The Best Saint Emilion Wine Tour at Chateau Ferrand – a local’s opinion

Chateau de Ferrand is a must visit on your trip to Bordeaux. A Fantastic wine experience.

With so many vineyards to choose from (over 700), it’s hard to know which is the best Saint Emilion Wine Tour to go on.

Located in the southwestern part of the Bordeaux region, this picturesque village produces some of the best wines in France. 

I was lucky enough to have a private tour of the Chateau Ferrand wine estate during my weekend in Bordeaux. What an unforgettable experience that was.

I sampled award-winning wines, enjoyed a guided cellar tour and learned about the production process from start to finish.  And heard the fascinating story behind the famous family who are now the proud owners.

So if you’re planning a trip to Saint-Emilion and want to know the best wine tour to take, this article is for you.

Discovering the best Saint Emilion wine tour

As you approach the village of Saint-Emilion, all you can see for miles around are vineyards and wineries set in stunning countryside.

I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere quite like it, as it literally takes your breath away.

Words just don’t do this village justice, and I can’t wait to go back to explore it properly. Château de Ferrand is set just outside the village, and it’s quite a steep climb to get there. As you drive upwards, you start to wonder where on earth you’re going.

Then suddenly, it appears, and you’re winding your way through the vines along the driveway to the main chateau.

One Of The Saint Emilion Wineries, Château de Ferrand

Upon our arrival at Château de Ferrand, we were met by Joséphine, part of the marketing team, and Yamila, one of the Sommeliers. 

We started our tour in the vines, where we learned that Château de Ferrand is a Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé.

The Grand Cru Classé can only be found in the Bordeaux region and involves a lot of jumping through hoops to achieve. And every ten years, the chateau is revisited to ensure the standards required are being maintained. More admin!

Sitting approximately 100 metres above sea level on over 32 hectares of land it is one of the highest appellations and is surprisingly well protected. Here the grapes you’ll find are 82% Merlot and 18% Cabernet franc.

Perfect for a girl who loves a good red!

The secrets behind making wine at Château de Ferrand

I’d always wondered what made one red made with the same grapes different from another. And now I know, there are so many things that contribute to this.

Yamila, our Sommelier, took us into the area where the wine was produced and talked us through the process of what they do.

I was blown away by the size of the huge steel vats where the grapes spend the first part of their life after harvest. You could fit several people inside they’re so large.

Once this process is complete the wine is then transferred into French Oak Barrels where it is left to mature. The cellar holds up to 500 barrels all stacked neatly in lines, spotlessly clean and temperature controlled.

I was surprised to learn that the maturation takes between 14-18 months.

Ever the innovators, the team at Château de Ferrand are always looking to improve on the taste and quality, as well as keeping up with new trends as they emerge.

They showed us a ‘new type of barrel’ they were testing – I can’t say any more than that as it’s top secret.

But we’re not done yet. The wine is bottled on-site and corked and sits for a further period of time in the below-ground cellars, which are again temperature controlled before finally being sent out to selected wine buyers.

Wine tasting at Château de Ferrand

This was without a doubt my favourite room, and not just because it was where I got to taste the wine.

Known as the BIC room, the walls are entirely covered by a monochrome fresco by Alexandre Doucin, representing the four seasons of wine growing and harvesting.

This room takes your breath away as it is an architectural masterpiece.

In the middle of the room is the tasting table with a hanging chandelier above made from transparent resin. It is one of the many ways that the story behind the ownership of the chateau has been woven into the design. 

The light represents the ink in a pen which is only visible when switched on and provides the perfect lighting for the tasting table.

And then came the tasting. Now I have to say, it’s been a long time since I’ve been shown the proper way to taste wine. And Yamila took us through each step so we felt like experts at the end of it.

I loved her tip on how the flame the wine creates when you hold the glass on its side under the light, indicates the strength of the wine you’re about to taste.

We tried three wines in total, a younger wine from 2019 which was lighter and fruitier in taste. And two older wines were more robust and earthy.

I have to say my favourite was the 2016, and I enjoyed a sneaky glass with my lunch. It would have been rude not to having already tasted it.

The History and Story behind Château de Ferrand

Every chateau has a story to tell that is often steeped in history, and if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you’ll know I absolutely love history.

It fascinates me to learn about the stories behind the people who went before us, their thought patterns, the decisions they made and the way they lived their lives.

And Château de Ferrand didn’t disappoint. It has a story that seems to be woven into every part of its unique history.

The chateau was built back in the 18th century by Elie de Bétoulaud, a lawyer, amongst other things, who was fascinated by the Sun King, Louis XIV. He was in awe of Louis’ affinity with the arts and literature.

