Caseophile

Where to buy your wine in Remiremont (88)?

So firstly, where is Remiremont? Close to my part of the world – between Epinal and Mulhouse. And it's a small town but with a long history – which I found out more about from their website.

The town developed harmoniously with the abbey founded there in 620 by a Leude (a grand vassal) of the court of Austrasia called Romaric, whose name was adopted as "Romaricimons", which later became Remiremont. The abbess of this abbey of the Dames Nobles attended the diet of the Holy-Empire with the rank of "princess". She only depended "spiritually" from the Pope and was therefore influential over all the courts of Europe.

Yes, the Abbey of the Noble Ladies: all the feminine nobility of what has become NE France came through there. Some stayed for ever, others moved on. They lived in separate houses, only coming together for services and other forms of study.

And a small "court" of tradesmen and bourgeois set up close by and you can still find traces of them in Remiremont's streets with their magnificent arcades ... and its superb network of vaulted cellars.

Is all this why Bruno Lamela called his cellar "les vins en voute" ("the vaulted wines")? I don't know, but for some ten years now, I do know I can come to him for some great bottles. His passion for whisky, and wine of course, but also countless other things, will lead to very professional advice on what you are looking for. Worth a detour, as they say.

Les Vins en Voûte – 26 rue de la Xavée in Remiremont.

Where to buy your wine in Reims?

In a cellar. Of course. But a genuine cellar where, up to a short while ago, bottles of champagne were aging quietly on behalf of a local wine merchant.

A cellar covering 400sq. metres on three levels, the deepest being nine metres below ground. The other day it was only 14°C down there, while the outside temperature was around 30!

These days you'll find there, of course, some splendid examples of champagne, but not only the bubbly stuff, thank heavens! Because Fabrice Parisot has a fine list of vineyards in his address book, which he is happy to share with his customers.

Talk to him about La Sorga and its slogan "French wine is not dead". I tried this organic marvel, made from its small production of Marsanne and white Grenache, a naturally sweet Languedoc wine ... to be appreciated for instance with a Fourme d'Ambert cheese.

Address: Les Caves du Forum – 10 rue Courmeaux in Reims.

Where to buy your wine in Lille?

This address was recommended to me ... and there is much praise expressed about it on the net.

I can tell you all about this little cellar – its owners have baptised it "petit caveau" – but it holds some 2500 different wines... and the cellar has been splendidly restored.

Benoit and Françoise Montagne started this cellar "some 25 years ago". If he's not particularly forthcoming about himself, Benoît is truly passionate about his business and his face lights up whenever he talks about his favourite producers (i.e. about 99% of his producers:-)

I can only suggest you follow his particular favourites at any point in time: I've never been disappointed about the wines he has recommended! Unusual ones, as I had asked him for. The shop is full of them: the piles of wooden boxes are impressive... and he alone can take you through to what you are looking for... unless while browsing through the cellar, you come upon the grand cru of the year that you are looking for... as I was able to do with a 1986 Nectar from Brédif...

Le petit caveau Ste Catherine – 9 rue de la Barre – 59000 Lille – tel : 03 20 54 27 94

Where to buy your wine in Mont de Marsan (Landes)?

It is following a recent contact with Gilles Pudlowski, a well-known food and drink critic, and a visit to his website, that I am led to talk here about Christophe Andiné who runs La Cave du Sommelier in Mont de Marsan, a pleasant town deep down in the south west of France. My friend Laeticia could not stop praising his display – though she had hard words to say about the voluminous road works that block the town centre.

Here's the address: 17 rue Dominique de Gourgues. 40000 Mont-de-Marsan. Tel: 05 58 85 94 18.

Where to buy your wine in Mulhouse?

A new very stylish place opened in the centre of Mulhouse just before Christmas... in rue de la Justice. It's the "Terres des Saveurs", a truly spacious cellar-delicatessen. Call in and start to the left with the cheeses (from an excellent cheese maker in St Louis) and charcuterie lyonnaise mainly, but also from the Pyrenees; then to the right – olive oils, jams and confits... But especially don't miss going right to the back of the store for the wine corner, where Tony, the cellarman for many years will be able to advise you most pertinently. For you to drink in moderation, of course!

Where to buy you wine in Les Sables d’Olonne?

If you are planning a holiday this year down at Les Sables d'Olonne – with its wide pleasant sandy beaches and warm sea air, here's a spot to go for your wine to take home.

Call in to see Sylvie in her welcoming Aladdin's cave – Le Fief de Vigne, 2ter avenue Roosevelt, just across from the Casino and the Tourist Information Office.

This regional wine business was set up in Nantes in 1979 and it spread out little by little to Cholet, La Roche sur Yonne, Les Sables d'Olonne, Les Herbiers ... 7 cellars all run by a passionate manager... with a diploma. In Sables, Sylvie has run this store for 8 of the 14 years it has been open. Like many "cavistes" I have met in this part of the world, she's been through "Vannes" – i.e. an in-depth training for the world of wine and "sommellerie" (the art of the wine waiter).

I much enjoyed discussing with her our complementary attitudes to how cheeses and wines (and other drinks) go together. I gave her a few attractive tips and she had me discover some amusing (and surprising) wines. In other words, as usual, a splendid and useful exchange of ideas from both sides!

For example...ask her for some of her Cabernet d'Anjou "9.5" – with its fine dark pink colour and interesting "long finish" ... to go with a goat cheese, preferably fresh... it's all looking perfect for a bit of indulgence, in moderation!

And a further word regarding "moderation": not only does an abuse of alcohol seriously harm your general health, it will make you unable to appreciate the 800 different aromas of wine. Don't ruin your nose and palate and spoil that pleasure!

Where to buy your wine in Angoulême?

I recently spent a most enjoyable evening in the company of a most interesting man – Jean-Christian Brégerie. A one-time rugbyman – not surprising as I was in SW France – who, being passionate about wine, joined the wine world with already a substantial knowledge of it all!

10 years after the opening of his first cellar in Angoulême, and his second in nearby Chasseneuil, you'll now find him in a spanking new outlet at the roundabout of St Cybard (125 Route de Saintes). Set out tastefully under a pleasant high ceiling with a bar area with canapés ... but above all with some very interesting wines.

