Think Bordeaux, think wine. Bordeaux is wine. One person in six in the city works in the wine industry. And the Bordeaux region produces 2% of the world’s wine: more than all of Germany’s production, half that of Australia, and three times that of New Zealand. Wine is huge in Bordeaux, but the city has had no landmark to recognise this – until now.
La Cité du Vin opened in 2016 as a centre for the world-wide culture of wine. It is so distinctive that it is fast becoming the city’s signature landmark.
La Cité du Vin holds a very prominent position in the city: it towers 55 meters above the Garonne river and the port, from where so much wine has been shipped over centuries; it stands like a beacon signalling arrival in the city when approaching from the sea; and its height makes it visible from several points around the city.
The concept was presented in 2009 by the French architects, Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Mazières. The design period took five years and the Cité was built in 30 months. There is not a straight line to be seen: the building is all curves, which along with changing light make it seem forever in motion. I first thought of a wine carafe, but have read since that Legendre rejects this comparison. She talks of the swirling shape of wine curving around the bottom of a wineglass when being poured, “an image of a liquid world” in her own words. The exterior colours reflect the colours of the city particularly well, especially the golden colour of the local stone and the timbre of the maritime light.
While the exterior subtly evokes images of wine, the interior references are more obvious and deliberate. The ground floor is all black and therefore dark – cellar-like. On the floor above, the curved wooden beams that give the building structure resemble the staves of a wine barrel. Glass is used extensively, making the building lighter as it rises up through its eight floors; the top of the tower is shaped like a wineglass.
The stated objective of the Cité du Vin is not just to sing the praises of Bordeaux wine; it aims to celebrate the culture of wine around the world. This summer’s exhibition, for example, features Georgia, which has as long a history of wine as any country. On the ground floor there is a large circular cellar containing 14,500 bottles of wine from 70 countries – Georgian wine included.
The Cité is also equipped with tasting rooms, exhibition spaces, a permanent display, conference facilities, a library, a theatre, restaurants…
The top floor is a hospitality space and viewpoint: it has a 360° view of the city and river, mirrors which reflect the superb views, and 4000 clear glass bottles forming the ceiling. It is a pleasure to end a day with a glass of wine in hand enjoying an unsurpassed view of the city.
That’s what €81 million buy!