And the Palace of Versailles became the muse behind the design of Château de Ferrand.

Sadly, Elie never got to meet Louis XIV as he died of a heart attack whilst travelling in a carriage to Paris to meet him.

And with no heirs of his own, the chateau passed to his great grand-nephews, which included the Marquis de Mons. The chateau then stayed in the family until it was sold, for the only time, in 1978.

The second, and current owners of Château de Ferrand

If like me, you grew up using Bic® biros at school, then you’ll love this twist in the story. Because in December 1977, Baron Bich, founder of the company that produces the Bic® pen, decided he wanted to make wine and purchased the chateau.

Selling a water company to finance the purchase, he announced he was going to ‘Turn water into Wine’.

When he died, the property was taken over by his daughter Pauline and her husband, Phillipe Chandon-Moët.

They’ve continued the great work that Elie started and have now renovated a part of the chateau to allow people to stay, host events and enjoy everything this wonderful place has to offer.

We were lucky enough to enjoy a fabulous, gastronomic 3-course meal at La Table de Ferrand, the dining room at the chateau.

Combining wine, architecture and art

I’ve already mentioned how art and wine came together in the tasting room, but it is evident everywhere you look at Château de Ferrand.

Going back to 1950, when the BIC® Cristal® pen was launched, artists have used the biro for drawings and other art inspiration. 

The BIC Collection of Contemporary Art includes nearly 200 works from both established and up-and-coming artists all over the world. Some of these can be seen at Château de Ferrand.

And, at the time of my visit, the chateau was playing host to L’Humble Bic, a selection of works from the Musée de la Création Franche.

As Joséphine showed us around, you could see the infusion of BIC pens in many different places.

Even at the entrance to the reception, there is a blue BIC pen lid, and I certainly remember chewing on several of these lids throughout my school years.

And then there are the more subtle touches, such as the stems of the glasses that represent the four BIC biro colours we all know.

Staying at the accommodation at Château de Ferrand

Although the accommodation isn’t the main focus of the chateau, no stone has been left unturned, quite literally, in the beautiful renovation of the rooms available, located on the first floor.

I was lucky enough to take a peek inside all three, and they are beautifully designed, with every tiny detail taken into consideration.

From the view across the vineyard to the bookcases filled with old books standing by the bed, it is all part of the story of Château de Ferrand.

And during your stay, you can enjoy an evening in front of the fire in the winter and enjoy the artwork from the Bic Art private collection surrounding you. 

Or, in the summer, you can sit outside enjoying the tranquillity of nature with views over the vines.

To reach the accommodation, you have to climb the big stone staircase that has been thoughtfully restored and brought back to life.

I can’t remember how old the tapestries were that hung on the wall as you walked down the stairs, but I’m pretty sure they dated back to the 18th century.

They’ve been superbly restored, which was quite a process, involving cleaning and delicately repainting using the watercolour technique originally applied.

The dining room is another nod towards the combination of art, history and wine.

The wood used here is natural oak, the same as the wood used in the barrels for the maturation process of the wine.

And then, of course, there is the orangery. This building is perfect for hosting events such as cocktail parties, and workshops, or just a quiet place to enjoy with family and friends.

I loved the rotating curved screen that is the main feature of the room and made out of smoked oak. It’s the perfect place to host a larger tasting.

Add to that the fact that, where possible, the chateau grows its own produce in a purpose-built herb and vegetable garden, you can see why I fell in love with the place.

Where will you find Château de Ferrand?

Château de Ferrand is in Saint-Emilion, just 30 minutes outside of Bordeaux, and it sits on top of the hill just outside of the village.

It’s one of the oldest wine chateaux in the region, as well as being a Grand Cru Classé of Saint-Emilion and a historic and family property of 42 hectares, including 32 which are vines.

📍 Address: Allée de Saint-Poly, Saint-Hippolyte, 33330 Saint-Émilion | 🌐 Château de Ferrand Website |

Combine three of the best Saint Emilion Wine Tours

If you’re staying in Bordeaux and would like to do a combined wine tour of three wineries in Saint-Emilion, then this Private Day Tour is perfect.

You’ll be picked up from your hotel, or wherever you’re staying in Bordeaux and driven to Saint-Emilion. During the journey, you’ll learn about the region’s history, as well as see some of the famous chateaux this appellation is famous for.

You’ll visit three chateaux for a wine tour & tasting, including Chateau de Ferrand, and enjoy time to explore the UNESCO-classified village of Saint-Emilion.

FAQs About Wine Tours in Saint Emilion