Suggestions on where to buy wine ?
 

We are looking forward to our trip to Paris and have interest in returning with some wine/bubbly. Does anyone have suggestions on where and possibly what to buy?

Looking for 4-6 bottles to remember our trip by, and also not too expensive, but most importantly wineries which we are unlikely to find in a local store here.

Although you may be tempted to laugh at the suggestion, you should definitely check out a good sized grocery store like a MonoPrix. They have quite a good selection of wines and champages of varying qualities, many at very reasonable prices. You can also check out one of the zillion wine stores, but I think you'll find that 10-15 minutes of browsing in a large grocery store will be well worth your effort.

Unless you are looking for really exotic, any grocery, as mentioned above, or any Nicolas(sp?) will have an extended variety of non-NYC brands at reasonable prices.

I would agree with what's been said here: grocery store! My favorite for wine shopping is the "hypermarché" Auchan in La Défense. They have an enormous selection of wines at great prices -- even some rather upscale ones! They also rate their wines and have designated some as "good buys" or "Auchan select"... I've had good experiences with the latter.

Hope this helps! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

A grocery store is certainly fine for us, always prefer to keep things simple. Great suggestions, thanks everyone!

lqdnitin

My favorite wine shop in Paris is "Caves du Panthéon" located at 174, rue Saint-Jacques in the 5th Arrondissement, just off rue Soufflot. Although it has been a few years since my last visit, I trust the proprietors are as knowledgable, friendly and helpful as ever.

On many occasions I found some great wines at reasonable prices, especially where Champagne was concerned. And I will never forget the exquisite bottle of François Pinon Vouvray "Cuvée Botrytis" that was a gift from the two gentlemen who owned (still own?) the shop. I believe their phone number is 01 46 33 90 and hours are:

Mon 15:30-20:15
Tue-Sat 9:30-13:30/15:30-20:15

The shop is listed among others at:

http://www.parisiana.com/caves.html

I cannot vouch for how current this Web site is but the shops listed might be worth your time. That said, I agree that a trip to a large grocery store, as recommended above, would be a good idea. As in England, I believe you will find excellent value especially among the "buyer's own brand" wines.

Above all, travel safely and have a wonderful time.

Santé!

Bill

Another "oui" on the grocery store idea. Monoprix, Fran Prix and SuperMarche G20 - especially for just a few bottles. I've noticed that Veuve Clicqout champagne is a particular bargain.

I would suggest :

Les Caves Taillevent, the wine store of the famous restaurant Taillevent for an extensive selection of good quality wines in all prices ranges (though specialising in the high end). The staff are very knowledgeable and all the bottles you see in the shop are empty. ALL the wine is store downstairs in the "cave" and if lucky, you might be allowed to see it, if you ask politely. If you inform them that you are taking the wine overseas, the packed our bottles in wood cases with plenty of foam to protect the wine. The wine pricing was very fair, not too expensive, but not too cheap either.

I would also recommend LAVINIA, supposedly Europe's largest wine store in the Boulevard de Madeleine -- I think it had 6 floors of every wine conceivable. A great place to browse and to dream about future bottles to try. Staff are friendly and very knowledgeable.

The Caves Taillevent is in the Rue du Faubourg St. Honore, but closer to the Arc de Triomphe. It is only a couple doors down from the casual sister restaurant of Taillevent, the L'Angle du Faubourg which I also highly recommend.

All the suggestions above are great and you'll probably find what you want. In case you are also looking for some more exclusive ones also, you may try the traiteur at the Galeries Lafayette. They have an enormous collection and you can try manny of their wines by the glass, which might help you to make a decision. If you find them too pricy, just note the names and regions of the wines and go to the other suggested locations.
Santé!

Great suggestions from the previous posts. If you want the bottles to be particularly memorable you could go and visit some vineyards. One of the more popular day trips is to the Champagne region, specifically Reims and Epernay. You can catch the train out of Paris and can pretty much walk both the towns.

[/B]One of the more popular day trips is to the Champagne region, specifically Reims and Epernay. You can catch the train out of Paris and can pretty much walk both the towns.[/B][/QUOTE]

Slightly OT, but if you can splurge a little, stay overnight in Reims at the Boyer Les Crayeres, a great small chateau style hotel with a Michelin 3 star restaurant attached. Though Gerard Boyer, the chef-proprietor, will be retiring soon if not already, it is an amazing property and an amazing experience.

I'll be in Paris next week and want to buy 3 or 4 bottles, not pricy ones. But I don't know much about french wines (just read about the famous Château Lafite or Margaux that are far from my budget).

What good Merlot, Pinot Noir, or blend do you recommend I can find at groceries? Around 15 to 20 euros per bottle?

I agree with the suggestion of supermarkets, unless one is buying Burgundies. Burgundies are best bought directly from the domaines themselves. But you need to know what you're doing.

I found that when buying direct, one could typically get top tier 1er cru and Grand cru Burgundies for 40-50% of what they retail for in the U.S.

In France, the wines are mostly NOT named for the grape they are made of, but rather, the region, town, or specific vineyard. France has specific laws about what grapes can be planted in any particular town.

For Merlot blends in that budget range, you want to buy small chateaux from the towns of St. Emillion or Lalande de Pomerol. Ask the store what they have in that price range that they recommend. There would be bazillions of worthy ones, many of which are not exported to the U.S.

For Pinot Noir, you're talking red Burgundy. Your price point is tough, but I would recommend wines from a region called the Cote Chalonnais - in particular, from the town of Givry. You might even be able to find a wine labeled as Givry 1er Cru for that price range. There are numerous producers of wine from this area, most of whom do not export outside of the Euro zone.

lhgreengrd1, gave a good summery.

I would find the nearest Nicolas and buy from there. Most of us do that. I find mine to be knowledgeable and very helpful.