Paris Wine Stores

[Bux]

If I were in Paris, I'd be interested. I'd think it would be a service to members. If members are interested in this sort of thing, it might be nice to stop by the shop and let them know.

A few weeks ago, I finally got the chance to take a brief look at Lavinia, rather at the other end of the scale to la Dernière Goûte--not that I mean to say Lavinia is not "sympa," but it's rather large and impersonal. I never even made it to the downstairs space of this bi-level shop, but spent some time admiring the prices for California wines. The prices were impressive enough to make stop complaining, at least for a while about imported wine prices here. A batch of wines that are less than $30 here in New York, all went for 60 € and up. If the lower floor is devoted to French wines as I suspect, Lavinia, a Spanish company is not trying to change the buying habits of Parisians too drastically. The selection of Spanish wines is large for Paris, but still a small part of the offering.

[Ptipois]

Lavinia's a good idea (great choice of wines) but their outrageous prices keep me safely away from them.

This may sound a little silly but I love the large Nicolas shop on place de la Madeleine, though I haven't been there for some time. I remember being served by helpful and enthusiastic young people freshly out of sommelier school. When you seemed hesitant about one wine or another they wouldn't hesitate to open the bottles and let you have a taste. I wonder if they still do this.

[Ptipois]

Not exactly a "caviste" but well worth mentioning. The Bellota-Bellota shops sell very nice Spanish wines, not a very common find in Paris. There is one on rue Jean-Nicot, next to the Poujauran bakery, and another one near avenue George V, perhaps it's rue Clément-Marot. Of course it's difficult to enter those restaurant-boutiques to find interesting wines and remain firm and courageous when confronted to the extraordinary (and pricy) Pata Negra hams.

[TarteTatin]

We were staying in the Marais and happened across Les Caprices de l’Instant at 12, rue Jacques Cœur, 75004 Paris (métro La Bastille), ph 01 40 27 89 00.

It's a small shop opposite (kind of) the Fauchon shop near Bofinger. The owner speaks English (after determining whether or not you speak French) and has a good selection of Rhones.

He does a selection of southwest wines as well. He's old fashioned in that he refuses to have a web site or email. Liked his style though - and he supports small producers.

[Underhill]

Jack's, if you fancy Bordeaux--or even not. My own preference is for Burgundies and Rhônes, but the bottle of Bordeaux that was selected for me at Jack's last month reminded me of why I used to enjoy Bordeaux so much. The shop is tiny, but the knowledge of the two owners is not. I asked for a wine priced betwee 20-25€ and was offered one for a bit less--it was excellent, and I wish I could remember the château from which it came.

Jack's is on the Bd. St-Germain, just down from the Hôtel Madison and the métro stop.

[lambretta76]

I really liked the feel of Le Verre Volé. Plus, it's right near Chez Prune, a nice little café overlooking the canal (although it can be particularly loud when school lets out).

Lavinia was way too overwhelming, but it did appear to have a great selection. The staff was friendly and offered pours of the spirits upstairs. (Their spirits selection is unrivaled in any other store I've been too - it was simply fantastic.) I was disappointed by their champagne selection, and - as mentioned - the prices are very high. The lunch room/wine bar upstairs looked nice, not sure if there is a corkage fee for bottles bought in store if they have select bottles for pours - probably a good place for Spanish style tapas. (They had a jamon iberrico set up for lunch that day.)

[ademello]

Hi - just wondering what the best Paris wine stores are? One of my employees is going out there for a vacation and I want him to bring back a few nice bottles of wine for me. Am looking for stuff in the 50 euro range, some nice Bordeaux. Is Les Caves Taillevent for tourists only or can good value be had? Thanks for your help.

[Felice]

I’ve never been to Les Caves Taillevent, but they have a good reputation.

They could also try Lavina, by far the largest store in Paris.

La Cave Legrand, located in a beautiful covered passage, is a nice store for browsing as they also have books and other interesting wine/food related items, plus a wine bar where you can taste some of the wines before you buy.

For Bordeaux wines there is La Maison des Millesimes, 137 blvd. Saint-Germain, which has nothing but bordeaux.

Lavinia

3 blvd de la Madeleine

Cave Legrand

12 Galerie Vivienne, Metro: Bourse

[winemike]

Taillevent is very nice, they have a very very extensive list ... but no good values there.

