Wine Stores

[fortedei]

Am looking for "better" wine stores in the 1st, 3rd, 4th. 5th. or 6th.

Particularly important are the selection of very good white Burgundies and Rhones.

The selection of wines is the only important thing, not the price ( I'm not looking for discount stores).

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[sharonb]

Les Caprices de l'Instant, rue Jacques-Cœur next to the Bastille. Picked up a couple of bottles of 1996 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet today.

They have a fine book.

[winemike]

Good pick, Sharon. Both on the wine and the shop!

If price is no issue, and only in that case, try Lavinia, boulevard de la Madeleine. Silly prices but you'll find what you're after.

La Cave des papilles, rue Daguerre in the 14th had a very good Rhone section but I have not been in years... it might still be worth taking a look.

Cheers

- Michael

[Margaret Pilgrim]

We have had many extraordinary and no bad recommendations from Le Derniere Goute. One on one discussion of your preferences is normal.

[sharonb]

Michael, thanks... And good suggestions, too, though the 14th may be too "excentré" for our original poster. *Love* La Cave des Papilles.

Margaret, agree about La Dernière Goutte - they also do excellent tastings with the winemakers themselves every Saturday.

Other top wine stores:

1st - Wine and Bubbles (rue Française)

2nd - Legrand Filles et Fils (rue de la Banque/passage Vivienne)

3rd - Caves Elzevir (rue Elzevir)

4th - Caprices de l'Instant (rue Jacques-Coeur)

5th - Caves du Panthéon (rue Saint-Jacques)

6th - Bacchus et Ariane (rue Lobineau)

[fortedei]

Michael, thanks... And good suggestions, too, though the 14th may be too "excentré" for our original poster. *Love* La Cave des Papilles.

Margaret, agree about La Dernière Goutte - they also do excellent tastings with the winemakers themselves every Saturday.

Other top wine stores:

1st - Wine and Bubbles (rue Française)

2nd - Legrand Filles et Fils (rue de la Banque/passage Vivienne)

3rd - Caves Elzevir (rue Elzevir)

4th - Caprices de l'Instant (rue Jacques-Coeur)

5th - Caves du Panthéon (rue Saint-Jacques)

6th - Bacchus et Ariane (rue Lobineau)

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Many thanks

[Vinotas]

Don't forget Mi-fugue Mi-raisin on the Rue Delambre, at the edge of the 6th and 14th. He sells CDs and wines and is very friendly and knowledgeable. He recommended a great Champagne (Lassaigne) as well a nice 2005 Burgundy Hautes Cotes de Beaune when I was there a few weeks ago.

[dlc]

Another vote for Le Derniere Goute. It has become my favorite wine shop in Paris. I ran across a new to me shop in the sixth a couple of weeks ago. I cannot remember the name but it is on R. de Bourgogne on the left headed south after you pass R. de Grenelle. They were having a tasting as I walked by and I was impressed with the quality of the wines.

[John Talbott]

Another vote for Le Derniere Goute.  It has become my favorite wine shop in Paris.  I ran across a new to me shop in the sixth a couple of weeks ago.  I cannot remember the name but it is on R. de Bourgogne on the left headed south after you pass R. de Grenelle.  They were having a tasting as I walked by and I was impressed with the quality of the wines.

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That's Felice territory so I'll let her answer.

But I'm surprised no one has mentioned the biggest and most comprehensive entrepot I've been to in town, the Centre des vins de propriétés, Entrepôt Ney Geodis, 215 rue d'Aubervilliers in the 18th. One needs a car or taxi, but it's worth the schlep.

However, without that, if you're living/renting in Montmartre, Le Caves de Roy (for bio, natural, unfiltered), Guillaume de Kergorlay's Sanglier and even Cavavin, serve one quite well.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

....the biggest and most comprehensive entrepot I've been to in town, the Centre des vins de propriétés, Entrepôt Ney Geodis, 215 rue d'Aubervilliers in the 18th....it's worth the schlep.

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Because? They will have that esoteric and impossible to find bottle? Obscure vintnors? Keen matching of wine to client? Value on same bottles? I need biggest and most comprehensive because...

I am not being argumentative, just wondering what I will find by crossing town. It is actually a straight shot on the 95 bus, connecting with the 60 at Mark Dormoy. Almost door-ro-door service from/to our hotel.

Edited February 29, 2008 by Margaret Pilgrim (log)

[sharonb]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the biggest and most comprehensive entrepot I've been to in town, the Centre des vins de propriétés, Entrepôt Ney Geodis, 215 rue d'Aubervilliers in the 18th.

I thought they closed two years ago?

[TarteTatin]

Les Caprices de l'Instant by the Bastille- is our favorite too!

Great selection, they love to talk about wine, very passionate.

[John Talbott]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the biggest and most comprehensive entrepot I've been to in town, the Centre des vins de propriétés, Entrepôt Ney Geodis, 215 rue d'Aubervilliers in the 18th.

I thought they closed two years ago?

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Whoops, I went by the back of it on the #60 bus a few days ago and it looked the same, but I'd better check out the front entrance to make sure it'still there.

[sharonb]

I read the information that it had closed on the wine discussion board La Passion du vin a while back. Here is the link.

[John Talbott]

I read the information that it had closed on the wine discussion board La Passion du vin a while back. Here is the link.

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I stand corrected. I wonder what happened to that huge stock?

[fortedei]

Good pick, Sharon. Both on the wine and the shop!

