|
Rich in history, culture, arts, music, legendary wines and gastronomy,
Bordeaux is not only the fine wines capital of the world, it is
also a vibrant centre of trade, industry, services and business.
The international airport, the European station and the Atlantic sea
front with the “Moon Port” give Bordeaux a huge international
opening. The key sectors of the economy are wine, aeronautics and
services. The GDP of the Aquitaine region represents 5% of the national
GDP and it is the 6th French region.
The city is a significant European industrial and aeronautics centre
in the new and high technologies. Bordeaux is the administrative capital
of the Aquitaine region. The tertiary sector dominates in the region (70%)
with a strong commercial attraction and a concentration of services links
to firms. Bordeaux is also an important university and research centre.
The name of Bordeaux is worldly known as an exceptional brand image
of great wines. The wine trade was started by the English during the
reign of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Bordeaux is the largest fine
wine-producing vineyard in the world, as well as the most legendary.
This reputation is mostly built on red wines, especially those from Médoc,
Saint Emilion, Pomerol but also on the famous sweet whites Sauternes. The
wealth of Bordeaux wines rests on some fifty seven “Appellations d’Origine
Contrôlées” (A.O.C.).
The most prestigious names of the region are first-class châteaux
(such as Margaux, Lafite and Petrus), even though they usually represent
only a small part of the region’s total production. The rest of the area
produces a vast range of excellent offerings from the major appellations
and petite appellations alike.
|