And not just wines... ciders as well (those from Eric Bordelet, for instance or an ice cider from Quebec) ... also Belgian beers ... and more besides.

I was particularly struck not just by my host's competence, but by such excellent value for money with prices generally very fair, that most would be able to afford.

So go along and go in and take advantage of it all ... in moderation, of course.

Or check it out on his website: www.domaine-des-valois.com.

Where to buy your wine in Valenciennes?

Well it's been some time since I've dealt with this subject! But a trip I recently made to the North of France has led me to discover a most pleasant ... and experienced cellar man. Someone who gives good advice, who has an attractive stock, who greets any passing customer like me with much kindness ... that's all worth pointing out, don't you think? All the more so, as she has on her shelves an H&H Madeira that I think goes so well with a Causses blue cheese and which you don't find everywhere.

Le Vignoble – 67 rue de Famars – 59300 Valenciennes – tel: 03 27 33 06 26

So for any British motorist heading back to the Tunnel from NE France, could this be a worthwhile detour, perhaps ?

Unusual tasting sessions in Rouen – champagne, beer, wine...

When in Rouen I just love to lose myself in the depths of the town... especially deep down in a cellar, of course! But not any old cellar, and the one I want to talk about is packed full of bottles.

And a delight to behold.

To let you into this secret, here's a link into the website of the cave Jeanne d'Arc cellar (what do you expect from a native of Lorraine like me?)

I have just learned that Bruno Cherfils and his son Maxime have been organising tasting evenings where you are able to sample the "grands crus" of Bordeaux (Sauternes, Margaux, St Emilion) and also a special cuvée from Bollinger.

So if you are ever in Rouen, drop in and discover the Cherfils family passion.

Where to buy your wine in Dax (Landes)

My memories of Dax go back a good 20 years ... the river Adour below, the arena, the Basque pelota matches... and the towels of those taking the benefic waters drying on the balconies...

I was there two weeks ago on business and on the multicoloured bridge crossing the Adour came across a fascinating man: Philippe Rouaud. An exceptional cellar man and I don't say that to make him feel good, it's the truth!

Do you know of many people who get down to running 16 wine-tasting evenings a month? I don't, despite all I get up to!

Wine has been his vocation for a good long time. He does not disguise the fact that he has worked in the mass market, having picked up from there some useful approaches for his customers: notably setting the right price. He set up his own "cave" two years ago and has been able to exercise his choice of special favourites built up over many years but which he could not indulge in until now, because the quantities available were too small. Now his stock is wide open for top quality wines from these small producers. And the people from Dax know what they are doing by coming for advice to Philippe and his daughter Emilie and the chance to taste (in moderation) these rare pearls.

I smiled on discovering that one of these was from Mourat in the Vendée, a big favourite of mine ... but that's understandable. Philippe comes from the Vendée, wines like that are in his blood!

Believe me, it's well worth making a trip there:

Cave de la Passerelle – 28 place du Maréchal Joffre 40100 Dax

– Tel 05-58-58-92-41 – Open 9.30-12.30 and 15.00-19.30

Where to buy your wine in Les Ulis (South of Paris)?

Let me give a little plug for a friend who fell for (not "in"!) a barrel of wine and whose wife's uncle, a wine producer in the South of France, instilled in him a passion for that noble potion. Somebody who studied the art of winemaking on several courses where we crossed paths. He then hesitated between taking over a "domaine" or a wine cellar.

In fact he ended up doing both by creating a few months ago a cellar called "les domaines qui montent" in Les Ulis, just south west of Paris.

You can put your trust in Yves Petot – he knows his wines and can advise you by making sure you get the wine you want.

So note down the address: Rond Point de l'Aubrac (at the end of the avenue des Cévennes), 91940 Les Ulis. Open Tues –Sat 10am to 7.30pm.

At the entrance of the Les Ulis 2 shopping centre (between the Biocoop and the Cuisines Schmidt shops)

Free parking below the store.

Where to buy your wine in Paris 18th? And where to buy absinthe in France?

I've combined these two subjects in one as this particular wine merchant also has a phenomenal choice of absinthes! And more good news... you can order on his internet site. So you don't need to go in person to buy your favourite green or white liqueur.

But if you are close by, make for the Caves du Roy at 31 rue Pierre Simart in the 18^th arrondissement of Paris (near the Mairie = town hall). It's well worth it for the pleasure of an exceptional welcome from the proprietor Jean-Luc Tucoulat who loves golf as much as absinthe (you could ask him why he stocks so many sorts), who has a "nose" for discovering wines and also loves traditional cheeses.

In his store I rediscovered some of my true favourites, such as one from the domaine de Thulon run by the Jambon family (This was the Beaujolais I featured in the paper I wrote for the finals of my studies into camembert and wine combinations) or a Maury de la Coume du Roy (how could I resist with a name like that, but its aroma is just splendid). Or other superb creations I discovered such as a soft Gewurztraminer from Michel Fonné without an ounce of sharpness, also a superb Normandy cider from a quite small producer ... I've still that fruity taste in my mouth!

All to be consumed in great moderation. And with my usual piece of advice: never forget that alcohol is bad for your health and that it can destroy your ability to discover the aromas in the wines you drink!

Where to buy your wine in Nice?

Now here's an address that I won't forget in a hurry:

La Part des Anges 17 rue Gubernatis Nice

A magical place !!! First of all there's room to breathe … an impressive high ceiling, you don't feel hemmed in – quite the opposite.

Then you can sample unusual wines sourced from all four corners of France, together with a cuisine... with or without wine, as this spot has become over the years a meeting place for wine buffs. You can sip just one glass of wine if you like to accompany a little mouthful, or have lunch there ... or dinner at weekends.

So I strongly advise you to come and discover the ambiance here ... especially as Olivier, who runs the establishment and whom I met a couple of weeks ago, has a huge selection that I would never have imagined I would find on the Côte d'Azur!

