Why didn’t we know about this before? No matter. Now we know. And that knowledge ought to come in very handy with the summer vacation planning: In Bordeaux, France, there exists a theme park and museum dedicated to wine.

La Cité du Vin (aka The City of Wine) just celebrated its third anniversary, but it has, of late, been gaining notice. (Seehere and here.)

The oenophilic cultural center has been called the “Guggenheim of wine,” I guess in part because it shares a swirly vibe with the NYC art mecca and also because it was designed to evoke a "the swirl in a wine glass," the BBC reported when it opened in 2016. It promises to take visitors on an immersive “sensory adventure to discover the cultures and civilizations of wine” and features roughly 20 different themed areas that explore “the many and varied facets of wine across time and space.”

You can take a virtual helicopter ride over 20 wine regions in 17 different countries, listen to winemakers talk about their process, learn about trends in winemaking, explore wine-related imagery and smells in a “buffet of the five senses,” just to name a few of the interactive museum’s attractions. Tickets vary in price depending on what you care to see and do.

There are also special temporary exhibits (such as a current one on glass art and design), wine-shopping opportunities, restaurants, workshops and tastings featuring wines from around the world. The site’s gorgeous eighth-floor tasting room — The Belvedere — provides a panoramic, 360-degree view of Bordeaux.

So much to drink in.

Photo: iStock

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