Bordeaux Winegrowers Protest as 80–90% of Cité du Vin Tastings Remain Local Despite Ukrainian Event

A protest took place on Thursday evening outside the Cité du Vin in Bordeaux, as young winegrowers from the Gironde region expressed anger over a scheduled tasting of Ukrainian wines. The demonstration, organized by the Jeunes Agriculteurs de Gironde (JA33), was announced as a symbolic “funeral for French agriculture.” It was timed to coincide with larger agricultural protests in Brussels and across France, targeting both the European Union’s Mercosur trade agreement and the handling of a recent outbreak of Contagious Nodular Dermatosis.

The protest follows a similar action last week, when members of the Coordination Rurale de Gironde (CR33) dumped agricultural waste outside the Cité du Vin. Both groups argue that promoting foreign wines in Bordeaux is insensitive at a time when local winegrowers are facing severe economic hardship. They point to falling prices, insufficient government support, and what they see as an inadequate crisis plan. The French government has allocated €130 million for permanent vine removal, but growers say this is not enough. A separate crisis distillation fund is still under discussion in Brussels, with winegrowers demanding double the amount currently proposed.

In their statement, JA33 criticized what they called “the promotion of Ukrainian wines on a territory in deep crisis,” describing it as “a real insult to the violence suffered by Gironde winegrowers.” They argue that current aid measures are too small and that national leaders have not fully grasped the scale of the crisis.

Not all voices in the Bordeaux wine sector support targeting the Cité du Vin. At a recent meeting of the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), president Bernard Farges addressed representatives from CR33 who had staged another protest. Farges reminded them that the Cité du Vin attracts 400,000 visitors each year and was never intended to focus solely on Bordeaux wines. He explained that its legal and financial structure requires it to feature wines from around the world, but that 80 to 90 percent of its programming and tastings are dedicated to Bordeaux wines.

Farges also defended the decision to host a Ukrainian wine tasting, noting that “we could at least be sympathetic with Ukraine at this time.” He argued that refusing to showcase other countries’ wines would undermine efforts to promote wine culture more broadly—a goal that ultimately benefits Bordeaux as well.

Jean-Marie Garde, president of the Federation of Great Wines of Burgundy, echoed this view. He pointed out that wine museums in Burgundy have struggled because they focus exclusively on local products, while Bordeaux’s willingness to present global wines has made its Cité du Vin more attractive to tourists.

The Cité du Vin is managed by a foundation dedicated to sharing global wine culture. In a statement provided to Vitisphere, the institution emphasized its mission to “defend, promote, share and transmit the universal and living heritage of wine.” It described itself as unique among wine museums worldwide for not limiting its focus to local wines.

Despite this international outlook, Bordeaux wines remain central to the Cité du Vin’s activities. The institution reports that two sections of its permanent exhibition are devoted entirely to Bordeaux and its vineyards. More than half of all wines tasted at events are from Bordeaux—amounting to about 25,000 bottles per year—and every tasting workshop includes at least one local wine. A special workshop focused exclusively on Bordeaux terroir is held over 250 times annually. For its tenth anniversary next year, an immersive tasting experience will be dedicated entirely to Bordeaux.

The debate highlights tensions within France’s wine industry as it faces economic challenges and increasing competition from abroad. While some growers see international tastings as a threat or an affront during hard times, others argue that openness is essential for maintaining Bordeaux’s status as a global reference point for wine tourism and culture.