Private Advanced Wines – Bora Bora Wine Tastings

The unusual pleasure here is learning wine pairing in Bora Bora, not simply sipping a few glasses with a view. Allan, a Master sommelier with experience in two and three Michelin-starred restaurants, leads a private tasting built around refined wines, liquors, and carefully chosen appetizers.

I like the one-on-one teaching and the chance to explore French wine regions in plain language, even if you are new to wine. I also like the flexible setting: the tasting is usually hosted at Saint-James, but it has been arranged at a Four Seasons balcony when the restaurant was closed.

The main drawback is the price: $1,200 per group of up to six makes sense for a special occasion or a full group, but it is a serious splurge for one or two people. The session lasts about two hours, so you are paying for focused instruction and premium selections rather than an all-afternoon wine course.

Key points to know before booking

• Private tasting for up to six: Your group gets the sommelier’s full attention, with no strangers joining the table.
• Led by Allan: He teaches tasting and food pairing in accessible terms for both beginners and experienced wine drinkers.
• French wine focus: The tasting can include different French regions, along with selected liquors.
• Appetizer pairings matter: The lesson centers on how food and wine improve one another, not just on identifying flavors.
• Saint-James is part of the experience: The restaurant offers a strong wine cellar and an option to remain for dinner.
• Flexible location: Pickup is offered, and a hotel setting may be possible when the restaurant cannot host the session.

Why this tasting is different from a standard wine flight

Most resort wine tastings are built around a few pours and a short explanation. This experience aims at something more useful: teaching you how to taste and how to match wine to a meal.

That distinction matters. You may already know what styles you like, but pairing wine with food requires a different set of habits. A wine that tastes excellent on its own can seem sharp, flat, or too heavy with the wrong dish. A modest wine can work beautifully when its weight, sweetness, acidity, or texture fits the food.

The session is designed to show that change in real time. You taste the wine, try it with an appetizer, and notice what happens. That is more practical than memorizing a list of grape names or French appellations.

You do not need advanced wine knowledge. Allan can explain the subject at a level that works for a novice, while the advanced format gives experienced drinkers a chance to focus on finer distinctions and more refined bottles.

Meeting Allan and setting the pace

The experience lasts about two hours and is offered daily from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM. That timing is well chosen for Bora Bora. It gives you a late-afternoon activity before dinner, and it avoids turning the tasting into a rushed midday stop.

The group size is private, with a maximum of six people. I see this as one of the strongest reasons to consider the experience. Allan can adjust his explanations to your group instead of delivering a fixed speech to a crowded room.

If one person knows a great deal about wine and another usually orders by the label, both can take part. The teaching is meant to be conversational and step by step. You can ask why a wine works with one appetizer but not another, or why a particular region produces a certain style.

Allan’s background in two and three Michelin-starred restaurants adds useful context. It suggests a service style built around precision, food, and balance, rather than a casual tasting where the main goal is simply to empty the glasses.

Pickup is offered, but the exact meeting arrangement should be confirmed after booking. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability, so I would not leave this until the final day of your stay.

The wines, French regions, and tasting lesson

The advanced tasting is intended for people who already enjoy wine and want to try the sommelier’s preferred selections. It is not limited to one bottle or one style. The experience includes multiple wines and liquors, accompanied by appetizers.

The available information points to a strong French wine focus. One account of the experience centered on different French regions, with Allan explaining them in terms that made sense to a newer wine drinker. That is useful in Bora Bora, where imported wine can be a major part of a fine-dining meal and you may not recognize every label on a restaurant list.

You can expect the lesson to cover the basics of tasting, including how to approach the glass and how to think about the wine with food. The point is not to prove that you can identify a blind tasting correctly. The point is to give you a repeatable way to judge a wine.

I like that the format links each pour to something you can eat. Wine education often becomes too abstract, with long discussions of soil, vintages, and technical terms. Here, the food gives you an immediate test. You can decide for yourself if the pairing makes the wine seem softer, brighter, fuller, or less balanced.

The word advanced refers to the quality and pairing focus, not to an entrance exam. If you are a novice, you should still be able to participate. If you have already studied wine, you may appreciate the attention given to the relationship between the bottle and the plate.

How the appetizers change the experience

The appetizers are not just a snack between pours. They are part of the teaching.

A simple taste of food can change your impression of wine. Salt, richness, sweetness, acidity, and texture all affect the way the wine feels. A pairing can make an otherwise sharp wine seem more balanced, or show why a delicate wine disappears next to a strong dish.

Because the exact menu is not provided, you should not book this expecting a specific ingredient or course. The important point is the method: several wines and liquors are served with delightful appetizers so you can see the pairing principles in practice.

This makes the tasting more useful than a bottle-by-bottle sampling. You are not only asking if you like a wine. You are learning when you might order it, what kind of meal it could suit, and why a sommelier might recommend it.

For a couple, it can also be a pleasant way to mark a birthday, anniversary, or final evening in Bora Bora. For a small group, the private setup gives everyone room to compare impressions without feeling self-conscious.

Saint-James and the optional dinner

Saint-James is the usual restaurant setting and is described as one of Bora Bora’s best restaurants, with a strong wine cellar. The venue matters because the tasting is tied to food and dining, not separated from the restaurant world that sommeliers work in.

