World’s Most Famous Wine Region
Bordeaux France by lori sweet
“Wine cheers the sad, revives the old, inspires the young, makes weariness forget his toil.” -Lord Byron
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esignated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007, the city of Bordeaux is located 358 miles southwest of Paris. Bordeaux is not only the name of France’s second most visited city after Paris, but it is also the name of the region. Everywhere you go, people are drinking wine, talking about its history and how it’s made. A trip to Bordeaux is a bucket list trip for any wine lover, one my husband and I were happy to take. Oenotourisme, tourism whose purpose is or includes tasting, consumption or purchase of wine, is alive and well in Bordeaux. History and Tradition There is an incredible 2000-year tradition, starting with the Romans, of winemaking in the largest wine-growing region in France. There are over 120,000 hectares of vines and more than 7,500 different producers. 80% of the area is dedicated to red wine. Bordeaux is a port city situated along the Garonne River. As we made our way along the quays by the river, past the stunning 18th century Place de la Bourse, the water mirror, parks, restaurants and playgrounds, we couldn’t help but notice how straight the streets are. This is connected to wine too! The streets were designed this way so that the barrels of wine could be rolled to the ships waiting in port-
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