France uncorks wine ‘theme park’ in Bordeaux
The French city of Bordeaux has further cemented its stature in the wine world by opening the doors to its long-awaited Cite du Vin, or City of Wine.
The 10-story building, with its stunning Champagne gold facade and liquid-like glass structures, is meant to evoke the swirling of wine in a glass as well as the growth of gnarled vines in a vineyard. It’s located on the Garonne River, a historically important waterway for the region’s winemakers.
The museum and exhibition site cost $91 million and took about seven years to build before opening this month. Featuring 20 interactive exhibits, Cite du Vin invites guests to explore the culture and history of the world’s wine. Events and classes are held in the 250seat auditorium, while wine experts conduct tastings throughout the space (www.laciteduvin.com/ en).
For now, there is one simulator — the closest thing to a ride — that lets you explore the wine world through the eyes of a merchant. The Belvedere wine saloon takes up the structure’s top two floors, pouring wine from 80 countries while overlooking the famed wine region just beyond the city limits.
Admission to Cite du Vin is about $22, which includes a glass of wine; workshops and classes are extra. Guests can download a digital companion, available in eight languages, to help navigate the space.
One of the property’s eateries, Le 7 Restaurant, serves up views of this city in southwestern France along with regional food and a wine list stocked with 500-plus selections. At wine bar Latitude20, 50 wines by the glass are paired with more global tapas-style bites, while the wine cellar boasts upward of 14,000 bottles.