Folks
I’m heading to France soon; what are the best wine stores in Paris and also Beaune. Focus is on Burgundy but somewhat prefer Paris as I’ll have more time there.
Recommendations please?
Thanks!
Wilfred
PS I did a search (mostly in the travel form and didn’t turn up a lot of results).
Paris
Fun to look:
https://www.lavinia.fr/fr
https://www.caves-legrand.com/en/paris
Where I buy:
http://www.ambassadedebourgogne.com/index.php/en/
http://www.cavesauge.com/
When will you be in Paris?
Thank you!!
crus et decouvertes has loads of interesting small producers, most tending toward natural/biodynamic.
Lavina and Caves Auge are really great.
There is one store in the 6th or 7th that has some older wines.
I will look for the address.
Thanks Don that would be great.
In Burgundy, try the Caveau de Chassagne Montrachet.
In case you didn’t know the taxes are quite high and the prices in the stores include tax but they will remove the tax if you are shipping but you will need to have the store ship the wine. They usually use a third party so you can can take the shipping slip from the first place and take it with you to the next and the shipping place will pick up all your wines and ship them as one for the case or whatever price. At least that’s how it worked in Burgundy. They seem to use the same company, a Mail Boxes Etc spinoff, but prices can vary from shop to shop with the bigger places usually getting cheaper deals than your hotel, for instance.
Not sure how it would work buying in both Burgundy and Paris, I would guess it would be separate shipments.
Will be in Paris in May so thanks for posting the question! Good info!
I liked Mon Millesime in Beaune. They had lots of interesting bottles downstairs and we found a nice, well priced 1992 Suchots that we drank on a picnic.
Thank you for the comments on this thread - this is very helpful (will also be in Paris/Burgundy in the near future).
At Le Grand they have a great snacks and by-the-glass menu in their tasting bar, they often have rare or old stuff open for tasting btg, and the current-vintage stuff they’re pouring is no slouch either. It’s a great place to drop in for an afternoon cheese-and-wine break, and if you’re using the Wine Check they will sell you the padded boxes that fit inside them as well. When we were in France last year we brought our Wine Checks rolled up and vacuum packed into our clothing checked bag and unfurled them when we got to Paris, getting boxes at Le Grand before we drove to Reims.
This is a nice one in Beaune. The Caveau de Chassagne is awesome too. The place I was describing in Paris is La Maison des Millesimes on Boulevard St Germain.
I’ll second Ambassade. If you don’t see something displayed or on the list, ask. Frequently they’ll have unlisted bottles. ie: if you see a producers Pernand, but were hoping for the Corton Charlemagne, you might need to enquire.
Prices in 2017 were good. Looking at prices in advance of a May 2019 visit and prices look closer to fair.
This is the place used by everyone in Burgundy (wineries, wine stores, Caveaus, etc.) to ship wine to the US. https://www.cotedorpdx.com/ We have used them several times and they are great.
If you buy six or more bottles from a place, Cote d’Or Imports will pick it up from the place for you and you do not have to pay the VAT. If you buy less than six bottles of wine at a place, you have to bring it to them (they are just outside NSG) and you do have to pay the VAT.
Per your prior posts about them Howard, have already been in touch with them - they’re very responsive. Thanks for the suggestion.
I will also be in Paris and intended to start a thread on this (instead I started on on restaurants). Wife will not be happy… but a WB offline over memorial day weekend?
How do you folks think about merits of shipping in May 2019 (summer) vs. paying the tax and bringing back in luggage?
La Dernière Goutte in the 6th in Paris is fantastic.
Unless it’s something quite expensive, VAT won’t be that much different +/- than shipping for the average bottle (and that assumes you can get the bottle sans VAT, which is not always a slam dunk). If it’s not a lot of bottles, and you can manage it, I think it makes more sense to just check it as luggage.
Interesting. I view it the exact opposite way. If I can have it shipped to me for no extra cost, why hassle with lugging the wine around with me, esp. in the heat of the summer.
I guess I’m a control freak. If I can get it home with me, I’ll always do that. Minimize the risk.