Provencal wines of course ...but also a Jasnières Domaine de Bellivière, wines from the Loir-et-Cher (les petits cailloux), a coteau de l'Aubance and lots of treasures so unusual, that the wine growers are selling them for "vins de table" and not under their local name. I can't possibly identify them all, but be assured you are bound to find there a suitable wine.

Wine lovers ... please note.

Where to buy your wine in Morlaix (Brittany)?

You will no doubt have gathered from reading my prose that when it comes to wine and cheese pros, you're bound to meet wild enthusiasts.

This has been the case one more time in Morlaix. In this magnificent Brittany town, which I just saw bathed in sunshine, telling me Spring was just around the corner, I came across a cellar woman who is quite extraordinary.

Yes... and a 4^th generation cellar woman!

Marie MERRIEN runs La Cave des Jacobins at 8 place des Jacobins in the town centre with great enthusiasm.

And without upsetting anybody, let me say you can quickly see when a cellar is run by a lady. There's a je ne sais quoi, an ambiance, matching products on display... and the fine food section chosen with good taste. I'll give you two examples: fruit juices from the Milliat company and Dolfin (Belgian) chocolates ... the ones with lavender are superb!

But when you go into such a cellar, it's usually to find the wine you need. So do be tempted by a red Beaumes de Venise with its Grenache pedigree, an Arbois Savagnin-Chardonnay, so hard to find outside the Franche Comté area, a fine selection of Loire wines and a twin – I mean a Cabernet Franc as a vin du pays from the "Garden of France" – from the Loire Atlantique.

The best thing to do is to stop there and discover, for yourself, the reasons for this "favourite of the week" of mine.

The wines in moderation...of course.

The passion in depth!

Where to buy your wine near the Gare de Lyon (Paris12e)?

An address really worth noting, whether you are enjoying a visit to Paris –or on your way south on the TGV…

It's part of the "Les Domaines qui Montent" chain which is special for two reasons:

1) They only deal in domain wines (and not with wine merchants or cooperatives) with some 160 lines.

2) They do "table d'hôte" lunches, with the possibility of accompanying your plate of cheeses or cold meats or hot "plat du jour" with a bottle of wine charged at the take away retail price.

Every cellarman or woman has their particular favourites as you know… and thanks to Laurent, I was able to sample some real "nuggets" at an amazing price. A Côte Roannaise 2007 from the Domaine Bonneton … a very fruity Gamay which went like a dream with a Morbier cheese from the Cooperative of the Monts de Joux (it's the very best time of year for Morbiers). Or even a Gewurztraminer 2006 Materne Haegelin et ses Filles (to be recommended!) to accompany of course a farmhouse Munster cheese matured by Siffert in Rosheim, a Voignier, a Pays d'Oc wine from the Château de Coussergues which turned out to be a more than suitable partner for a Brie de Meaux from André Collet … extra mature!! (all runny), etc.

Or how about a white Chinon (yes, it does exist… I've already told you about it here) from the Domaine Gouron – "la croix boisée" vintage …

(last 3 sites also in English)

So without a second thought, go along to

Laurent Demongeot

26 boulevard Diderot

75012 Paris

Tel/fax 01 43 42 97 37

Where to buy your wine in St Quentin Fallavier (38)?

If you are close to Lyon and do not fancy plunging into the dense traffic of the metropolis to buy your wine, here's a solution… make for the retail area of the rue des Muguets on the outskirts of St Quentin Fallavier. There's a vast car park and among the surrounding shops a cellar man with an appetising name:

        Le Cellier Gourmand - Tel: 04 74 94 46 81

Marc Barrois is passionate about his wine. He knows how to choose it … with great care … and a touch of eccentricity. He's sufficiently nutty to stock a Chilean Carmenère for example, or a dry Pacherenc de Vic-Bihl – ever heard of those? But at the same time knows his stuff - with a Mort Subite or a Rivesaltes that have a few years to their name.

And what would you say to a Kaefferkopf (from Alsace, evidently). Or a cider so good you'd want to keep it for yourself.

Well, do you feel like paying him a call?

To be drunk in moderation, of course… Never forget that alcohol can be not only harmful to your health but can also damage your olfactory neurons and make you lose your ability to taste … so learn to spit it out!

 

Where to buy your wine in Valognes (Manche)?

Le Cellier des Grands Vins (for more photos, check in their website)

50 boulevard Félix Buhot

50700 Valognes

Tel: 02 33 40 45 95

Bernadette and Claude decided to leave Provence and take over this cellar some 4 or 5 years ago. They have on display a selection of wines chosen with lots of taste (or should I say tastes?) – wines from the South of course, but not just those: I sampled there a full flavoured Touraine Sauvignon from the domaine de la Prévôté which I put together deliciously with a Comté cheese of 16 months…

A warm welcome … and solid advice… with one regret: the day I was there, Claude had run out of his "pavé de Valognes" a chocolate pavé (slab) …blue … that I would have loved to sample with a Banyuls… Well, I made up for it with their "jellied fruits wrapped in chocolate" from the Benedictine sisters of Valognes – and especially the minty one … Mmmmm! (Lord, may I be forgiven for my greed… ;-)                                                    

And a note for our English readers. Valognes is just 20 km SE of Cherbourg – so if you come over to France this way, it's a great place to stock up!

Where to buy your wine in Salon de Provence?

De la Vigne à l'Olivier

120 place St Michel

13300 Salon de Provence

Tel : 04 90 44 18 57

I went down there earlier this summer to discover the town where Nostradamus lived.

On going into this cellar in the heart of the old town of Salon de Provence… you cannot but be charmed, firstly by the very look of the place with its superb architecture and warm wood features, then by the choice you will find there and the personality of Mathieu Segui, the owner.

They have fine bottles from all around the world … and from France, such as some golden Rasteau wine… but I'll not say another word and leave it to you to go and find out for yourself!

Where to buy your wine in Draguignan (83)?

Save water, drink wine – that's what this mischievous poster from a wine merchant in Draguignan (Provence) says (forgive the poor quality of the photo).

Go to Le Dit Vin ( play on words in French – it means "the said wine" but sounds also like "the divine"!) at 121 avenue du Maréchal Juin – tel: 04 94 47 22 19

If you are ever around that part of France don't miss it – as it is run by two knowledgeable and charming cellar men. And the very pleasant old town is worth a trip too.

