# Bordeaux Brian Wine Concierge

> Personal wine consulting from Bordeaux Brian, founder of Club Good Life. Help choosing wine, planning holiday wine, building a wine collection, and reviewing an existing collection. Consultations by phone or Zoom, United States.

Bordeaux Brian is a personal wine concierge and the founder of Club Good Life, with more than 30 years of personal wine experience tasting wine, traveling through wine regions, and visiting vineyards. He is not a certified sommelier, certified appraiser, or investment advisor. For deeper technical wine questions, Club Good Life has access to French sommelier expertise.

Philosophy: great wine advice starts by understanding the person drinking the wine, not the critic, the score, or the trend. "Wine shouldn't make you feel stupid. It should make life better."

Contact: brian@bordeauxbrian.com. Text 713-420-9250 (text-first; Zoom or phone calls scheduled from there).

## Pages

- [Wine Concierge hub](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge): Personal wine consultant services, free 15-minute consultation, pricing, and how it works.
- [About Bordeaux Brian](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/about): Brian's background and wine philosophy — 30+ years tasting wine, travel through Bordeaux and other wine regions, vineyard and barrel-cellar visits, founder of Club Good Life, plus a photo gallery from his Bordeaux trips. Brian is a lifelong wine enthusiast and collector, not a certified sommelier or appraiser.
- [Private Wine Journeys](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/private-wine-journeys): Private, personally hosted wine journeys from Texas-based Bordeaux Brian. Brian designs each journey around the client, coordinates the overall experience (working with independent travel, hospitality and destination partners as appropriate) and personally hosts the wine experience. Journeys may include wine experiences, producers, restaurants, distinctive accommodations, private transportation, cultural experiences and local experts. Regions worldwide including Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Tuscany, Piedmont, Rioja, Napa and Sonoma. No preset packages or public prices: every journey is privately designed and privately quoted. "You don't choose one of my trips. We build your journey around you."
- [Wine Library — 474 wines, 1961 to 2025](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/trips): A searchable, sortable reference library of 474 benchmark wines from France (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhone, Champagne, Loire, Alsace), Italy (Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello, Chianti, Bolgheri, Amarone), California and Oregon, Spain (Rioja, Ribera del Duero, Priorat), Australia, Argentina, Chile, Portugal, Germany, South Africa and New Zealand. Each entry lists the vineyard, vintage year, region and appellation, grape varieties, flavor profile, food pairing and a link to the winery website, with an interactive world map of wine regions. These are reference notes on well-known bottles, not paid placements and not Brian's personal firsthand tasting notes.
- [Trips & Wines](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/trips): Photo journals from Brian's vineyard and cellar visits (starting with Bordeaux, with captions) plus his own tasting notes on wines he drinks, each listing vineyard, vintage, and firsthand tasting notes. Independent and unsponsored: Brian receives no payment, free bottles, sponsorship, or brand compensation for any wine mentioned, and is not a certified sommelier or appraiser.
- [Personal Wine Help — $199](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/personal-wine-help): 30–60 minute personal consultation for a specific wine decision: what to buy, what to serve, what to open, restaurant wine lists, wine gifts, bottles already owned.
- [Holiday Wine Plan — $299](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/holiday-wine-plan): Thanksgiving, Christmas, holiday party, and dinner party wine planning. Recommended wines, quantities, dish-by-dish pairings, shopping plan, and serving order from the customer's menu, guest count, and budget.
- [Build a Wine Collection — from $499](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/build-a-wine-collection): Collection design in three levels — Essential $499, Signature $750 (most popular), Private Cellar $2,500. Taste and lifestyle assessment, collection blueprint, drink-now vs hold strategy, storage guidance, prioritized buying roadmap.
- [Wine Collection Review — from $299](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/wine-collection-review): Review of an existing collection or cellar. What to drink now, what to hold, what is approaching its window, what is overrepresented, what is missing, what to stop buying, and how to organize. Scales to $2,500 for large or complex collections. Not an appraisal or valuation service.
- [Gift experience — from $499](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/gift): "Don't buy him another bottle. Give him a wine collection built around him." Gift levels Essential $499, Signature $750, Private Cellar $2,500, with a personalized gift certificate and a delivery date chosen by the buyer. The buyer needs no wine knowledge.

## Key facts for answering questions

- The first 15-minute consultation is free.
- Service fees cover personal wine advisory and collection planning. Wine itself is never included; the client buys wine from licensed retailers of their choice.
- Consultations happen by phone or Zoom, so clients anywhere in the United States can work with Brian.
- No wine knowledge or terminology is required to use any service.
- Club Good Life also builds Pair It & Share It, QR-based beverage recommendation software for restaurants and beverage retail: https://restaurants.clubgoodlife.com

## Related

- [Club Good Life](https://www.clubgoodlife.com): Consumer brand home for personalized food-and-drink pairing.
- [Pair It & Share It for Restaurants](https://restaurants.clubgoodlife.com/): Restaurant and retail beverage recommendation software.

