3 Days in Bordeaux
A 3-day weekend trip to Bordeaux and St. Emilion left an impression of the vibrancy and cultural charms of France’s south west counties. Renowned for its wines, Bordeaux is the center of a prominent wine producing region that stretches along the Gironde, including Medoc and Saint Emilion. Yet, Bordeaux is more than wine to me. It is an awakening of five senses and a rejuvenation of the spirit, with the liberating country air, the sweeping vineyards, and the vibrant city charisma.
Bordeaux Townscape and city vibes
My first impression of Bordeaux was that I’m in Paris, yet smaller in scale and slower in vibes. The 18th Century classical downtown buildings radiated an air of simplicity and harmony, as it was built in the golden age of Bordeaux. Haussmann was a long-time prefect for Bordeaux and was asked by Napoleon to transform Paris with Bordeaux’s 18th century cityscape as its model, explaining the resemblance. Victor Hugo found the town beautiful, and said “Take Versailles, add Antwerp, and you have Bordeaux.” I enjoyed navigating in Bordeaux’s downtown area, with classical residences, limestone sculptures, and cobblestoned paths radiating magical auroras. History was presented with its original form: limestone residences with darkened surfaces, the Bordeaux theater with Corinthian columns, and huge fountains commemorating moments back in time.
History crosses path in Bordeaux, with the preserved townhouses a manifestation of the past and urban buildings an indication of the city’s vibrant development. “Bordeaux is the town where France goes to give up.” In 1870, the French government temporarily relocated to Bordeaux in the Franco-Prussian war, and again in the First and Second world wars. Yet, Bordeaux struck me as a city vibrant with energy, blending the past with the contemporary with its urban city layout. Trams navigate soundlessly through the city, bikes roam on nicely laid out paths, and there was an energetic spirit in the air with Bordeaux as a University town. It struck me as a city with good pace, blending history with modernity, and preserving its city heritage with booming tourism.
The Bordeaux Grand Theater
In my first night in Bordeaux, I was blessed with the annual Bordeaux opera festival. The neoclassical grand theater of Bordeaux, inaugurated in 1780, staged the wonderful performance. As one of the oldest wooden framed opera houses in Europe, the Corinthian columns, white limestone domes, and classical sculptures manifested harmony and simplicity. It was my second time in French theater, and I relished the coziness and traditional ambience: with compact seating, comfortable sofa chairs, and blue curtains lavished with golden embroidery. The opera performance with a small live orchestra radiated the timelessness of classical performances, and it was a great way to relax upon arrival of a new city.
The cite du vin: Bordeaux’s Wine Museum
The Cite du vin is a fine example of how Bordeaux blends modern tourism elements with historical heritage. The eccentric museum design turns heads, with its silver and gold reflective exterior structured in the shape of a glass. There were extensive interactive displays on the history of wine making, the global regions of wine production, the five sensations of tasting, the appellations of wine, the connections to people (in literature, art, gastronomy…), and how wine plays a pivotal part in everyday life. The display was sensational and captivating with an interactive audio guide and was accompanied with a glass of wine in the end of the visit. A day can be well spent in the museum, and it refreshed my “wine-view” as a novice in wine.
Origins: History, Regions, and wine production
Wine production can be traced back to Roman times, as wine growing spread around the Mediterranean as it conquered and expanded territory under rule. During the middle ages, wine production was an important practice in monastic orders, with many vineyards under church ownership. Today, countries in Europe (France, Italy, Greece, Germany), Africa, the US (California), and South America are prominent production regions. Mild weather (ranging 13 to 22 degrees), adequate humidity, and sun flourishes the vines, while harvests take place around September (January in South America) are the busiest season for wine growers.
Wine Classifications
In France, classifications including Vin de table (a quarter of French wine with average quality), Vin de pays (150 wines of French regional significance, with labels on wine origin and production methods; might carry a higher price tag than AOC wines), Vin delimite de qualite superieur (VDQS), and Vin de AOC (classifications only from the region).
Grape region and varieties
Like food, wine is part of the daily ritual, entwined with customs, festivities, and local identity. The wine producing regions in France include Bordeaux, Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne, the Loire valet, and the Rhone valleys. Diverse grape varieties, varying terroirs, and guarded production practices are all factors that produce distinct local qualities of French wine.