Where to buy your wine in Paris 17 (part 3 or 4…)

I moved out of Paris several months ago for my native Lorraine but I go back from time to time (business demands!) and I particularly like to go in August when there are fewer people around.

I was there in the last week of the month, looking for a wine merchant who was open (so many are shut for the holidays). I found one at 15 rue Lebon in the 17^th arrondissement.

In the window, my attention was drawn to a familiar shaped bottle with the name J. Mourat – all the way from the Vendée.

But one look at the shop sign told me all – CAVAVIN, a name I refer to often! And after a long friendly chat, I disappeared with a couple of those bottles from the Vendée – to delight my friends, and be drunk as usual in moderation…

Where to buy your wine in Alès?

Well not exactly in Alès… but a short trip away… in the commune of St Hilaire de Brethmas. It's the Mas Brugnier: the St Hilaire cellars beside the old road to Nîmes.

Laurent set up this cellar a dozen years ago, and stocks a range of local productions, and there's not much he does not have! You can choose from among wines from the Gard, from the Duché d'Uzès, Côtes du Rhône or Languedoc … and get advice from a man with a passion, who began in the business by joining in the harvest and then in the making of the wines … and then in direct selling from his cellar or in markets, so he knows the business inside out.

His particular favourites: wines from les vignerons des collines de Bourdic, from whom he had me try an astounding and delicious Salers - its "russet vine harvest": 100% Viognier, a straw wine (harvested when the leaves are browny-gold and the grape very mature).

I didn't put it with blue the other evening… With my gorgonzola, I preferred having a superb local white Cartagène. Sipped as always in moderation, as you should never forget that alcohol can damage your health and also destroy your ability to enjoy aromas. So if you try too much, spit it out.

Where to buy your wine in Bayonne (Pays Basque) ?

Vignobles et Découvertes - 1 rue Bernadou – just next to the market

The Pont Mayou bridge has been closed for repairs in recent times, but that gives you a good reason to stroll through the maze of little streets in the old town of Bayonne, in the shadow of the cathedral with its pointed spires and its majestic ramparts…

But just go and discover the 600 different wines selected by Philippe Choiselat . In moderation, don't forget, so that you can sense their aromas.

The boss organises regular "discovery" tasting evenings. Like its name, no doubt – for you to discover

Where to buy your wine in Toulouse?

Chai Vincent

38 rue d'Astorg

Tel: 05 61 12 34 51

There are two Chai Vincent cellars in Toulouse and today I'm going to talk about the most recent one. In fact it's been open almost 3 years – if I may call that recent! Masterfully managed by Philippe Chaumont, who was warmly recommended by the Fromagerie Xavier cheese shop, and you'll find there, on display of course, La Rectorie wines (Banyuls) and Préceptorie wines (Maury) which I must talk about, as I went there two weeks ago to taste one or two marvels…

But let's come back to Toulouse and go to the rue d'Astorg... where it crosses the rue de Metz… to find a team of pros (who have been around quite a bit) and they will offer you tasty morsels and be able to quench the most desperate thirst on their terrace, adding platters of cheeses and charcuterie (Spanish hams). And if it's too hot for you outside… the cellar offers you a cool welcome… A magnificent cellar in pink stone devoted above all to stocking bottles at an ideal temperature!

Where to buy your wine in Besançon (25)?

Go up the hill - in fact to 20 rue de la Butte.

To visit Feuvrier, well known in the region for his wholesale drinks business, but also for running a retail shop, well worth making a detour to visit… an excellent choice of wines (and beers) at very reasonable prices. I've rarely seen such good value for money!

How did I come across it? I was looking to rent a location in Besançon for one of my soirées and found their internet site. And a "tiptop" reaction to my subsequent phone call.

On entering the store, I found two products which told me I was dealing with well informed people:

• a good selection of the Tricastin vintners' range which I know well, the Monteillet wines and their Domaine de Montine from Grignan in the Drôme.
• and, a Gris du Toul!! (from my own back of the woods, I have to admit !)

 

Then I had a long discussion with Arnaud who allowed me to get to know better the wines from the Jura, to learn more about the Poulsard and to sample (in moderation as with other examples) a liqueur from the Jura … Domaine de l'Octavin in Arbois.

You should never hesitate to have yourself persuaded into sampling wines quite different from your normal favourites… you'll rarely be disappointed!

 

Where to buy your wine in St Dizier (52)

In the borders of the Champagne area and Lorraine, here's an address you can't overlook: CHARPENTIER wines – a family business with the third generation now in charge of this wholesale and retail concern (similar to other cellar masters). A building a bit "old fashioned" from the outside, in the noble sense of the word (!) since its frontage itself is well worth going to see.

Inside, the building is truly historic and full of treasures to be discovered in the company of the duo in charge – Rémi and Nathalie, as well as Thibault, all pros who will take pleasure in helping you choose from amongst their selection of both great and interesting wines from the Champagne region and many other horizons!

Charpentier Vins
18, avenue Alsace Lorraine
52100 Saint Dizier
tel : 03 25 05 02 52

Where to buy your wine in Paris 17e?

A new address in the 17^th arrondissement of Paris:

L'Hardi Vin at 109 rue des Dames (a joke at "l'art divin" - the divine art vs fearless wine "l'hardi vin")

It's hardly 9 months since Jérôme and his associate opened to welcome you into their shop close to Rome metro station and the avenue de Villiers. Indeed after a visit, it should be easy for you to match up wine and cheese, by going for the cheese to the Monoprix Villiers – yes, a big multiple store (but a good selection) - or to the "fromagerie" in rue de Lévis nearby.

In this wine store, you will find a choice of fine bottles – quite often organic or in "bio-dynamy" When it comes to reds, you are taken down by them into the Loire valley for a surprising, sparkling "rouge", made close to Chambord. But I also recommend to you a wine from the Camp Galhan Domaine - (in the Uzès region) - with its dominant and most pleasant Viognier to go with a Salers cheese or a Brie de Meaux!

 

Where to buy your wine and beer in Angers?

