Wineries partnering with and showcasing local artists, artisans and creators is wonderful for visitors, but it also builds closer links with the local community, creating activity clusters that keep value within these rural areas.
With their stunning architecture, Bordeaux châteaux are brilliant backdrops for works of art through exhibitions, workshops and selling creations in winery boutiques, offering opportunities to build bridges to and showcase local talent.
The Entre-Deux-Mers is one of the most accessible wine regions of Bordeaux, with vineyards well integrated into local communities and their creative resources. At Château Thieuley (Regional Best Of Wine Tourism winner) the Courcelle sisters welcome local artists, creators and chefs throughout the year, opening their doors so visitors can discover them. It’s a way of introducing neighbours to each other as well as to the talent on their doorstep.
This summer, three artists not only showed their wares but also shared their skills with workshops for the public to practise their own creativity.
- Caroline Cochet, a textile artist using natural dyes from locally cultivated plants, helped guests create their own indigo silk scarves.
- Also close to nature, florist Stéphanie Meytraudat Hinoki, a gorgeous shop under the 14th-century arcades of the nearby market ‘bastide’ town of Créon, helped budding florists create bouquets to take home.
- Local sculptor Nathalie Manoyan, who works in both bronze and clay, shared her clay-modelling techniques with guests.
All year long, Château Thieuley welcomes musicians for concerts with al fresco tastings of local products. It’s a hub for the local community.
Nearby, Château Lestrille ((Regional Best Of Wine Tourism winner) opens its doors to local food trucks every Thursday evening through the summer, inviting locals to come and see how the property’s wines marry with many different styles of food. All year, owner-winemaker Estelle Roumage uses her village shop as a showcase for local producers. Among other treats on the shelves, you’ll find gins, pastis and ‘Fine de Bordeaux’ from Distillery des Deux Mers, just around the corner. They are working on a new project together (more news of that to come).
Edible creations
Vineyard picnics and food-and-wine pairings are wonderful opportunities to share local culinary talent, selling goodies in boutiques, serving with the wines or adding to picnic baskets to be enjoyed amongst the vines. At Château de Cérons, (2025 Best Of Wine Tourism winner) everything for their picnics in the park is local, including cheese from Landiras, local fruits and bread baked in the village of Cérons, all prepared by neighbour Julien and served by locals.
You’ll also find Domaine Terra pots in the boutique. Their range of locally sourced and made vegetable spreads and pâtés match brilliantly with a wide range of wine styles. Which is why you’ll also find them from the Entre-Deux-Mers (Château Lestrille), to Sauternes (Château Sigalas Rabaud) and the Médoc (Château Cantemerle). To be taken back home or added to ‘picnic paniers’, they are enjoyed with French bread, cheese and salads – sometimes from the château’s own kitchen gardens.
Wine and chocolate
Talking of chocolate, Mademoiselle Margaux makes iconic sarments (vine clippings) shaped chocolates in flavours that neighbouring Château La Tour de Bessan serves for their fun wine-and-chocolate tastings in their brand-new Margaux cellar.
Bordeaux master chocolatier Hasnaâ Ferreira works closely with châteaux across the region creating single-origin chocolates, searching for aromas and textures to suit the wines of different properties. Château Léoville Poyferré in Saint-Julien, Château Dauzac and Château Kirwan (2025 Best Of Wine Tourism winner) in Margaux, and Château Pédesclaux in Pauillac all offer her ‘Accords Parfaits©’ experiences.
Saunion chocolates also pair with wine at La Table de Nathalie, the very cool restaurant at Château Marquis d’Alesme, where a chocolate selection that takes you on a journey from Tanzania to Venezuela, without leaving their sunny herb garden.
The Right Bank has its chocolates too. Maëlig in Saint-Émilion works with Château Fleur de Lisse (2023 Best Of Wine Tourism winner) and Château Grand Corbin, where you can compare if Left Bank or Right Bank wines pair best thanks to wines from their cellars and from Château Cantemerle in the Haut-Médoc.
Naturally sustainable partnerships
It’s at Château Cantemerle where the natural environment is invited into their new visitor centre. Like many wineries, they collaborate with local beekeepers, placing hives in the 28 ha of park to produce their own honey. Bees are perfect indicators of a healthy natural environment, but they aren’t the only ones enjoying the flowers. Local herbalist Babette Poncet creates herbal tisanes from flowers and plants collected in the grounds. These recipes change with the seasons, and Babette invites visitors to join her in discovering where the therapeutic plants are hidden so everyone can make their very own take-home tisane.
Behind the scenes
Not all creations are immediately obvious to visitors. Local artisans and companies also work behind the scenes in the design, renovation and decoration of technical buildings and châteaux. For the new cellar at Château Cantemerle Médoc-based Maison Juste had the original and sustainable idea of recycling used barrel staves to create a stunning, soundproofed ceiling for the underground barrel cellar. Do look up when visiting.
Local interior designer Mathilde Cardineau was chosen to completely refurbish the impressive château to welcome trade guests in an atmosphere that cleverly marries tradition and contemporary flair. There are gorgeous pieces of ceramic art by Erwan de Rengerve throughout the château. His interpretations of vines and vine leaves are also available for sale in the boutique.
Cultural products are for all ages: children’s author Camille Plantanida’s engaging books and illustrator Clémentine Sourdais’ colouring books and paperbacks keep the younger generation busy while parents taste the wines. You can find Camille’s work at Château Larose Tintaudon too, they have a special corner for young visitors where they can colour in her huge map of the Médoc, region featuring all four of their properties.
Château Haut-Bailly has also commissioned local artists and artisans to create unique pieces for the château, Chartreuse guest house and cellar. In the stunning new Cellarium, a tasting table ‘falls’ into the floor of this guest space, part of the transformation of the old cellars by local architect Daniel Romeo. The Château is known for its engagement with the art world: there are stunning pieces throughout the estate, and they regularly host exhibitions and show works from local cultural institutions. Currently, three Claude Viallat pieces lent by the CAPC (Centre d’arts plastiques contemporains) are on display for visitors to enjoy. The château also sponsors the renovation of the MADD (Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design), planned to reopen in Bordeaux in February 2026.
Art for wine’s sake
There’s a long history in Bordeaux of artists designing labels for wine, with the iconic Mouton Rothschild inviting artists to illustrate each vintage since 1945. In nearby Pauillac, Château Haut-Bages Libéral commissioned François Houtin, renowned landscape artist, to design the label of their Cérès cuvée. His design represents a vine in its wild form, climbing along a resilient old ash tree – an artist’s interpretation of the estate’s biodynamic philosophy. For the 200th anniversary of Château Langoa Barton, local illustrator Anne-Lise Yandell created images tracing the family history. These come together to create a unique, colourful label for the celebratory 2021 vintage.
From serious art and architecture to fun picnics, natural treasures and crafted souvenirs, there’s so much local talent on display in the châteaux and cellars of Bordeaux thanks to these dynamic and innovative partnerships.
Author: Wendy Narby – Insider Tasting Photo credits: @Château Haut-Bailly \ @Château Thieuley \ @Château Lestrille \ @Château Cérons \ @Saunion chocolates \ @Château Marquis d’Alesme \ @Château Cantemerle \ @Château Larose Tintaudon \ @Château Langoa Barton