La Cité du Vin, a world of wine cultures

On the banks of the Garonne River, in the port district of Bordeaux, lies a peculiar sinewy building covered in glass and gold aluminium. It looks like a giant decanter, the knotted arm of a vine, the liquid curve of wine as is impacts against the glass, the swirling eddies of the great river. It is La Cité du Vin, and each detail of its fascinating architecture tries to capture the soul of wine ?a ?seamless roundness, intangible and sensual?, according to XTU Architects, the company behind its design.

We have visited La Cité du Vin exactly one year after its opening, coinciding with Vinexpo, the great biannual wine fair held in Bordeaux. What are the attractions of this cultural centre for wine lovers around the world? Its aim is to showcase the wealth of cultures and civilizations and to experience wine across the world and across the ages. The setting could not be better: nestled between the Médoc vineyards and the quays of the Garonne estuary, right where the foundations of wine commerce were laid three centuries ago and are still in place today.

The backbone of the Cité du Vin is the Permanent Tour, an animated sensory itinerary through 20 themed spaces and lasting more than two hours. Its numerous interactive resources explain a wealth of facets: different wine terroirs across the world, the spirituality of wine, various ways of making wine across the ages and in different regions, key characters, the evolution of trends, the adventure of tasting? The section À bord is particularly fascinating: to understand the importance of Bordeaux in the history of wine trade, visitors become virtual merchant seafarers. 'Embarked' on a traditional ship, they experience the extraordinary adventure of trading with wine across the oceans of the world.

The Cité also includes exhibitions and temporary events and offers tours of the vineyards and famous châteaux in the region as well as a good array of gastronomic options in which, as expected, wine takes a prominent place. A wide variety of wines from Bordeaux and the rest of the world can be enjoyed both at the restaurant and at the fantastic bar-à-vins.

With the Cité du Vin, Bordeaux asserts its position as a top destination for all wine lovers. And it?s pretty close to our hometown in Spain too!"