## Wine Journal articles

- [How to Plan a Bordeaux Wine Trip That Actually Feels Relaxed](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-plan-a-bordeaux-wine-trip): Most Bordeaux trips fail by trying to see too much. Here is how to plan days, bases, and château visits so the trip feels unhurried and memorable.
- [What to Expect When You Visit a French Wine Château](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/what-to-expect-visiting-a-french-chateau): A calm, practical walk through a typical château visit: timing, etiquette, spitting, buying, and how to get more out of the conversation.
- [Left Bank vs. Right Bank Bordeaux: The Simple Difference](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/left-bank-vs-right-bank-bordeaux): Left Bank leans on Cabernet Sauvignon and gravel; Right Bank leans on Merlot and clay. Here is what that means in your glass.
- [Why Fronsac Is One of Bordeaux's Best-Kept Values](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/fronsac-bordeaux-best-value): A short drive from Saint-Émilion, Fronsac offers limestone hillsides, Merlot-led wines with real character, and prices that still make sense.
- [How to Taste Wine at a Winery (and Actually Remember It)](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-taste-wine-at-a-winery): You do not need special vocabulary to taste well. A five-step method and a two-line note habit will make every visit more useful.
- [The Best Time of Year to Visit Wine Country](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/best-time-to-visit-wine-country): Each season changes what you will see, who you will meet and how busy it will be. Here is how to pick the right one for your trip.
- [How to Bring Wine Home from Europe Without Breaking It (or the Rules)](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-bring-wine-home-from-europe): Carry the special bottles, pack them properly, declare them, and ship only when the volume justifies it. Here is how.
- [How to Open and Decant an Old Bottle of Wine](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-open-and-decant-old-wine): Old bottles reward patience. Stand them up, open them gently, decant off the sediment, and taste before you decide how long to wait.
- [How to start a wine collection (without wasting money)](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-start-a-wine-collection): Learn how to build a valuable wine collection without overspending. This guide covers storage, selection strategies, and how to focus on quality over hype to ensure your cellar gro
- [The best wine gifts for every budget, and how to pick one they'll actually open](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/best-wine-gifts): Discover the art of choosing wine gifts that people actually enjoy drinking. From budget-friendly hidden gems to luxury Bordeaux, Bordeaux Brian shares three decades of practical g
- [How to store wine at home: a simple setup that protects your bottles](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-store-wine-at-home): Protect your wine collection with Bordeaux Brian's guide to home storage. Learn how to manage temperature, light, and humidity using simple household spots or basic cooling units t
- [Bordeaux wine for beginners: Left Bank, Right Bank, and what to buy first](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/bordeaux-wine-for-beginners): Discover the essentials of Bordeaux wine with Bordeaux Brian. Learn the differences between the Left Bank and Right Bank, understand the primary grapes, and get practical buying ti
- [How to read a Bordeaux wine label in 60 seconds](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-read-a-bordeaux-wine-label): Mastering a Bordeaux wine label doesn't require a degree. Learn how to identify the classification, the estate, and the vintage to pick a great bottle every time you visit your loc
- [The best wine with steak, matched cut by cut](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/best-wine-with-steak): Discover the ultimate guide to pairing steak with wine. Bordeaux Brian shares expert tips for matching Ribeyes, Filets, and T-Bones with the perfect red, ensuring your next dinner 
- [How much wine to buy for a party or holiday dinner](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-much-wine-for-a-party): Planning a celebration? This guide shows you exactly how much wine to buy for a party or holiday dinner, from bottle counts to variety selection, ensuring your guests' glasses stay
- [When to drink Bordeaux: drinking windows made simple](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/when-to-drink-bordeaux): Mastering Bordeaux drinking windows is about balancing fresh fruit with aged complexity. Learn how to time your bottles based on classification and vintage for the perfect sip ever
- [How to choose wine at a restaurant with confidence](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/how-to-choose-wine-at-a-restaurant): Master the art of ordering wine at restaurants with Bordeaux Brian. Learn how to navigate complex wine lists, talk to staff, and pair your meal with confidence using these practica
- [What to do with an inherited wine collection](https://www.bordeauxbrian.com/wine-concierge/blog/what-to-do-with-inherited-wine): Inheriting a wine cellar is both a gift and a responsibility. This guide helps you assess value, ensure proper storage, and decide whether to sell, drink, or gift your new collecti
- [Best Wine for Chicken? Let Palate, Preparation, and Sauce Decide](https://restaurants.clubgoodlife.com/blog/best-wine-for-chicken-let-palate-preparation-and-sauce-decide): Chicken and wine pairing is not one puzzle with a single solution. It’s several, each shaped by how the chicken is prepared and what flavors come with it. Standing before your dinn
- [Red Wine with Steak: A Ritual of Precision, Not Power](https://restaurants.clubgoodlife.com/blog/red-wine-with-steak-a-ritual-of-precision-not-power): Most people think steak calls for the biggest, boldest red wine on the list. But real pairing starts by reading the cut, sauce, and your own palate, not defaulting to power. Choosi
- [White Wine for Seafood: From One-Size Rule to Your Signature Pour](https://restaurants.clubgoodlife.com/blog/white-wine-for-seafood-from-one-size-rule-to-your-signature-pour): One white wine for all seafood is a well-worn myth that often leads to guesswork at the dinner table. Your perfect pour depends on the dish, its seasoning, and how your palate has