This week I organized two wine tasting tours to my favorite 17th Arrondissement wine shops.  I wish I could take everyone I meet on this tour!  The shop owners are so generous with their time and genuinely enjoy meeting my American friends.  And for my friends, they get to visit a neighborhood in Paris that they likely would not otherwise and try wines they probably wouldn’t in the States.

The New York Times posted an article back in March about the relatively new trend of wine stores trying to create an atmosphere that is relaxed and welcoming.  The French have always done this and I’m glad to see it’s taking up in America too.  Getting to know your “caviste” and sharing wine with them and other customers is a great and fun way to learn about wine!

A bit of what we sampled (where I could, I’ve linked to the property and wine maker):

Crémant de Bourgogne Brut, sparkling wine from Burgundy; Chateau Miraval, “Pink Floyd” rosé from Provence; Domaine de Leilloux, Cheverny from the Loire Valley; Domaine Richaud, Cairanne from the Rhone Valley; Chateau L’Appoline, Les Demoiselles de L’Apolline Bordeaux; Domaine Gilles Robin, Les Marelles – Crozes Hermitage; Domaine Saparale, Sartène, southern Corsica; Domaine Combier, Clos des Grives Rouge, Crozes-Heritage – Rhone Valley; Chateau Sainte-Marie, Vielles Vignes, Entre Deux-Mer – Bordeaux.