Paris Artisan-Wines Cavistes

Paris is the town with the highest concentration of cavistes selling artisan, natural wines. This non-exhaustive list identifies some of the very best, where you'll find real gems : from the well-known, the up-and-coming, to the below-the-radar artisan winesMarc Sibard in the Cave Augé Cave Augé, 116 Bd Haussmann 75008 ParisMetro : Saint Augustin (line 9) Phone 01 45 22 16 97 One of the best place to find a wine, from the most sought-after classic top-notch Bordeaux or Burgundy to the best artisan wines. Huge wine list (actually...a book that you can get in the store) starting at 6 Euro. Marc Sibard manages this very old store which was created in 1850. Hundreds of bottles stacked in an early 20th century interior, with lots of wood and the authentic patina of time. As a former sommelier, he thinks that restaurants and sommeliers should widen their wine list and do more to introduce the public to the artisan-wine gems. His recent "coup de coeur"or best recent finds : Domaine Mouressipe in the Gard, a Table Wine by Alain Allier (7,6 Euro). Also Mas de L'Anglore, in Tavel (Cotes du Rhone) by Eric Pfifferling, say, his 100% Grenache "Terre D'Ombre", a Vin de Pays 2005 at 9 Euro.
Special tasting days are regularly organized at Cave Augé (free of charge) like this one, with each time the best artisan winemakers in person (usually 8 to 10 vintners invited). The next tastings (11am to 7pm):
Beaujolais : march 24th 2007
Languedoc : April 28th 2007
Rhone : may 12th 2007
Loire : june 2nd 2007 Olivier Camus, in Le Chapeau Melon, holding his own cuvée (made by Marc Pesnot) Le Chapeau Melon, 92 Rue Rebeval, 75019 ParisMetro : Pyrénnées (line 11)Phone : 01 42 02 68 60 Olivier Camus is one of the pioneers of the natural-wines in Paris since the mid-eighties. His store near Rue de Belleville holds about 300 artisan/natural wines. Caviste-only at the beginning, he now serves food 4 days a week (wednesday to saturday). You can pick a bottle on the shelves and have it for dinner with a 7 Euro cork fee. He was the creator in january 1988 (with Rachel) of Le Baratin nearby, one of the best wine bars/restaurants in Paris. Asked about a particular wine, he shows a bottle of Regnié (Beaujolais) by Christian Ducroux: biodynamics, horse-plowed vineyards and distinctive terroir notes.
Also : Les Champs de L'abbaye, by Isabelle Hasard, who makes deep, mineral Burgundy wines in the little-known AOC Bourgogne Côte du Couchois.
The "Cuvée Chapeau Melon" he holds on the picture is a Table Wine by Marc Pesnot, a long fermentation_9 months_ Muscadet (Melon de Bourgogne grape variety) that he tasted in his estate in 2001 and that came out too late for the agreement. Price : 9 Euro. Jean Pascal Revol at the Cave des Papilles La Cave des Papilles35 Rue Daguerre 75014 ParisMetro : Denfert Rochereau (line 4/6)Phone : 01 43 20 05 74 Owner Gerard Katz bought this old-time wine store (formerly known as "Caves Saint Vincent") in 2001 and pumped fresh blood into the old store with a mostly artisan-wine approach. The place, located near the pedestrian-only stretch of the Rue Daguerre, is both well stocked (about 1000 wines) and relaxed, with its period interior architecture. All french regions, including grower Champagnes and 10 to 15 "Pet' Nat's", for " Vins Petillants Naturels", or natural sparkling wines. A nice recent find ? Pascal Simonutti, a vintner from the Loire (Mesland) who makes outstanding unfiltered/unsulphited long-elevage Gamays, like his old vine "La Galetière" cuvée, a 2005 at 10 Euro. One of his wines is named "Boire Tue" (Drink Kills)...

Michel Moulherat, in the Cave de l'Insolite Cave de L'Insolite, 30 rue de la Folie Mericourt75011 ParisMetro : Saint Ambroise (line 9)Phone : 01 53 36 08 33 Located in the 11th arrondissement not far from Republique, this wine store has a list of 400 to 450 artisan wines from all french regions. The owner Michel Moulherat receives regularly vignerons who make the trip to Paris to show their wines. What he likes in his selection ? Lots of regions, even lesser known ones like Jura (5 artisan vintners here), or the Vendômois, the Coteaux du Giennois. People like Thierry Allemand, who tends his vineyard like a true gardener, or Eric Souhaut, or Christian Venier in Cheverny (La Soulas, Table Wine, Gamay-Pinot-Noir 8 Euro). He regularly adds new wines to his list.
Free tastings held on saturdays, plus occasionally some weekdays when a vigneron visits him (email alert for customers). Cyril Bordarier in Le Verre Volé

Le Verre Volé (store and restaurant) 67 Rue de Lancry, 75010 Paris Metro : Jacques Bonsergent (line 5) Phone 01 48 03 17 34

Le Verre Volé (store only), 38 Rue Oberkampf 75011 Paris Metro Parmentier (line 3) Phone 01 43 14 99 46

Le Verre Volé is where you can check the heartbeat of the natural-wines world. Lots of estates, lots of new things. It has two locations in Paris, but both should be visited as some wines are not found in both places. The one near the Canal Saint Martin (store and restaurant) is also a must-visit restaurant (call to reserve as it is small) where of course you'll get the right wine pairing. Cyril Bordarier has about 300 different wines, made by winemakers (from all opver France) with a passion for true wines. A favorite ? (hard choice) : a Pet' Nat' (natural sparkling) Chenin, named La Gaudriole, by Nathalie and Christian Chaussard in Jasnières, Loire (14,5 Euro). Also the Arbois-Pupillin 2002 of pierre Overnoy, a Poulsard from Jura (19,5 Euro). Or jean Foillard's Morgon 2004 "Cuvée 3,14" (24,5 Euro).

