AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT IN EUROPE!

The biennial event much- awaited by Bordeaux residents and visitors from around the world.

a historic success

In the late 1990s, Alain Juppé, first elected Mayor in 1995, launched the project. «We want the Bordeaux population to once again enjoy its proximity with the Garonne River. The docks currently being rehabilitated are a natural place for gathering and taking walks. It seems obvious to us that they should be turned into a festive place,» the Mayor explained, adding that, at the same time, a tribute could be paid to the wine industry, which he felt was insufficiently honoured at the time. 

The closer relationship that ensued between the city and the world of wine fostered the creation of Bordeaux Fête le Vin, in June 1998. The success of the event held every two years has continued to grow non-stop ever since. From 150,000 visitors in 1998, attendance soared to 800,000 at the latest festival in 2016.  Bordeaux Fête le Vin, dedicated to wines from Bordeaux and the Nouvelle Aquitaine region, will be held from June 14 - 18, 2018, along the Bordeaux riverfront, a UNESCO World Heritage site. In just a matter a few years, with hundreds of thousands of visitors, the biennial festival has become the leading European wine tourism event. 


For its 20th anniversary, the guest of honour will be the prestigious Tall Ships Regatta, a race bringing together the world’s biggest and most eye-catching sailboats for a regatta that will take them from Liverpool to Dublin and then Bordeaux. The boats will drop anchor in the Port de la Lune on June 14th and set sail again on the morning of Monday, June 18th, in a tall ships parade. Over the 5-day period, Bordeaux will be the capital of wine... and sailing, the theme of this anniversary festival!

2020, the most beautiful journey

A sensory journey along the banks of the river, meeting traders and winemakers face-to-face : a unique opportunity to taste the fruits of their labour and explore the subtlety of the Bordeaux and Nouvelle-Aquitaine appellations.
 
A historic journey, reliving the golden age of sailing expeditions, grand vessels and tall ships. Moored along the quays, the ships await, ready to reveal their many secrets.
 
A cultural journey, and a lively one, that crosses influences and traditions. This year, the Port of the Moon invites Brussels as its guest of honour: Brussels the mischievous, Brussels the artist, Brussels the European!
 
A festive journey and a promise : to electrify the crowds with carte blanche given to local associations, bringing music, dance and entertainment to the masses.
 
Over the years, through constant evolution, the Bordeaux Wine Festival has become a veritable odyssey. Let your tastebuds and your imagination take flight for four immersive days along the banks of the Garonne, in the heart of a UNESCO World Heritage-listed architectural treasure.
 
To one and all, belle fête!