In this area of the Loire (and the Loir without "e") valley(s)… where you'll find Cabernet and other delights (as usual to be consumed in moderation) I have found a shop which is part of a chain in the West of France called V&B , which stands for Vins et Bières.

There are as many lines of wines as there are of beers (300 of each). A pleasant choice and you can try them on the spot.

Stéphane, a wine waiter by trade, can guide you carefully through his eclectic cellar where I found - a brown Czech beer – called Primator, at 11° alcohol with a strong honey taste, which I find goes well with an old Gouda cheese…

- and a "garage wine" from a large Bordeaux operator called (in English!) "Bad Boys", to match a Morbier cheese.

Note the address: V&B 36 Boulevard Gaston Birgé, (next to the Zolpan store), 49100 Angers

Where to buy wine in Guingamp (Brittany)?

Guingamp has been in the news recently in France because of the exploits of its football team, but if you are ever in that part of Brittany, it's worth a detour to visit Gamm Vert in Pont Ezer on the road to Tréguier. It's a surprising garden centre! Apart from the usual product range (plants, garden products, mowers, etc.) there's a well stocked wine store. And even a butcher's.

Unusual isn't it? Especially when you come across some top class wines at reasonable prices there. Behind this enterprise is a man who works for the agricultural cooperative of Le Trieux having had excellent training by attending the Université du Vin at Suze la Rousse.

Yes I was somewhat speechless there –quite unusual for me. You'll find he has a lot of Loire wines, as well as some treasures from the Rhône valley … and elsewhere.

This wine section of Gamm Vert can also be found in their stores in Carhaix and Loudéac – so if ever you are planning to be in those parts of Brittany, drop by to see them.

Where to buy your wine in St Maur des Fosses (near Paris)?

Splendid! I am thrilled to discover in the Paris region a rather magical place (I mean it!) and two "cellar people" full of good humour and talent.

Start by climbing the hill at St Maur, just by the abbey (and I don't mean the rue St Maur in Paris itself) and you'll discover a breathtaking panorama over the capital and its surroundings.

Then comes a welcoming courtyard, a painted wall …and a cave … well all right … a cellar, and a tasting room where I went a few weeks ago to discover 6 crus, selected by the master himself Pascal VIDAL. A selection of wines from the four corners of France, of course, with some nuggets, some irresistible bottles from the pays d'Oc in particular.

Their clients come sometimes from right the other side of Paris, attracted by the exceptional value for money of the wines on offer – and doubtless too by the personality of Pascal and of his acolyte Philippe! There's a happy ambiance, lots of good humour, they don't take themselves too seriously here! Nonetheless this does not detract one bit from their serious attitude to their work, quite the contrary.

I discovered there with great pleasure wines from my friend, Luc Baudet from the château Mas Neuf in Costières de Nîmes (Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan …). And I blind tasted (unaware of where the wines came from) - a delightful moment … made even better when I learned of the name of the producer!

But take care: do exercise moderation! So you won't destroy your taste buds – nor your general health with too much alcohol…

CAVES DE L'ABBAYE - 34 avenue Auguste MARIN - 94100 ST MAUR DES FOSSÉS - Shop : Tel 01 41 81 60 21

Where to buy your wine in Villemomble(Paris suburb)?

A strange destination, some might say, but worth the trip if you are in the Paris area. I now go there regularly … to an INTERCAVES cellar.

INTERCAVES - 13 bis Avenue de Général Galliéni - 93250 Villemomble - Tel : 01 48 94 87 93

And ask Monsieur Labello his advice. He's lots of fine bottles to propose to you.

To be consumed in moderation, don't forget!

Where to buy your beer in Strasbourg?

An address you just cannot ignore: Le Village de la Bière at 22 rue des Frères, near the Cathedral.

Alain is passionate about it - and his shop is open until 10pm, he told me. He has a particular weakness for Belgian beers. I also found there one called "Deus" – which I have already talked about. I can't wait for a chance to sample this beer produced in the Champagne area!!

Must head off there – have a good day!

Where to buy your wine in Bordeaux? And without even going there?

Well not just your wine, but especially your whisky and lots of other fine things…

 

If you live in Bordeaux, it’s well worth a trip: just come along to 11 cours Maréchal Gallieni to choose from among a simply huge assortment of whiskies, alcohols, various wines, ciders, terrines, coffees or chocolates.

Your first impression when you go in is of an enchanted house. Firstly a sssmmmell of coffee, roasted on the premises, then the welcome from two pros (Fanny and Nicolas Désiré) who took over the shop some two years ago. With professionalism - and warmth.

They’ve just gone online with a sales site where you can find a selection of their stock… including the Scottish-French whisky I chose two weeks ago to accompany an old Gouda cheese (a powerful taste this old Dutch Master – there, I’ve told you the brand name for once), a mix of some fifty blends (The Overaged Malt Whisky is a combination of whiskies aged for over 12 years in oak barrels of a amber / beige colour. Scent of dried flowers/blond tobacco, sherry, fresh almonds. Non filtered, fruity, strong, with a lingering finish)

But do remember, always to drink in moderation !

Delivery only in France...

Where to buy your wine in Marseille (4th arrondissement)?

Another address I’ve discovered with pleasure: CAVE CONSEIL at 187 avenue des Chartreux, Marseille.

Here’s a really outstanding chooser of wine … I would never have thought I could find old Arbois wines (or even wine from Poulsard) in Provence!  Nor those from Irancy or any Chinon blanc either… in short they are treasure hunters.

 

When I went there, the window was decorated for Christmas. And as I was looking for a wine to accompany a blue cheese, the cellar lady suggested to me the wine traditionally drunk in Brovence with “beggars” at Christmas (almonds, nuts etc..): a fortified wine called “La Gourmandise de Naïs”. Heated over a wood fire in a copper cauldron but above all matured in oak barrels. Notes of caramel and cooked pear… I really fell for it. And I served it blind the same evening to some wine buffs. They were unable to say where the wine had come from!

