Depart Bordeaux in the morning in a comfortable minivan, and listen as your friendly guide tells you all about the wine region you’ll be visiting -- either M□doc or St-milion -- and answers any questions you may have. The grape harvest only occurs during a limited period each year and is the ultimate hands-on activity for wine lovers. Being on a private tour promises a more individualized, immersive experience.

Arrive at a winery such as Chteau Siran in M□doc or Chteau Soutard in St-milion and learn all the best techniques for harvesting grapes from an expert viticulturist. Then, it’s your turn! You’ll be given pruners and a little basket so you can pick grapes yourself.

Come back in from the fields and savor a barbecue-style lunch at the chateau (see Itinerary for sample menu). After lunch, take a 30-minute workshop to learn all the steps of the winemaking process from vine to bottle. Indulge in tastings and learn how to distinguish wines by their aroma.

If you choose the M□doc wine region, travel along Castle Road, admiring renowned wine estates such as Chteau Margaux, Chteau Mouton-Rothschild and Chteau Lafite Rothschild. If you choose the St-milion region, visit the medieval village of St-Emilion and tour this UNESCO World Heritage Site with its old Romanesque church and cobblestoned streets.

Your tour continues with a visit to a second, family-owned wine chateau, where you'll enjoy another wine workshop and more tastings before starting your return trip. Your wine harvesting and tasting day trip concludes in Bordeaux at 5:30pm.