Raise your glass to 10 years of the Bordeaux Wine Festival

The 2008 Bordeaux Wine Festival will take place from the 26th to the 29th of June on the quays of the left bank of the Garonne River, from the Pont de Pierre to the Bourse Maritime.

The Bordeaux Town Hall and the Tourist Office present visitors this new change of setting to mark the tenth anniversary of the Festival. Lovers of wine, food, festivity and culture are invited from all over the world to share these celebrations in the heart of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Saint Petersburg, guest of honour
The city of Saint Petersburg will be the guest of honour at the 2008 Bordeaux Wine Festival, following in the footsteps of Oporto, Munich, and Fukuoka. A pavilion will be devoted to this city, with which Bordeaux has developed numerous exchanges in the fields of aerospace, scientific research, language, education, art and culture.

Furthermore, Russia is the 15th largest export market for Bordeaux wine and has a strong growth potential.

A Wine Road between the river and XVIIIth-Century façades
Thanks to a TASTING PASS (costing 13 Euros, which includes a glass, glass case, tasting notebook and numerous tickets with special offers), visitors can, at their own pace, explore the rich diversity and quality of wines from Bordeaux and the Aquitaine region at the new Pavillon des Appellations and Pavillon des Négociants.

There is also a new DUO PASS this year. For an additional 3 Euros, visitors can have an extra glass and glass case to share this unforgettable event with a friend or partner.

Musucal performances
The Bordeaux Aquitaine National Orchestra (conducted by the talented Kwamé Ryan) and the Bordeaux Opera Choir will open the festival with a concert on the 26th June. The musicians and singers will perform Carmina Burana on Place de la Bourse.

For the first time, there will also be a ‘son et lumière’ show on the 27th, 28th, and 29th June: accompanied by music, giant images will be projected onto the Palais Gabriel.

The Port de la Lune will be illuminated as a different firework display brings the end of each evening to a brightly-coloured close.

Numerous wine-related special events
Placing special emphasis on matching food and wine, the six restaurants at BORDO’MUNDO will be open on the banks of the Garonne starting on the 20th June.

A parade of Confrèries (Wine Brotherhoods), the giant Banquet de Bacchus and barrel rolling competitions will constitute other highlights of the festival.

For those who wish to go on a tour of the wine country, a VINEYARD PASS costing 70 Euros provides an excellent opportunity to visit three Châteaux or estates on the same day with a tour guide (nine different itineraries).

For more information, visit Bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com.