I second the recommendation of Lavinia on Boulevard de la Madeleine. Some great values can be found although you have to be careful... but the selection is very nice. On top of that, you can buy a bottle there and have it with your lunch at the first floor. No corkage. Now, THAT is a good value

[ademello]

Thanks for the help guys. I am most interested in Pomerols. I knew about Lavinia but my sources tell me that it is a little overpriced.

[winemike]

Yeah ... if you buy a random Pomerol at Lavinia, it's not going to be a bargain. On top of that, the recommendation for Lavinia is also a "visit" recommendation. Wine porn as some say ...

[chuchelo]

For Bordeaux wines there is La Maison des Millesimes, 137 blvd. Saint-Germain, which has nothing but bordeaux.

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Is there a wine store with nothing but Burgundy? That's my new interest.

[Carlsbad]

Does anyone know anything about Arômes et Cépages? They appear to specialize in wines other than Burgundy and Bordeaux.

[Bux]

There is also la Dernière Goûtte owned by an American and specializing, I believe, in wines from the Languedoc-Roussillon. Possibly that's a shop of greater interest to someone living in Paris looking for good buys and interesting wines than to someone shopping for a single great wine to bring back at a savings.

[Luna Calvados]

Hi - just wondering what the best Paris wine stores are? One of my employees is going out there for a vacation and I want him to bring back a few nice bottles of wine for me. Am looking for stuff in the 50 euro range, some nice Bordeaux. Is Les Caves Taillevent for tourists only or can good value be had? Thanks for your help.

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It depends what you mean by "best": best values, highest quality, most unusual selections, most knowledgeable staff?

That said, in my opinion, the "best" Paris wine stores are:

Caves Augé SA

116 boulevard Haussman

8th arrondissement

Metro: Saint Augustin or Miromesnil

Closed: Sundays & Monday mornings.

Open: Mon.: 1:00-7:30 p.m.

Tues.-Sat.: 9:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

This is a fine wine store, very traditional, which has been serving Paris since 1850. Although Augé is small in size, they have a wonderful selection of wines and spirits.

Ask to see Marc Sibard, who speaks English and is extremely knowledgeable (he is also an advisor to Lavinia), for consultation on your selections.

Les Caves Taillevent

199 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré

8th arrondissement

Metro: Charles de Gaulle-Etoile or Ternes

Open: Mon.: 2:00-8:00 p.m.

Tues.-Fri.: 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m

Sat.: 9:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

Closed Sun.

This is a small shop owned by the Vrinat family and is not in the least "touristy." Because of their limited space, they do not have many wines on display, but they have a catalogue from which one may make selections. You may find this shop to be more intimidating if you do not speak French or have a good idea of what particular wines you are seeking.

Lavinia

3-5 boulevard de la Madeleine

1st arrondissement

Metro: Madeleine

Closed: Sun. Open: 12:00-3:00 p.m. for lunch. The casual bar stays open until 8:00 p.m.

Lavinia claims that it is the largest wine shop in Europe, with a selection of more than 6,000 bottles of wine and a staff of 15 sommeliers. On the first floor (second floor in the US), there is a restaurant that serves lunch only and a bar. Wines are sold by the glass and range in price, but the restaurant’s wine list reportedy consists of all 6,000+ bottles in the store—any of which can be purchased and corked for no additional fee--so you are able to try before you buy.

There are also the wine cellars at the shops of Hédiard and Fauchon around la Place de la Madeleine, but their selections are not as extensive as Lavinia or exquisite as Caves Augé SA or Les Caves Taillevent.

I hope that this is helpful.

[Freckles]

This thread was last add-to almost a year ago. Would anyone like to make any additions? I'm eager to hear more on this subject...

[John Talbott]

I really liked the feel of Le Verre Volé.

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Having had two wines tonight from Le Verre Volé courtesy of docsconz (an Anjou and a Mercurey), I'll be delighted try what else is there.

[Carlsbad]

If only we all had the choices you find in Paris at home. I shopped at Legrande Filles & Fils twice during my stay in July, and the service and selection were first rate. They also have a very nice wine bar now that spills out on the Gallerie Vivienne, a very nice setting. They serve about 16 to 20 wines by the glass, and I thought they were interesting and well-priced. A few food items were also available, but we didn't try them. They also have a shop across the gallerie that sells wine glasses, openers of all sorts, books, and other wine-related items.

