In case there was ever any doubt that dreams do indeed come true, here's your proof: In June 2016, a wine theme park is opening in France. Yes, you read that right. A WINE THEME PARK, YOU GUYS. Situated in Bordeaux, "La Cité du Vin" has been in the works for three years and is finally coming to fruition. Praise be the powers that made this happen and, uh, when are we getting one in the States?
Although Bordeaux already had a Wine and Trade museum prior to the development of the park, La Cité du Vin is meant to be a marriage of museum and amusement. According to the park's website, this magical place will be "where wine comes to life through an immersive, sensorial approach, all set within an evocative architectural design." The park aims to give visitors a complete perspective on wine throughout history and across all cultures. Visitors will be guided by a travel companion — a piece of technological wizardry available in eight different languages — so you can drink, learn, and otherwise immerse yourself in wine at your own pace. Would it be premature to petition for this to become one of the official wonders of the world? I think not.
So at this point, you're probably thinking, Sign me up! But also, what does one do at a wine theme park besides drink the wonderful beverage? As it turns out, a ton — check it out.
1. Get A Panoramic View Of Bordeaux
At the heart of the park is a stunning 10-story, $91 million structure, the top of which is known as the Belvedere. There you can soak up breathtaking 360-degree views of Bordeaux.
2. Take The Permanent Tour
The permanent tour consists of visiting 20 different themed areas within a massive exhibition space. These areas explore the history and culture of wine across time and space, and are described as "immersive and sensory," which I'm going to assume means you get to drink while you tour them.
3. Attend An Exhibition
La Cité du Vin plans to organize two big exhibitions annually on varying cultural and artistic themes. Bonus? Original exhibitions from "guest wine regions" each summer mean you get to expand your global wine IQ.
4. Test Your Senses With A Wine Workshop
I've never exactly considered what a wine workshop might entail, but dear god, I'd love to sign up for a few "seated comfortably in an immersive space (360 degree images, lights, sounds and smells)." Also worth noting is that the roster includes a family workshop, a juniors workshop, and even a workshop for the wine of writers.
5. Glean Knowledge In The Reading Room
Few things sound more appealing to my nerd self than kicking back and immersing myself in both books and vino. That's exactly what the reading room offers, to the tune of thousands of multi-media publications on the world of wine.
6. Eat, Drink, And Be Merry
Naturally, you can't have a wine theme park without a bit of food to sop up that vino you'll be immersing your heart and soul in all day. La Cité du Vin gives you several culinary options to round out your trip — including one with a list of more than 500 wines from around the world and another with 50 different wines available by the glass and a worldwide wine cellar complete with a whopping 14,000 bottles from 80 wine producing countries.
Images: Sonya Khegay/Stocksy; Giphy (5)