To be drunk in moderation of course (16° alcohol)

 

Another discovery in this cellar: a rosé that’s really quite rosy. Its name is in fact “osé ce rosé” (meaning: this rosé is “daring”).  A daring label too – as this picture shows. It’s from the domain of the Abbey Mickaël (le Thoronet), a Provence rosé of “saignée” and made from grapes harvested at night so that the grapes are not too hot. Why “saignée”? It simply means that the grapes are pressed then soaked for 6-24 hours – (often it’s 12 hours, leading to the description “one night wine” sometimes used when describing a rosé), before a part of the vat is decanted, with the remainder of the vat continuing to marinate to produce red wine.

 

On the other hand, in Provence they more often produce “direct pressing” rosé: the grapes are pressed directly in the wine press so the colour is very pale, as the pulp of black grapes is of course white, with only the skins black.

Where to buy your wine in Marseille (6th Arrondissement)

Vins et Plaisir – La Centrale des Vins

88 rue d’Italie

13006 Marseille

 Yes I know, from the street it does not look that great… but just go inside, what an ambiance! And such interesting treasures waiting to be discovered…

From my exploration there, I noted in particular a “vin de pays”. Coming from the Alpilles. En primeur (the latest vintage). And so fruity…to make you want to bite it, literally

All right, I’m feeling generous today – so I’ll give you the name of the producer (you’re lucky I’ve still got the bill…). It’s from the Domaine de Valdition in Orgon in the Bouches du Rhône department – “a jewel of the Alpilles area”, according to the independent winemakers’ website – les Vignerons Indépendants.

And you’ll also find there Rasteau Signature - a red vin doux naturel (sweet wine) that goes a treat with Fourme d’Ambert cheese.

To be drunk in moderation, as always…

Where to buy your wine in Olonne sur Mer (85)?

 

Bulle, blanc, rouge (bubble, white and red – to misquote the national colours!) is the name of the cellar

at 53 bis avenue François Mitterrand 85340 Olonne sur Mer Tel +33 2 51 90 70 89 Caroline and Hervé Caillaud have been running it magnificently for almost 4 years.

They call themselves “taste prospectors” – and run quite a programme! Of course you’ll find they have Fiefs Vendiens wines, from the Vendée of course. Including those from Mourat, father and son, which sport their owl symbol. I really like what they both do and I came back home with one of their vintages I did not know: Marie du Fou, a real treat to go with a meat dish…

But also wines from Samuel Megnan, an oenologist who succeeded in becoming a wine grower by buying 4 hectares of vines to create the domaine Aloha in August 2005… Funny, as I had just heard on the local radio an interview with this winemaker when he was questioned about another of his productions : the “Vent des bulles” (wind of bubbles), a topical name, as the Vendée Globe yacht race had just sailed off from not far away.

What’s more, I also tasted there a red wine with another maritime name: la Lame du fond (French for “ground swell”)

But there’s more than just Vendée wines in this well-stocked cellar! I found there some true favourites to go with cheeses, as for example, some white Chinon and some medium dry rosé from the Côtes de Gascogne … and an excellent Madeira….

This is an address to note down, with its wines for tasting in moderation…don’t forget alcohol abuse is not only dangerous for your health but will damage your ability to perceive aromas and flavours. So don’t be shy about spitting out what you are tasting!

Where to buy your wine in Angers?

CAVAVIN (also known as Vin sur VIns*)

3bis rue d’Anjou (right next to the station)

49100

ANGERS

Tel: 02 41 87 25 66

 

Accompanied by Laurent Lavigne (a very apt surname, don’t you think?) you’ll begin by tasting Loire wines, of course!

 

I particularly appreciated his Cabernet d’Anjou demi-sec, then a red wine from Brissac, from the domain de Bablut called “Topette…à lundi” (unstranslatable!), a thirst quencher with a screw cap, a blend of Grolleau and Cabernet France and finally, moving a shade in the direction of Blois, a Cour-Cheverny, not to be confused with a Cheverny Romorantin, from the domaine des Huards – Michel Gendrier..

 

You’ll then continue with a dry Tokay – then a Vacqueras, before ending on a “Maydie”, a liqueur or a “mistelle” wine (made by adding alcohol to grape must to halt fermentation)  Made around Madiran, coming from Tannat vines tempered with

Armagnac

(from the Château d’Aydie – hence its name)

 

* ”Vin sur vins” is a play on words – it means of course “wine after wine” but is pronounced the same way as “vingt sur vingt” – 20 out of 20!!

 

Where to buy your wine in Lens and Arras?

Once again I’ve met someone with a passion for wine … in the Pas de Calais department and this thanks to a lady wine maker from Provence who suggested I paid a call there, if ever I was in the neighbourhood.

 

This enterprise is to be found in the middle of fields in Acq, to be precise.

 

Before going there, I was rather puzzled by its name – les Caves des Tours “the Cellars of the Towers”. What towers? A big shock for me on arrival: up a hill you see the twin towers of a tumbledown church. This is Mont St Eloi, an old abbey which had been sold off during the Revolution as a “national property”: it had begun to be demolished by people recuperating its stones… and was finished off by a shot from the German artillery during the 14-18 war.

And there’s no lack of military cemeteries in this part of the world, alas!

 

Eric and Virginie Leturgez took over in 2004 a wholesale business (retail too) situated inside an old brewery which had closed in the 50s. Stone buildings – not brick – like you can see a short way away towards Lens. But in a terrible state. They restored the place…fabulously, I hesitate to use that word but they did. A truly magnificent location.

 

As usual I sampled some great things there… I still recall a very aromatic White Anjou and a top class Pays d’Auge AOC cider.

 

But the nec plus ultra is … the whisky cellar: more than 550 lines await your visit! And over 1,200 have “passed through” this very cool cellar… in just 4 years, well done! And thanks to Eric, I yet again learned something new about alcoholic drinks.

 

There you will also find my favourite rum from the island of La Reunion, Savanna.

 

Drink it in moderation

And do remember: the abuse of alcohol spoils your ability to enjoy its aromas…a pity, wouldn’t you say?

Where to buy your wine in Limoges ?

La Halle aux Vins

226 avenue Général Leclerc

Tel : 05 55 37 80 50

 

It’s a cavern full of treasure… Jérome chooses with great professionalism both minor and great crus, a very interesting selection (that’s to be expected – among others – he’s taken the wine waiter course at the

University of Suze la Rousse

… just check my list of favourite sites!)

