"Wine is Bordeaux's Eiffel Tower
With hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, Bordeaux Fête le Vin is a must-see event for Bordeaux residents keen to discover the richness of their region.
Brigitte Bloch, President of the OTCBM, who has been involved in tourism and the wine economy for many years, gives us her analysis of this festive event, which is firmly rooted in its time, and whose next edition will be held from 27 to 30 June.
What will be the highlights of the 2024 edition of Bordeaux fête le vin ?
This year's event will be all about gastronomy, with Cabanes de chefs.effes set up along the route, ready to treat visitors' taste buds under the guidance of six Bordeaux chefs. It's worth noting that the menus on offer will follow the ‘75/25’ commitment: 75% plant-based and 25% animal-based. In addition to this gastronomic penchant, which we are developing in partnership with the national agency Atout France, which points out that wine goes particularly well with refined dishes, the 2024 edition will also feature Liverpool, with which the city of Bordeaux has been a partner for several years. There will also be a Grands Crus classés en 1855 tasting at the Palais de la Bourse, and drone shows on two evenings, organised for the second time.
Bordeaux fête le vin has been running since 1998. What are the reasons for this longevity?
I can think of several. First of all, the festive and convivial nature of the event, the system of sailing boats at the quayside, which is very popular with the public, the opportunity to taste wines and meet new people... Since the health crisis, it's been particularly important to us that this event should not just be a celebration of the quayside, but a way of bringing together Bordeaux wines and those who appreciate or are just discovering them. It was with this in mind that we launched the Bordeaux Fête le Vin Previews (23-26 June), a series of events during which winegrowers are invited to visit wine merchants and restaurateurs, and to take part in tasting concerts in a number of towns across the city. We absolutely want to renew this link with local residents, to bring them closer to their heritage. It's essential that they can discover the wines of the area they live in. After all, it's not that common for a town to be named after its vineyard!
Is Bordeaux Fête le Vin a direct argument for the attractiveness of the region?
This event is part of our region's identity, and quite logically, part of its appeal. Our vineyards are seductive and we benefit from their success... Wine is Bordeaux's Eiffel Tower! As far as Bordeaux Fête le Vin is concerned, its success is above all regional. According to our statistics, 77% of visitors are from the Gironde region, 85% from the south-west quarter and 4% from Paris. These are extremely positive figures, but they also show that while the event is very popular here, it still has a long way to go to reach a national and then international dimension. We're also working towards this goal, by inviting foreign journalists and organising tour operators to come to Bordeaux to enjoy France's biggest wine festival.
The Festival has adapted to current social trends...
The city council has been keen to promote this approach, and this concern for environmental impact is expressed in two ways. The first is to highlight the progress made by the winegrowers, 75% of whom are involved in RSE or HVE initiatives, and 25% of the vineyards are certified organic. This eco-responsible approach also applies to the organisation of the event itself, which has been awarded the ISO 20121 label. We are actively working to reduce waste, using reusable materials for example, or calling in green brigades to help visitors sort their waste. This investment is paying off, as the amount of waste produced by Bordeaux Fête le Vin has been reduced by 34% between 2022 and 2023. Our region is increasingly developing responsible tourism: we owe it to ourselves to set an example!
What are Bordeaux Fête sur Vin's ambitions for the coming years?
As well as pursuing these sustainable commitments, we're continuing to pay close attention to new consumer expectations. I'm thinking of the fresh red wines and wine-based cocktails already planned for the 2024 edition... This capacity to adapt demonstrates the modernity of Bordeaux wines and their ability to keep up with the times. Finally, now more than ever, we are keen to strengthen the links between the world of wine and the people of the region, not forgetting young people. We're delighted to see that the 18-34 age group now makes up 40% of the audience, its biggest share ever! In short, if people of all ages in Bordeaux and the Gironde are proud of their wine and become ambassadors for it, then we've done our job!
Bordeaux celebrates wine from 27 to 30 June on the quays of Bordeaux, with a programme packed with tastings, experiences and emotions.
But also from 20 to 23 June with the Avant-Premières throughout the Bordeaux metropolitan area.
