by Paige Donner
There's a lot to love about the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux.
1. The structure : Divine
Photo by Paige Donner © FoodWine.photography
2. The infrastructure : modern, lots of digital technology, full of bells and whistles.
Photo by Paige Donner © FoodWine.photography
[caption id="attachment_662" align="alignnone" width="2816"]
Cité du Vin Bordeaux, Photo by Paige Donner © FoodWine.photography[/caption][caption id="attachment_664" align="alignnone" width="2816"]
Cité du Vin Bordeaux, Photo by Paige Donner © FoodWine.photography
Cité du Vin Bordeaux, Photo by Paige Donner © FoodWine.photography[/caption]But the elephant in the room is the programming.
- Cité du Vin Bordeaux, Photo by Paige Donner © FoodWine.photography
When it comes to the Programming of this first-of-its-kind World of Wine cultural center, there is much to be desired. I would consider it a work-in-progress. A Work In Progress of which we are only on its first chapter.
Digital vs. Human & Tactile
I was privileged to visit this now-iconic structure during its construction phase (see blog archives on LocalFoodAndWine ) and eagerly watched its evolution. This was during the same phase and time period that my groundbreaking article on Wine & Climate Change was published in the New York Times.
When the forces behind the Cité du Vin assured me that the focus of this Wine Culture and Educational Center would not be solely on Bordeaux but would, rather, embrace all wine regions of the world, it seemed as though the role this structure was willing to play in the world of wine was commensurate with Bordeaux's stature as one of the epicenters - historically, culturally, commercially - of the Wine World.
BUT... transferring this experience of wine culture and civilizations into a thoroughly digitized experience is not exactly measuring up to people's hopes and expectations.
For Example: At this week's Vinexpo Bordeaux, all ticket holders to Vinexpo could visit the Cité du Vin with complimentary entry. Informal canvassing of both visitors to Bordeaux and local residents yielded these sorts of answers: *********************************************** Read More on BordeauxFoodAndWine.com
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