What better city to begin a wine bar series in than the capital of the world’s greatest winemaking country? For sure, France’s finest wines are produced in its eastern and southern regions (hello, Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Côtes du Rhône), but wine culture is truly an integral part of Parisian life. In even the most unassuming of the city’s corners, you have only to walk for a minute or two to find a quaint little marchand de vin brimming with local wines. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself at a French dinner party, you can be sure you’ll be trying some of the best wine you’ve had in a long time. And as the weather warms up, it is a Parisian rite of passage for friends to picnic with wine, bread and cheese on the newly-accessible lawns of the city’s parks (yes, it is illegal to step on them the rest of the year). But perhaps the finest element of Parisian wine culture is its array of splendid wine bars. From the sleek and sophisticated O Chateau to the iconic Le Fumoir and the merry hole-in-the-wall Chez Georges, there’s a Paris wine bar to suit all tastes.

Nestled away down a surprisingly quiet street right in the city center, Le Garde Robe is a charming little caviste shop-meets-bar. Space is tight and the atmosphere is jovial, as Parisians drop in to pick up a bottle for dinner time, or huddle around the bar or a little table to savor a local cheese plate and whichever wine their knowledgeable waiter can suggest that evening. Down the pretty rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau in the second arrondissement, O Chateau is an oh-so-chic wine bar that truly knows its stuff. Head there for a casual glass of wine or three, or even enrol in one of their wine-tasting classes held in their cool stone cave (cellar). Classes are held in English and will give you a greater understanding of the French wine world- plus a glass of white, red and rosé to “sample”. Luxe, low-lit and sophisticated, Le Fumoir is a veritable Paris institution. A hop, skip and a jump from the Louvre, right near the Seine river, this bar is one of the most perfectly located places to indulge in a glass of fine French wine.

You can dine as well, though my best friend and I developed an expensive but exquisite tradition of sharing a cheese plate and a bottle of rouge each Thursday evening; beer and wine which is healthiertheir selection never disappoints.good red wine average price A far cry from the sleek surrounds of O Chateau or Le Fumoir, Chez Georges is a vibrant hole-in-the-wall down one of the windier streets of the Latin Quarter. best french wine to buy in franceGuaranteed to be bustling with young Paris locals on the weekend, Chez Georges sports tiling and décor from its 1950s origins, a tiny, rickety staircase and a small but trustworthy (and cheap!) wine list. best wine audiobook

Settle down at a tiny corner table with some rouge, baguette and cornichons and watch the Paris evening float by.one hope wine free shipping In the shadow of French theatre favorite Le Théâtre d’Odéon, on the edges of the revered district of St Germain des Prés, lies the famed Le Comptoir du Relais, a traditional French restaurant attached to the Hôtel le Relais. red wine name with regionLe Comptoir is great, but I far prefer its little carriage bar next door, L’Avant Comptoir. No, there are no seats, but this little gem is a great place to congregate with good company to sip wine and sample French tapas at the comptoir, or countertop bar. 7 Awesome Apps For Exploring Australia Tourism Like A Local 6 Best Apps for Finding Authentic Travel Experiences Must-Savor Ethical Chocolate Indulgences For Valentine’s Day

Budget Travel: 6 Best Apps For Scoring Cheap FlightsThese Apps Will Help You Plan A Memorable Trip Paris Wine Day Tours will be at Rendez-vous en France international tourism trade fair, in Rouen, Normandy. 6 years of confidence in Paris Wine Day Tours. 6 years to become the leading Paris Wine Tour company… “I had the chance to grow up at the cross roads of three great French wine regions. After some crazy years in Paris to work…” We are very happy to let you discover our new website. We work very hard on it to make it more ergonomic, simple…Taking a wine-tasting class — like this one in Paris — helps make French wine less intimidating. Many regions in France produce wine that complements the local cuisine — such as spicy Côtes du Rhône wines that work well with herb-infused Provençal dishes. France is peppered with wineries and wine-tasting opportunities. For some people, it can be overwhelming to try to make sense of the vast range of French wines, particularly when faced with a no-nonsense winemaker or sommelier.

I’m no wine expert and would never claim to be, but I’ve learned a lot from Olivier Magny, a young Parisian sommelier who gathers tourists for wine-tastings in a royal cellar a block from the Louvre. The last time I was there, Olivier gave us a wonderful commentary. Here’s what I gleaned from his presentation: White wine should be clear...if not, it’s Spanish. Acidity is like salt. It gives wine character. “Legs,” a.k.a. “tears,” indicates how much sugar is in the wine. Dry wine has fewer legs; sweet wine has more and faster-running legs. When you sip a little wine and then suck air in, it exaggerates the character. You’re not making it better, but bringing out its flavors, so that it’s easier to identify the characteristics of that particular wine. Olivier feels that Americans need to break out of their four favorite words to describe the taste of wine: “dry, sweet, fruity, oaky.” The Champagne region defended its name and therefore has a strong image today.

The Chablis region did not, so winegrowers outside of France used the name and made it cheaply. Today the real Chablis is better than its reputation. Terroir (pronounced “tehr-wah”) is a uniquely French concept. The French don’t call a wine by the grape’s name. Two wines can be made of the same grape, but be of very different character because of their terroir. A real Chablis made from the Chardonnay grape is better than Chardonnays made elsewhere because of its terroir. Terroir is “somewhere-ness,” a combination of the macro- and microclimate, soil, geology, and culture (the accumulated experience of the people and their craft). Grapevines are creepers, with roots going through the topsoil and into the geology deep down. The roots are commonly 150 feet long and deep. While topsoil can be influenced by the vintner, the deep geology cannot; and this gives the wine a distinct character. The French do not allow irrigation, thus forcing the grapes to search deep for water.

There are two basic kinds of wine in this world: that of big growers and that of little growers. Big business works better for wine in places like Argentina and Australia (where three companies dominate the wine industry). Most French wine is still made by thousands of small, independent, and passionate vintners. The French are not enthusiastic about the oaky taste of American wine. A French vintner went to a wine conference in California, where some wineries use barrels made from American oak rather than French oak. When pressed to comment on California wines, he said, “I don’t like oak shaping my wine. When I drink Californian wine, I feel like I’m kissing Pinocchio.” (Actually, he had a more graphic way of describing it.) Without the focus on oak-barrel aging, and because of the business environment that encourages small outfits, Olivier says French wine is lighter and more diverse. Because of global climate change, wine in general is sweeter these days. A grape can’t be harvested properly until it’s both sweet enough and the tannins are right.

This used to happen at about the same time. But lately the grapes are sweet many days before the tannin level is ready. Consequently, when the tannins are right and the grapes can be harvested, they are sweeter than is optimal. Before, the average wine was 11 percent alcohol; now it’s 13 percent. Everyone wants Bordeaux Grand Cru, and that demand drives up the price. That’s why Bordeaux, while very good, is overpriced. Burgundy makes only about 3 percent of all French wine. Because of its reputation and the demand, it is overpriced as well. Back when rooms were cooler, the idea that red wine is best drunk at room temperature was established. But room temperature is higher now than it used to be. Consequently, many restaurants serve their reds too warm. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask for it to be chilled; five or 10 minutes in the fridge, and it’ll be just right. Generally, in France you’ll get light wines in the north, and big, full-bodied wines in the south where it’s sunnier.