Together with Adrien, he runs tasting soirées almost every week on various themes.

I like to discover little known origins and wine makers … and here I was well satisfied: whether it was from a wine maker from the Jura working on a hillside under an impressive rock face or an Austrian red wine from the Kamp valley or indeed an Italian Lacrima de Morro d’Alba (from the Marches area), not forgetting an outstanding Limoux chardonnay (website in French only), very aromatic. A feast!

 

Where to buy your wine in Châtellerault?

My heart comes from Lorraine, so I was happy to give the answer to this one… as it was the Joan of Arc cellar at Châtellerault I went to visit.

 

Lots of Loire and Bordeaux wines are to be found in his store (as you’d expect from his location…) but also some fine discoveries from the four corners of France and the world. I did not expect to find a Côtes du Jura half Savagnin- half Chardonnay, for example… 

 

A doubly pleasant surprise awaited me there:

- a chance to taste some "bernache" (or some "bourru": a wine whose fermentation has hardly begun), it’s that time of year.

- to be welcomed with a glass of Noble Joué, from the house of Rousseau to be precise. As I was  welcomed into their confrérerie last April… I don’t know what I can do for an encore!

 

Many thanks Good Sir, I promise we’ll carry on exchanging tips on putting cheeses and wines together! For instance, by going to look for a few good cheeses at Nectarine, his neighbour who specialises in early fruit and vegetables + dairy products + delicatessen at 51 rue des Trois Pigeons.

 

More info to be had at www.cavejeannedarc.fr

Where to buy your wine in Fréjus?

Vins et Agapes
308 rue Roland Garros
83600 Fréjus Plage
Tel : +33 (0)494 44 06 41

Easy to find : just before you reach the port, on your right, Olivier Gély awaits you in his cool air-conditioned shop… where you’ll find a whole collection of rosés de Provence wines at the right temperature!

Olivier is a very welcoming host, with a diploma from the Poligny hotelier school in the Jura, he’s never caught out when it comes to Comté cheese, but neither is he when it comes to a whole string of small goat cheeses from his region, as selected by Robert Bedot..

His plus point: a few tables outside and within, and the possibility of sampling wines by the glass, accompanied by Spanish hams, foie gras from Peyrehorade, terrine with pastis, not forgetting, to end on, a nice fresh fruit salad.

So dear readers, when you’re in Fréjus, pay him a call and say hello from me…

I almost forgot: here’s his website www.vinsetagapes.fr

Where to buy your cheese in Brest?

Fabienne et Loïc CAROFF took over several years ago “ Les caves de mon père"in the Kergaradec area. Easy to find, their cellar is impressive with thousands of lines. Good quality ones.

For example you will find wines from the domain of Albert Seltz in Mittelbergheim, between Andlau and Barr in the Bas-Rhin department. I particularly like this sort of “seltzer water”, especially the Gewurztraminer version… to be drunk in moderation … natürlich, as they would say there, and with a lovely runny farmhouse Munster cheese from the Haxaire company.

But in the Caroff’s shop, you’ve also got a complete selection of teas, dragées, chocolates and regional Breton products.
So, my good gourmet friends, pay them a visit!

Where to buy your wine in Montpellier?

Les caves Gambetta, 16 cours Gambetta in Montpellier , are run by Claude and Philippe SERRA.

You’ll get a warm welcome there, a wide selection of Languedoc wines; bur also of course wines from the 4 corners of France.

 And if you know practically nothing about the world of wine, the Serra brothers regularly run initiation sessions in tasting, not just lectures in oenology.

 Worth noting – the Serra family own a domain of AOC Minervois wine…

Where to buy your wine in Perpignan ?

At last back on line with a brand new PC … and find myself cursing Vista, and the incompatibility of different bits of software…like for instance the one which drives my PC card to enable me to write up my notes when I am on a trip….

And all when I’ve been particularly busy!!

I’ve just spent a long time in the company of J.P. Rudelle, the patron of the “Comptoir des Crus” in Perpignan (at 67 avenue du Général Leclerc along the banks of the Tet). Thanks to him, I discovered all the magic of Catalan vines… Vingrau, Maury, La Tour de France, Colliure, Banyuls, Rivesaltes… L’Agly, La Tet… Thanks Jean-Pierre for being my guide. Yet another meeting of like minds…

So thanks to him I’ve got to know the wines of the Préceptorie de Centernach, in particular “La Coume Marie”

And not to be missed at the Comptoir des Vins:

- A timeless Rivesaltes from Pezilla… a pure marvel to accompany a Fourme d’Ambert cheese!

- A wine tasting with commentary at the GUSTATORIUM… a superb tasting room for professionals, complete with spitting bowls, glass rinsing and “daylight” illumination”.

A wine franchise which is doing well

Have you heard of CAVAVIN? I’ve already mentioned it about a year ago. This time it’s to La Baule that I went to meet Etienne Boivin in charge of development for this chain.

We met in its “lighthouse” store (well, it is at the seaside…) to be found next to La Baule-Escoublac where you also find Perrin, an excellent cheese merchant.

Cavavin has 120 outlets after 20 years in business and they give their managers great freedom in their choice of stock (in particular allowing them to devote more space for wines from their region) but above all they regularly set up training sessions with a globe-trotting sommelier, Anthony who really knows his stuff. Having heard him talking about wines with customers in the store, I would go to his lessons with pleasure!

He caught me out … he gave something to sample without telling me what it was … a tequila aged in barrels (añejo).

From its colour you would say it was whisky.
But not from its aroma! Nor from its taste, of course….

You stand there all in a muddle, telling yourself it reminds you of something, but what??  Oh! Why can’t your taste buds jog your memory?

After the event (good heavens, yes of course!!) it compares with a  Mezcalfrom the region of  Oaxaca.And latest news: there’s a new cavavin website!  Carry on the good work, gentlemen!

Where to buy your wine in Troyes ?

Troyes

is  a town I just love strolling around … not among the mass produced fashion outlets but in the town centre with all its half-timbered houses, a marvellous display of Champagne regional architecture.

