Become a Wine Snob in just one day, while visiting Bordeaux!
Have a full wine experience in Bordeaux, starting at La Cite du Vin.
The city of Bordeaux is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its eighteenth-century cityscape. Two hours by train from Paris, the capital city of the Nouvelle Aquitaine region of France is most noted for its association with high-quality French wines.
Bordeaux is an important wine producer and exporter in the wine world with the largest number of AOC “controlled designation of origin” classification vineyards in France. The medieval city of Bordeaux as the key region of the department is often referred to as “la Perle d’Aquitaine” (the pearl of the Aquitaine). While This port city along the Garonne river is a large urban cultural center it offers small village impressions.
The La Cite du Vin is a museum dedicated to the wine experience, but in reality, it is so much more than a museum. A highly sensory experience begins from the moment you enter the contemporary designed building. Completed in 2016, at an estimated cost of 81 million euro, the project was designed to embark visitors on a journey from the geography of the vineyards and the importance of terroir in winemaking, to the history of winemaking. This experience helps you understand Bordeaux’s iconic role in the wine world.
This one-of-a-kind wine experience takes you beyond the Bourdeaux region launching you into the world of wines. From its creation in 6000 BC to the current day mechanics and innovation of the beverage, you can explore how wine progressed to what it is today .
The permanent exhibitions at the museum feature wine training presentations, the art of wine tasting workshops, wine pairings, and exploring wine trends. Seminars on wine serving, gastronomy, and regularly scheduled events are also held throughout the year.
La Cite du Vin features a panoramic restaurant that serves lunch daily and dinners on the weekend as well as a fantastic wine bar called Belvedere on the top floor. Both have a wide selection of wines from the local wine regions and from around the world to be enjoyed with scenic views of Bordeaux along the Garonne river.
And not to be missed is Latitude20 wine Cave, considered the “library cellar” of the museum. Featuring 14,000 bottles of 800 different wines spanning 70 countries, visitors can purchase these bottles with the guidance of resident sommeliers.
Located on the West bank of Bordeaux between the historic districts for vintage production and wine manufacturing, the museum was designed to focus on the worldwide wine culture and not just the Bordeaux experience. Whether a wine connoisseur or just getting familiar with the wine industry, you will leave here feeling like a wine expert.
Think of the museum like the Louvre, it can be explored in as little as a few hours, but there is enough to experience to spend a full day here. After leaving La Cite du Vin, if you are not a wine snob then you can for sure consider yourself a wine geek.
This region of Bordeaux can be enjoyed on a seven-night river cruise starting and ending in the main city of Bordeaux. BucketList Travel Advisors is a river specialist and a certified wine specialist. Contact us for more information on our 2023 Bordeaux cruise including a visit to La Cite du Vin in Bordeaux.