You have the option to stay at Saint-James for dinner after the tasting. That creates a natural progression: first you learn how to assess wine and pair it with food, then you use that advice to choose a bottle or glasses for the meal.

Allan is happy to advise on the dinner wine selection. That can be valuable if you are looking at a list filled with unfamiliar French names or deciding between a safe choice and something less familiar.

Still, dinner is an option, not an included part of the two-hour tasting. Confirm what is covered by the $1,200 price before you book, especially if your main goal is the restaurant meal rather than the lesson.

The restaurant setting may also change. When Saint-James was closed, Allan brought the tasting to the Four Seasons and set it up on a balcony. That flexibility is a real advantage in Bora Bora, where resort plans and restaurant schedules can shift. It also means you should see the location as part of the arrangement, not as a guaranteed fixed room.

The value of $1,200 for a private group

The price is $1,200 per group, with up to six people included. The arithmetic looks very different depending on your group size.

For six people, the cost works out to $200 per person. For four, it is $300 each. For two, it becomes $600 per person. That makes the experience easiest to justify for a full family group, a small celebration, or several couples sharing the booking.

You are paying for more than the liquid in the glasses. The cost includes a private session, a Master sommelier with high-end restaurant experience, multiple wines and liquors, appetizers, and the chance to receive direct advice about pairing and dinner.

That does not automatically make it good value for everyone. If you only want to sample wine casually, a resort bar or restaurant may suit you better. If you want a private lesson, premium selections, and individual guidance in a remote island setting, the price is easier to defend.

I would also consider how much you enjoy food and wine before committing. This is not a sightseeing tour with a short tasting added to it. The tasting is the main event. Someone who prefers cocktails, beer, or a quick pre-dinner drink may find the format too specialized.

What the flexible location means for your plans

Pickup is offered, and the activity is private, but the supplied details do not specify a single universal pickup point. Ask for the exact plan when your booking is confirmed.

A restaurant-based tasting lets you connect the lesson with dinner and the Saint-James wine cellar. A hotel or resort setting can be more comfortable and convenient, especially if you are staying away from the main island or prefer not to rearrange your afternoon.

The Four Seasons balcony example shows that the provider can adapt when the planned restaurant is unavailable. That is encouraging, but it should not be read as a promise that every resort can host the tasting or that every booking will take place on a balcony. Confirm the setting, pickup details, and dinner plans directly.

The activity runs Monday through Sunday, from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM, during the stated operating period through November 26, 2026. Booking well ahead is sensible. It is commonly reserved about 47 days in advance, and confirmation remains subject to availability.

Who will enjoy this most

I would recommend this for:

• A couple who wants a polished food-and-wine experience rather than another water activity.
• A group of up to six who can share the fixed price.
• Wine drinkers who want to understand French regions and pairing.
• Beginners who want a patient introduction without feeling lost.
• Experienced drinkers who prefer a private session and refined selections.
• Anyone planning dinner at Saint-James and wanting help with the wine list.

I would be more cautious if you do not drink wine or if you want a broad Bora Bora excursion. This experience does not include the island’s scenery, lagoon activities, cultural sites, or a full meal as part of the stated two-hour program.

It is also not the best fit if you need a firm, published tasting menu. The wine and appetizer selection is described in general terms, so you should ask what will be served if allergies, preferences, or specific bottles matter to you.

Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. The activity is private, which helps if someone in your group wants to ask basic questions or take the session slowly.

Booking, cancellation, and timing advice

You receive confirmation within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability. Since this experience is often booked well ahead, I would reserve it early in your Bora Bora stay if the date matters to you.

The cancellation policy is friendly: you can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the experience are not accepted for a refund, and the cutoff follows local Bora Bora time.

For planning, leave room around the 3:30 PM start. If pickup is involved, confirm where and when you will meet. If you want dinner at Saint-James afterward, make sure the restaurant reservation and tasting schedule fit together.

You might also ask whether the tasting will be held at Saint-James or at your accommodation. The answer can affect how you plan transportation and what you wear, especially if you want to continue directly into dinner.

Should you book the Bora Bora wine tasting?

Book it if you want a serious, private wine lesson with food and can share the cost across a group. Allan’s Michelin-starred restaurant background, French wine focus, and personal pairing advice give this more substance than a standard resort tasting.

The best value comes with four to six people. For two, the price is high, but the private format may still be worthwhile for a major celebration or for a couple who already plans to dine well at Saint-James.

Skip it if your priority is a low-cost drink, a full meal included in the ticket, or an activity centered on Bora Bora’s lagoon. This is a focused experience for people who care about wine, food, and the skill of matching the two.

FAQ

How long does the Bora Bora wine tasting last?

The tasting lasts approximately two hours, from 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM.

How much does the experience cost?

The price is $1,200 per private group of up to six people.

Is the tasting private?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Who leads the tasting?

The tasting is led by Allan, a Master sommelier who has worked at restaurants with two and three Michelin stars.

Where does the tasting take place?

The experience can be hosted at Saint-James restaurant, which has a notable wine cellar. Pickup is offered, and the tasting has also been arranged at a guest’s Four Seasons accommodation when the restaurant was closed. Confirm the location for your booking.

Is dinner at Saint-James included?

Dinner is an option after the tasting, but it is not stated as part of the two-hour tasting price. Allan can advise you on choosing wine for dinner.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.