Today I made for the oldest private building in the town… in front of the cathedral, the Cellier Saint Pierre and its 13^th century timber structure. Impressive. The cathedral canons used to store their corn and wine there and indeed an underground passage joined the building to the cathedral. Since the 1930s there has been a wine business there – Formont. As Monsieur Formont told me, at that time nobody cared much about looking after the architecture!! The temperature there is constant – in fact ideal conditions for storing wine!

 In front of the “cellar” is the Magasin du Cellier, its own shop managed by Christian Devanlay. A typical regional name for a passionate cellarman. We spent a long time of course talking about how well Chaource cheese goes with Les Riceys rosé wine. Just go along and discover a selection of wines from the Champagne district (from the Aube department in particular, which one easily forgets) or from France in general or elsewhere, as this photo illustrates… numerous initiation and advanced appreciation courses are planned each year.

In moderation of course…

3 place St Pierre

10000 Troyes

Where to buy your wine in La Roche sur Yon?

La Roche sur Yon is one of the original towns once called “cités napolonniennes” and it was originally called “Napoléonville”. It has its square called place Napoléon … and it has "les Caves Rivière” the wine market.

I spent a tremendous evening in the company of Alexandre, a globe-trotting wine waiter and of Thierry. From
his two year stay in Argentina, Alexandre came back with a love of Argentine horses (normal as he lived in a town with a national stud farm) but also of South American wines.
 

Just like the “Tacon Alto” (= high heel for those needing a translation), a Chilean wine produced by women in a bodega called “Las Niñas” (the girls) who were in fact reputed French vineyard owners in Roussillon (look at the thymcitron2 website)…

 

But Les Caves Rivière also have an impressive assortment of wines from the Vendée, for example “Fiefs Vendéens” of course and also “off the wall” wines such as the Anticonformistes de chez Mourat. I brought some back of course… and I look forward to sampling their OVNI (French for a UFO – but with a play on words as it could also stand for Unidentified Flying Wine!)

For more info on Les Fiefs Vendéens just visit the site of Loire wines and you’ll learn all about wines such as Pissotte, Vix, Mareuil and Brem.
Please drink in moderation.

Where to buy your wine in Poitiers?

Le Bateau Ivre
108 avenue Jacques Coeur in Poitiers
Or
60 rue du Centre à Migné-Auxances

It wasn’t by chance that I went to the Bateau Ivre… I found their website first. Then people from that part of the world told me good things about this friendly team and about Stéphane Lehuédé, a dynamic young oenologist (he got a Oenological diploma in Bordeaux) who opened this cellar 6 years ago.

Worth making the journey!!

And a great match was served that evening: a “Cascatel” 100% Grenache Rivesaltes (Naturel Sweet Wine) from the master vintners of Cascatel together with a Fourme d’Ambert cheese.

But drink it in moderation, as it reaches 16°…

Where to buy your wine in Paris 14th ?

I knew about “Les Papilles” a restaurant cum grocery cum cellar at 30 rue Gay Lussac, and here at 35 rue Daguerre is a wine cellar, created and run by the previous owners of the restaurant.

I was charmed by this cellar… a bit like Ali Baba’s cavern. Lined with wood. Filled only with wines the owner has fallen in love with, and they have fun names … at all prices!

You immediately get a sense of the cellar man’s passion, his constant search for good unknown harvests and wines, made with love by committed vignerons..

To be drunk in moderation… and you’ll also find he has fruit juices ;-) – so go along and discover this magical place.

Where to buy your wine in Paris 7?

What I’ve recently said on the subject of cheese, also goes for wine: the addresses I include here are the result of a meeting of passionate minds…

Having talked recently about sake, I now find myself at 31 rue de Bourgogne in the 7^th arrondissement … chez AMPELOS  - a couple of yards from the Swiss Embassy.

For those who don’t know it, ampelos is the Greek word for vine. And the creator in October 2007 of this vine in the very heart of paris is a sommelier and a cellarman - and all very interesting.

First, because he changed occupation – he used to be an executive in the pharmaceutical business – and he created his own business … welcome to the club!

Then his talents have been immediately recognised by the great chef Alain Plassard.

And finally because as a cellarman, he promotes a well-crafted German Riesling Kabinett – something rare, as the rest of us are still a shade too patriotic!

You should admire this elegant Riesling, obviously from the Rhine valley which I like a lot, specifically in the part between Mainz and Mannheim (the Heyl zu Herrnsheim domain for those who would like to know)

He also got me to taste a Pinot Gris from Alsace, astonishingly full of flavour from the Domaine Ostertag in Epfig, just below Barr (67). The label attracts the eye… it’s the work of the artist, Christine Colin, the wife of André Ostertag, who sought to depict the vines in a lifelike way.

 

So drink them in moderation… and accompanied by a Tête de Moine cheese as an aperitif.

Where to buy your wine in Paris 17e?

1) Mes Accords "Mets-Vins" = My food and wine “matches”

No, they’re not really mine!!! But theirs…coming from a team of 3 young competent associates with two addresses in the 17^th arrondissement, so how could I miss them?

The first opened 2 years ago or thereabouts at 10 rue Bridaine, roughly at the point where it joins the rue de Batignolles.
The 2^nd very recently at 14 rue Saussier Leroy. To find their contact details, just type WCPM into Pages Jaunes (the French Yellow Pages site) W is for Thierry Welschinger, C for Jeremy Cuckierman, P for Pierre-Benoît Perard and M …for meals? ?? No it all stands for Wine and Cooking ProMotion

And moreover they classify their wines not by region, but by the type of food they best accompany.
And they’re faultless when it comes to matching wine with cheese …there’s not one tannic red and that’s worth underlining!!!
NB: the shop in the rue Saussier-Leroy serves meals at lunchtime, worth noting…

 

2) Le Village, de la vigne…à la table (from the vine to the table) - 14 rue des Moines

And that’s not just because it got a press mention a few weeks ago, I tried it a good few times ago …and I’ve bought bottles
And eaten there.
Quite simply delicious. Is there any need to be complicated to be good?