Bordeaux

French epitome of wine 

What is more to say than what has already been said for one of the oldest wine producing regions in France. Bordeaux city on its own has many qualities: an elegant regional city, a historic art centre, a fine collection of medieval churches, a centre for higher education, fine dining and most importantly the epicentre of french wine production.

As a wine enthusiast if you find yourself visiting Bordeaux one stop is a must - 'La Cite du Vin', the world beating wine museum. A place that showcases history of wine production, design and packaging, food pairing and much more. This project was created not by simple wine professionals, rather it was a collective effort of historians, oenologists, scientists and architects. It demonstrates the profound experience of the wine world and history through interactive installations cleverly done presentations that do a fantastic job of conveying the story of wine. One that left me amazed can only be described as an 'immersive multi sensory journey of wine tasting'. La Cite du Vin is a modern contemporary museum, even a non-wine lover would find the museum mind blowing. 

The rooftop tasting bar Belvedere does not disappoint either, with its cleverly designed interior that embodies wine elements, as well as offering a great selection of world wine to taste with a beautiful panoramic view of Bordeaux. On my visit I decided to select a glass of Georgian wine. Not by coincidence, there was a temporary exhibition of Georgian wine that left me more astound about the history of wine making.

Some would argue Bordeaux region is the world's capital of wine with many well known wine appellations. One I had a pleasure of visiting was Saint Emilion - une petite magical place. This place dates back to Roman times where the first vineyards were planted as early as the 2nd century. This beautiful commune positioned on the hills has a rich history that is embedded in the architecture dating back to 8th century. One of the first citizens to migrate was a travelling monk Emilion. Fellow monks followed him and started making wine - making it the first commercial wine production. 

Wine of Recommendation 
There is no such thing as selecting just one wine of choice in Bordeaux. I enjoyed a bottle of the Chateau Barrail Saint Andre 2013 due to its beautiful balance with fresh red fruit of strawberries, cherries, black peppery notes and subtle tannins. 

Parining 
Chateau Barrail Saint Andre 2013 is a lovely table wine and goes well with
slow cooked beef, vegetarian stews and chicken medallions in a mushroom sauce.