Earlier in the year we wrote a blog on the wide world of wine maps, surveying wine maps from regions across the globe. In today’s blog, we’re looking specifically at wine maps of Bordeaux.
Bordeaux is the largest wine region in the world, so naturally there are many wine maps of the area, all with different target audiences in mind. That’s good news, as wine lovers may want Bordeaux wine maps for a variety of reasons, from trip planning to decor to study and reference.
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Types of Bordeaux Wine Maps
There are a wide variety of Bordeaux wine maps available for wine enthusiasts, students of wine, winemakers, and journalists.
There is no one-size-fits-all “best” wine map of Bordeaux. However, KnowWines has collected a number of great Bordeaux maps over the years, and here we are sharing a few of our favorites!
Don’t have time to read through our recommendations? Spoiler alert: all of our overall favorite Bordeaux Wine Maps are located in the book Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson.
Easy to Read Bordeaux Wine Maps
Maybe you’re a new wine enthusiast and you want a simple, trendy, and visually pleasing Bordeaux wine map. Or perhaps you teach wine classes at a bottle shop or wine bar and are looking for great decor. These Bordeaux wine maps are visually appealing even in low light conditions. We like the larger font as well. Overall, these maps are well constructed. However, we took our map to an Office Depot to get it laminated so that it wouldn’t get stained or written on.
Bordeaux Wine Maps for Decor
In addition to the Wine Folly map above, we like this classic map that goes well with traditional decor. While the font is fairly small, it looks great in a frame.
Bordeaux Wine Maps for Tour Planning
Having been to Bordeaux four times now, we’ve amassed quite a collection of maps, books, and guides on Bordeaux. Here are our new favorites and a few of our old ones.
BORDEAUX SIP BY SIP BY NICOLE CROFT
This is an excellent resource for DIY trips to Bordeaux, and for finding exceptional values on off-the-beaten path Bordeaux. We’ve taken Nicolle Croft’s tour in the past and it was delightful. Check out our interview with Nicolle on Bordeaux Buzz podcast!
BENJAMIN LEWIN GUIDES
Benjamin Lewin has two good resources detailing the locations of the classified and up-and-coming chateaux in Bordeaux. There are also details in these books on recent vintages and their hours and tour availability in addition to maps.
BENJAMIN LEWIN GUIDES: RIGHT BANK BORDEAUX
BENJAMIN LEWIN GUIDES: LEFT BANK BORDEAUX
MICHELIN WINE MAPS
We usually plug in our final destinations for a wine tour on our iPhones, however for the research phase, we prefer old school maps to a four-inch screen. While there are plenty of Michelin maps available at bookstores and online retailers, one complaint is that they are more for “passing through” purposes than they are for planning a trip. One exception is this Vins de Bordeaux map available on Amazon:
Bordeaux Wine Maps for Wine Enthusiasts
If you are looking for wine maps that are more detailed than the Wine Folly map or a travel guide, check out this book by the Bordeaux Wine School. In addition to several maps, there is a good introduction and deep (but not too deep!) dive into the wines and the region. This is not a stuffy, dry resource, there are plenty of photos and graphics to illustrate maps and points.
Bordeaux Wine Maps for Wine Certification Studies
DE LONG BORDEAUX MAP: While there is not a Bordeaux-specific wine map from Steve De Long, there is this recently released box set which does include a Bordeaux map on the Wine Map of France.
WINE SCHOLAR GUILD WINE MAP OF BORDEAUX: Members of the Wine Scholar Guild can get access to many maps for studies.
INSIDE BORDEAUX BY JANE ANSON: Our top pick for Bordeaux reference maps, Inside Bordeaux by Jane Anson, has a number of Bordeaux maps. This simply gorgeous book is currently occupying our nightstand. The crux of the book is maps, all of them detailing the best soils and terroir of Bordeaux.
Vintage or Antique Maps of Bordeaux
Sites like ebay, Etsy, and Amazon have vintage or antique wine or city maps of Bordeaux. The price and availability of antique Bordeaux maps varies significantly, so check out those sites for vintage or antique maps of Bordeaux.
Bordeaux Wine Map Wrap-Up
There are a number of maps available to help you visualize Bordeaux, plan a trip, or simply decorate.
If you like to geek out on soils, the Inside Bordeaux book is a must. If you are interested in a general overview of the region, check out The Essential Guide to Bordeaux Wines.
Off the beaten path more your style? Check out Nicolle Croft’s new book Bordeaux Sip by Sip highlighting independent wine producers in Bordeaux like Chateau Coutet.
Finally, if you are looking for a colorful and introductory map of Bordeaux, we really like the bright and large font of the Wine Folly map.
Cheers!