Bordeaux is often considered the centre of the wine trade and home to some of the world's finest wines, but traditionally Bordeaux has not had the best reputation for welcoming visitors. However, things are changing very fast, and now, more and more châteaux are opening their doors to wine tourists – some with the complete razzmatazz of horse-rides through the vineyards and luxury bedrooms to stay in; others simply offering a warm welcome to taste their wines.

Personally, Bordeaux has always remained a bit of an enigma to me – strangely, although I live partly in France, I’ve always found Bordeaux the most difficult wine region to get to grips with. The fact that the English wine trade has traditionally had so many Bordeaux aficionados and specialists put me off a little – I wanted to find my own niche. But, when I launched Wine Travel Guides, I knew that some really strong guides were need on this important region. So it was my good fortune to discover a young, very hard-working specialist wine journalist and mother based in Bordeaux, Jane Anson (www.newbordeaux.com). Jane is a great journalist and has the knack of discovering all we needed to give an insider’s view on visiting the region on the eight micro-region guides to the region. What follows are a few highlights from her guides.

“The City of Bordeaux: A UNESCO World Heritage site since 2007 - the largest urban area worldwide to have received the honour - the city of Bordeaux has transformed into one of Europe's most vibrant centres, and the wine industry, that has felt disconnected from its heart for too long, is busy reclaiming it. Cases of claret may no longer be shipped from the quays downtown, but once-resistant négociant houses are opening up to the public; wine bars are finally taking their rightful place in a city that for years kept wine just at the restaurant table; and châteaux on the outskirts of the urban sprawl are getting connected through the new tramway.

Northern Médoc: If Bordeaux was the Masai Mara, the stretch of road that winds through the northern Médoc is where the big game hunters would prowl. Of the ‘Big Five’ First Growths, three of them - Latour, Lafite and Mouton - are up here, and their reflected star quality adds a glossy sheen to each château you pass. Tourism is beginning to open up here, many châteaux are open to visits, although you will still find that making an advanced appointment makes things easier. And, the village of Bages, near Pauillac, has created a little gourmet enclave for lunch or dinner.

Saint Emilion: While the average size of a vineyard in the Médoc is 100 acres, over on the Right Bank the average shrinks right back to 25 acres – meaning a more human scale - often family-run properties that are increasingly open to wine tourism. Set amid an attractive rolling landscape, Saint Emilion is Bordeaux’s dolce vita – and because the grape is dominantly Merlot, the wines are easier to approach before their tenth birthday. The mediaeval village of Saint Emilion, together with its surrounding vineyards, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, beating the city of Bordeaux to the title by eight years.

Sauternes: Sauternes seems surprisingly little visited. In 1855, it was the only place other than the Médoc and Haut-Brion to be recognised in the ranking of Grand Cru Classés. Even today, it’s the only other part of the Bordeaux region that is stacked with so many stately châteaux obviously built with serious money. Don’t be fooled though – Sauternes is an expensive wine to make and there may well be a fair amount of peeling paint behind the wrought iron gates. When made with care, keeping yields very low and with manual harvesting, the production cost per bottle is several times higher than in any other appellation.”

As well as selecting the most welcoming châteaux to visit, where naturally she admires the wines too, Jane has chosen some really interesting places to stay. In Margaux for example, there are the gorgeous looking rooms at Château Marojallia  about which she writes: “Hidden behind a walled entrance, this is within easy walking distance of the centre of Margaux. Just six rooms, this is very much an active wine producing château that just happens to also take guests, and you have the full array of château benefits, from sweeping staircases to glorious drawing rooms.”

And, then there is good food too – essential to enjoy the wines fully. Jane’s restaurant recommendations range from the riverside so-called Café Guingettes where you can simply enjoy a local fish speciality to a choice of world-class restaurants. And, then there are little finds like this restaurant called La Plaisance in Bourg in an up-and coming district within Bordeaux,. Jane writes: “You couldn’t ask for a better local restaurant than this – a huge selection of over 100 wines from Côtes de Bourg and Côtes de Blaye. And there’s no wine list; you just wander up to the cabinet where they are all displayed, and chat with a waiter about what to choose. They have, among others, Gerard Depardieu’s ‘Mon Vignoble en Blayais’, and one of Bourg’s most famous wines, Château Roc de Cambes (neither property is open for individual visits). The food is good too; thin crust pizzas and some excellent bistro fare, all served in an airy, welcoming setting with an outside terrace in summer. No set menus, but well priced à la carte food, with plenty of daily specials. There is live music on Friday nights.”

Editing and reading Jane’s guides makes me feel that the time is really right to give Bordeaux another chance, and based on her insider knowledge I feel really ready to return there. Hope you can join me on at the very least a virtual Bordeaux private wine tour.

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Wink Lorch is the Wine Editor for Wandering Educators.