Château d’Arricau-Bordes Madiran
- Wines produced: Red and white
- Grape varieties: Tannat, cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, gros manseng, petit manseng, petit courbu
- Time from airport: 45 mins from Pau-Pyrénées Airport
- Visit Château Arricau Bordes 's website
Location
Le Château, , Arricau-Bordes, 64350
