Wine aside, Bordeaux is a metropolis of bustling food markets, iconic historical monuments and the epicentre of art galleries. Sometimes I do wonder if I have any French heritage...
1. A WHOLE museum dedicated to wine, and not just a museum at that, the LA CITÉ DU VIN is one of Bordeaux’s most prominent spectacles, it is an architectural delight, made up of sleek finishing’s from its toroid to tower top. Inside lies host to a whole day’s worth of educational learning and insightful reading with over 100 books about the world of wine, and of course my favourite spot has to be the Latitude20, a panoramic wine bar located on the seventh floor with 360 degree views of the capital.
2. The organic and local produce is unbeatable. French food is a cuisine that is synonymous with earthly flavours and entices a bold palate, whilst pursuing the local towns we found numerous markets stocked to the brim with freshly caught/ farmed produce, and honestly the largest vine tomato’s I have ever seen!
If nothing else, Bordeaux’s cuisine is the best in the region, due to the lack of fanciful decoration and removal of its teen tiny serving counterparts found in other areas of France trying to capture the gastronomic palate and the Michelin price tag.
3. The family run and very remote Chateau’s, depending on your fascination with wine is certainly a must visit for wine-lovers, with about a 3-4 hour car journey from the town centre to the vineyards it is definitely worth the trek. A small piece of advice if you are keen to explore the Chateau’s, get provisional booking with a concierge or resource a local producer who can assist you, as getting into them is hugely challenging. A personal recommendation is the Chateau Cheval Blanc, a 6,000 m² cellar house located in a state-of-the-art winemaking facility, positioned in the north-west of the St. Emilion appellation, bordering Pomerol. Homed to some of the worlds most acclaimed bottles of wine in the world.
Culturally and touristically there are numerous offerings that Bordeaux frequents, however, admittedly, my trip was mostly absorbed by its superb wine acclamations.