My sister and her partner are in Paris (7th Arrondissement two nights, the Marais two nights) for a few days, with a brief trip to Reims in between where they are visiting Taittenger. They can bring me back two bottles from either Paris or Reims. I’m at a loss for what I should request. I enjoy Champagne, Northern Rhone, Beaujolais, Bandol, Loire, and Burgundy, also open to other suggestions. I figure BDX is going to be something much less difficult to acquire here so probably not my focus. So my question from those who might know, is what producer or wine is difficult, impossible, or egregiously expensive to source here that can still be found easily enough in Paris or Reims? Shop suggestions are welcome as well.
I was just there and popped in to local wine shops whenever I passed by. Let’s just say the shelves were not overflowing with Raveneau and Selosse and other unicorns. Maybe I was in the wrong shops, or maybe it’s just not like that anymore. Prices were indeed a little less expensive than in the U.S. for the most part (especially given the exchange rate), but I found little that was worth lugging back. Honestly, the best deal I found was 2012 Taittinger Comtes in duty free at the airport. (2008 Taittinger Comtes Rose was also sharply priced in duty free.) Others may have better intel on deals than I did.
These things change so quickly. You visit a shop there and you find Allemand, Dauvissat, Gonon etc readily available at low prices. You return two years later expecting the same and none of them is available anymore let alone cheaply. I can recommend great shops like La Derniere Goutte in Paris or Les Caves du Forum in Reims but it is impossible to say what they might have available at this time given the increasing scarcity of the universally hot items.
Thank you, this is good information. I’ll suggest Les Caves du Forum. Knowing that things change quickly, a good shop recommendation may be more useful than specific producers.
Thank you Russell, any particular producers of this “new generation” that you recommend? Not sure if you mean U. Collin and C. Bouchard new, or really new, not really widely discussed here. TIA.
Plus Michael’s sister can have a great lunch there! One of the highlights of our trip.
Eric and Aline are delightful and know every bottle in the shop. We had a Bourgeois-Diaz “Cuvee Aline” (100% Meunier) withlunch, but they have a great selection of grower stuff- Marie Courtine, Leclapart, Prevost,etc.