[Bux]

It's been a few years, so I can't offer too accurate a recommendation for the food at Legrande, but I distinctly remember being pleased with the plates we had. I just can't recall if it was a good value or simply fair value, but it's a good place for a snack or light lunch. No doubt the wine and the service added to the pleasure. The food selection is smaller than the wine selection, but no less well chosen.

[Felice]

If you are in the 11th you can try La Muse Vin, a wine-store/bistro which has mostly natural wines.

La Muse Vin

101 rue de Charonne

The Derniere Goute should be starting their Saturday wine tastings again with the winemaker. I'll try to get the schedule.

[Aeyal]

Caves Petrissans, 30 bis Avenue Niel, Paris 17 , tel 01 42 27 52 03-

Wine bar and wine shop. Very symapthetic! Owned by a couple, the woman speaks English. Upstairs is a wonderful winebar. In the cellar - many wines for sale. You cannot see them, but you ask for the list and they will bring them from the cellar. A wonderful place.

[docsconz]

La Verre Vole is indeed a lovely little shop with very friendly and helpful staff. It is also a small restaurant. The inventory is not large, but what they have seems to be well-priced and judging by what they sold me of excellent quality. Unfortunately, I could not manufacture the time to get back there to pick up some more wine.

[lesanglierrouge]

I am interested in learning about some wine shops in Paris that have really good selections and/or specialize in specific regions of France or other countries. Thank you in advance.

[Carlsbad]

Here are a few to consider, with information I have gathered. I can only vouch for the first two and the last:

Legrand Filles et Fils, Boutique Vins, Epicerie , 1, rue de la Banque, Backs onto Gallerie Vivienne, 2nd, Bourse Metro, Tel: 01-42-60-07-12. Very nice selection, great wine bar, and a shop across the gallerie with wine glasses, openers and books.

Lavinia, 3-5 boulevard de la Madeleine, 1st, Metro: Madeleine, Closed: Sun. Open: 12:00-3:00 p.m. for lunch. The casual bar stays open until 8:00 p.m. Lavinia claims that it is the largest wine shop in Europe.

Caves Augé, 116 boulevard Haussman, 8th, Metro: Saint Augustin or Miromesnil, Open: Mon.: 1:00-7:30 p.m., Tues.-Sat.: 9:00 a.m.-7:30 p.m. This is a traditional wine store, open since 1850. Small in size; excellent selection of wines and spirits. Marc Sibard speaks English and is extremely knowledgeable

Arômes et Cépages Le Marché des Enfants Rouges, 33 bis, rue Charlot (at rue de Bretagne) 3rd, Good selection of wines from areas other than Bordeaux and Burgundy, Good value, Organic and bio-dynamic wines emphasized. Look for wines from Marcel Richaud (Cotes du Rhone), Domaine Rimbert (Coteaux du Languedoc), Domaine Coupe-Roses (Minervois), Domaine de Montgilet (Anjou).

La Maison des Millesimes 137 blvd. Saint-Germain, 6th, Open daily10:00 am-10:00 pm (7:00 pm Sunday), Bordeaux, Older vintages available.

Les Grandes Caves 70 rue Saint-Dominique, 7th, Tel: 01 47 05 69 28, Hard to find, small-producer wines, Look for Riesling from Pierre Frick, Château des Tours (Cotes du Rhone from the owner to Château Rayas), Viognier from Domaine de Moulines.

Les Caves Taillevent 199 rue Faubourg-St-Honoré, 8th, Open Mon. from 2:00 pm to 7:30 pm, Tues.-Sat.9:00 am to 7:30 pm, Excellent all-round selection. Not as expensive as the name sounds. Special "bio-dynamic" list

[AlexBernardo]

lesanglierrouge. Carlsbad listed some of the finest wine shops in Paris. In addition, there are the Nicolas shops/winebars all over Paris--the one at Place Madeleine, not far from Lavinia, is particularly good. Personally, I don't frequent these shops to buy, mainly just to look and see what they have. I'm drawn more to the small shops run by the proprietor himself. My favorite is Bacchus & Ariane (4, rue Lobineau) in the Marche Saint-Germain, just off Boulevard Saint-Germain. They're open Tues-Sat for sure, sometimes Sunday, too. The offering is not comprehensive, but well-chosen and fairly priced. Good gems of off-vintages from top Burgundy, Bordeaux, and Rhone as well as good small producers in minor villages. One of my best purchases there recently was a juicy red Rully.