If price is no issue, and only in that case, try Lavinia, boulevard de la Madeleine. Silly prices but you'll find what you're after.

La Cave des papilles, rue Daguerre in the 14th had a very good Rhone section but I have not been in years... it might still be worth taking a look.

Cheers

- Michael

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Lavinia, where we finally landed after three days of trying Les Caprices de l'Instant by the Bastille- (poor... why is most of the stuff in "off" years?); Caves Elzevir rue Elzevir (very poor... absolutely nothing of note) and several others, had an incredible selection of Burgundies and Rhones, which is what we were interested in. The prices at Lavinia, in contrast to what you mentioned, were very reasonable for what we were looking for. A first rate shop.

[sharonb]

Glad you "found your happiness" - though I am surprised at what you say about Caprices. Did you look at their book, rather than simply the bottles displayed? The idea that someone would call that wine store "poor" is laughable.

Edited March 29, 2008 by sharonb (log)

[fortedei]

Glad you "found your happiness" - though I am surprised at what you say about Caprices. Did you look at their book, rather than simply the bottles displayed? The idea that someone would call that wine store "poor" is laughable.

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It may be laughable to you you, but we thought the store was poor. I guess we have very different standards (yours not better than mine, mine not better than yours... just different). A good example is also Caves Elzevir, which you mentioned as one of the top wine stores. How can I say this politely, it was a joke. Have you been there? We spoke to the people at Caprices at length (they were quite nice) about what they had.

By the way I didn't "find my happiness", whatever that means. I found a wine store that had an incredible selection at reasonable prices. That was Lavinia.

Salute.

[sharonb]

I used that strong word on purpose, because I was rankled by your haughty tone. You restricted your requests to a store in each arrondissement. The third being quite bereft of high-end wine stores, I selected the one that has the most to offer - in that case, though, mostly first- and second-growth Bordeaux.

Now, if you had been willing to go beyond the 6th arrondissement, you might have found some of the city's best wine stores, where you could have gorged on Roumiers and Rousseaus and Leroys, Guigals and Bonneaus and ancient La Chappelles. Les Caves Taillevent, for a start. Or Augé. Or Les Grandes Caves. Or Le Verger de la Madeleine, about a stone's throw from Lavinia, but - unfortunately - in the 8th arrondissement.

Edited March 29, 2008 by sharonb (log)

[fortedei]

I used that strong word on purpose, because I was rankled by your haughty tone. You restricted your requests to a store in each arrondissement. The third being quite bereft of high-end wine stores, I selected the one that has the most to offer - in that case, though, mostly first- and second-growth Bordeaux.

Now, if you had been willing to go beyond the 6th arrondissement, you might have found some of the city's best wine stores, where you could have gorged on Roumiers and Rousseaus and Leroys, Guigals and Bonneaus and ancient La Chappelles. Les Caves Taillevent, for a start. Or Augé. Or Les Grandes Caves. Or Le Verger de la Madeleine, about a stone's throw from Lavinia, but - unfortunately - in the 8th arrondissement.

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Just curious... how come Lavinia wasn't on your list?

[sharonb]

Because I find it antiseptic and the prices are ridiculous. Why pay 880 euros for 1990 Salon when it costs 450 euros at Le Bon Marché? For the "convenience"?

[fortedei]

Because I find it antiseptic and the prices are ridiculous. Why pay 880 euros for 1990 Salon when it costs 450 euros at Le Bon Marché? For the "convenience"?

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Antiseptic? So what... do I want the atmosphere of Caprice or certain bottles. Lavinia has them... they have a lot of (recent) great stuff. The wine is in the bottle. You buy the wine (Barthod, Grivot etc.) and bring it home and have it with some great Vacherin from P Trotte'. Better than searching for poor years at Caprice.

880 euros for 1990 Salon? I agree, but why pay 450 at Le Bon Marche? In both cases, the wines has been stored improperly. You have no idea what is in that bottle and the odds are very high that it is not what you want. You're buying labels, just as you mentioned with the first and second growth Bordeaux at Caves Elzevir. As my friend Neal Rosenthal said in Mondo Vino...sterile wines, those first growth Bordeaux !

Come here to Italy and get away from 1990 Salon and first growth Bordeaux that have been sitting in stores for 18 years. Go to Montalcino, close your eyes, don't look at the labels, and just enjoy what's in the bottle.

Beve Il Vino, non L'etichette.

[sharonb]

Caprices has impeccable storage, and I don't think you did look at their list if you maintain they only have off years. Most of the wines displayed are 2000 Burgundies and the like, but the list is deeper than that.

Lavinia is good for younger bottles, maybe. But if I want the wine - money is not indifferent to me - I will go to Ghislaine Barthod's domain, or Vincent Dancer's, or Anselme Selosse. I prefer that to the grand supermarket approach of Lavinia. But that is just me.

When I purchase wines from wine stores as opposed to producers, I look for an offbeat, special, or older bottle.

I have never bought labels; my least favorite region is Bordeaux.

I am glad you are friends with Neal Rosenthal. He has very good taste.

I am also glad you have ample money for enjoying what Lavinia offers. Everyone I have talked to recently has remarked on how the store is empty, all the time. Maybe they will start rethinking their pricing. Their selection is excellent - because it is chosen by Marc Sibard, who is the owner of Caves Augé, where the same wines go for 2/3 the price.

[Narcissus]

Boy, what a thread!

Next up, you should compare and contrast milk vendors.

Perfect for a nice saucer of milk.