In 2009 Alain Juppé, the mayor of Bordeaux, proposed that the city built a museum to celebrate the importance of wine to the city and the surrounding region. Furthermore it would also show how wine was important to heritage and culture of peoples around the world. It would be a wine museum like no other.
In 2011 an industrial site by the river and close to the district of Chartrons, where the city’s wine merchants had their cellars, was purchased. Construction began in 2012 and the building was finally open to the public on 1st June 2016. The total cost of the project was 94 million euros.
The design was by means of a competition which was eventually one by a firm of Parisian architects, chosen from a shortlist of five. To many it resembles a decanter but the winning design was not intended to be figurative. Rather the design was to have a roundness and flexibility to reflect the nearby River Garonne. However you look at it the building is stunning and a real contrast to the more formal style of architecture seen in and around the city. Over two thousand aluminium panels have been used to create the swirling base and 940 glass panels in the tower. The public areas are constructed of 524 laminated wooden arches, used to create the impression that you are inside a barrel as you walk through the exhibits.
The easiest way of getting to the museum is by tram. Line B will take you from central Bordeaux to the museum for less than 2 euros. The trams are modern, clean, comfortable and a great way to get around the city. Timing your visit may seriously affect the experience. In winter there may be 300-500 visitors per day but this can rise to 2000=3000 on weekends at the height of summer. You can avoid queues for tickets by purchasing online, a sensible plan if it looks like it might be busy. Whatever the season early in the day is a good time to begin your visit as you can easily spend all day here. On the day of our visit on a weekday in early October the museum was relatively quiet.
The ground floor is devoted to ticketing and cloakroom but there its also a shop, a rather impressive wine cave and a small brasserie serving some very nice food indeed. It makes an excellent spot for lunch.
The first floor covers workshop space and temporary exhibitions. You can book a wine workshop when buying general admission and they are delivered in English as well as French. There is also a rather fine library and reading room which is open to everyone and the Thomas Jefferson auditorium for larger meetings and events.
It is on the second floor where you will find the permanent exhibition. This consists of 19 different themed areas which you can plan your own route through. The admission price includes an audio guide which is available in eight different languages. Sensors on the exhibits trigger the relevant piece of audio for your own immersive experience. The exhibition is interactive and multi sensory. A lot of thought has gone into giving you useful information in a fun and engaging way. I particularly enjoyed the video walls showing aerial footage of the worlds major wine regions, the photography here was stunning. There is a series of bell jars from which you can explore the scents associated with wine, an in-depth interactive explanation of cultivating vines and of course an area devoted to the wines of Bordeaux. The best thing about the permanent exhibition is that there is something for everyone, it appeals to all ages and levels of interest in the world of wine.
To end your visit your ticket also includes a wine tasting in the Belvedere Bar at the top of the tower, which also gives superb panoramic views of the surrounding area. You can choose your tasting sample from the sixteen or so wines on offer. The roof of the bar has been constructed from 3800 litre glass bottles and makes quite an impressive sight.
You can take your glass of wine out onto the viewing platform to enjoy the view.
A perfect ending to a great day at a superb museum. The city can be justifiably proud of such a magnificent attraction.