Helène and Serge Mathieu
La Crèmerie9 rue des Quatre Vents 75006 Parismetro : Odeon (lines 10/4)Phone/fax : 01 43 54 99 30 lacremerie@gmail.com
Serge mathieu's wine shop is just a few steps from the Boulevard Saint Germain. The bottles on the shelves all have the prices written down on them. All you have to do is make your choice among the 350 references (about 200 visible on the shelves) of natural wines from all the french regions (maybe a bit more from Burgundy and Rhone). A wine in particular ? an unfiltered Pineau D'Aunis (Table Wine) by Domaine du Bois Freslon in the Jasnières region at 8 Euro (back label states "no additives"_first time I read that black on white), or the only cuvée of a vigneron named Jean-Marie Berrux (who worked with Fred Cossard), a Chardonnay priced at 14 Euro.
Serge also has about 15 wines in magnums, from vintners like Dard & Ribo, Villemade, Lapierre, Foillard, Guy Breton and others...
Julien Aujeau, in his store
Julien Caviste, 50 rue Charlot75003 ParisMetro : Filles Du Calvaire (line 8)Phone : 01 42 72 00 94 juliencaviste.com
Julien Aujeau and Claire Barbier opened this wine store in 2003 in the Marais near Republique. A selection of about 250 wines from the french regions, with maybe more from the Languedoc and the Rhone. His favorites ? Domaine Mon de Marie (Thierry Forestier) in the Gard, with 2 cuvées, a 100%-Aramon Table Wine at 5,5 Euro, and an old-vines Grenache at 11,6 euro. Also the Domaine de L'Oratoire Saint Martin Cotes du Rhone at 9,8 Euro, and Reserve des Seigneurs at 11,6 Euro. Or the Gourt de Mautens, Rasteau 2002 of Jerome Bressy at 27 Euro. He also likes in the Loire Vincent Ricard's Sauvignons (7,2 and 9,2 Euro) and his Cabernet Franc (8,9 Euro). In Bordeaux : Chateau Massereau (Chaigneau brothers) with their small plots on 3 Appellations, including the Bordeaux Superieur "Cuvée Tradition" at 8,4 Euro. Free tasting every other saturday.
Peggy Bouvattier in "Le vin En Tete"Le Vin En Tête30 rue des Batignolles, 75017 ParisMetro : Rome (line 2)Phone : 01 44 69 04 57 levinentete.net
Peggy Bouvattier and associates Laurent Le Moigne and Hervé Guillard opened this artisan-wine store in 2002 after a long preparation : they toured the french wine regions for 6 months in 2001, visiting many estates and meeting many vignerons, like 7 or 8 daily. They offer some 1000-1200 wines from all the french regions. A favorite ? Domaine Guillot-Broux, with the Macon-Cruzille (30 Euro) and the Macon-Villages (8 Euro). The Domaine de Gressac (Jean Michel Rieux) with his Vin de Pays du Gard red "Classic 2003". Also L'Erèbe a red from the Loire by Michel Augé. And an italian (they also have a few foreign wines) organicly-farmed Sangiovese Rosso Del Gello 2004.
Free tastings with visiting vignerons on saturdays (after 4pm). They also organise tasting courses. Open everyday (including sunday) 10am-9pm.
Ewen, who works at La Muse Vin, with Jeff Courtois
La muse Vin, 101 rue de Charonne75011 Parismetro : Charonne (line 9)Phone : 01 40 09 93 05
Guillaume Dubois opened La Muse Vin in november 2003, on Beaujolais Nouveau day. Some 250 wines on his natural-wines list, from all french region with maybe more from the Loire and Beaujolais (Jean Pierre Thevenet, Marcel Lapierre, Guy Breton, Descombes, Philippe Jambon among others). Favorites are also Claude Courtois in the Loire, and his son Julien Courtois with his Originel, his 100%, and his "Les Francs de Pied". Many others also, like Dard et Ribo, Thierry Allemand, Hirotake (who formerly worked at Thierry Allemand), Gerard Oustric of the Domaine Mazel. The Place is both a wine store and a restaurant. They hold free tastings from 11am on saturdays. When I dropped there recently, Guillaume and visiting friends (among them Pierre Jancou, Jeff Courtois) were tasting a few bottles, like a 80% Gamay- 15% Poulsard-5% Chardonnay Bugey-Cerdon by Raphael Bartucci, a very light (8°) Pet' Nat' (natural sparkling) wine "Methode Ancestrale" made in the Bugey region near the Jura and Switzerland. Strawberry aromas reminding me the candy I got when I was a child... Several bottles of Claude Courtois were also uncorked, it may explain the euphoria on the picture...
Aline Lavallard, caviste at the Caves TailleventLes Caves Taillevent199 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré75008 ParisMetro : Charles-De-Gaulle Etoile (line 1/2/6)Phone :01 45 61 14 09 taillevent.com
Taillevent is foremost known as being one of Paris' top tables, since the restaurant opened in 1946. But it also opened a wine-store arm in 1987, "Caves Taillevent", which is now a top address for wine lovers, with about 3000 wines, from the best Burgundies and Bordeaux to the artisan wines of the different french regions. Only some of the wines are on display, but you can browse the catalog, choose a wine and have it brought from the cellar. Maybe more intimidating than the other wine stores on this page because of its upscale clientèle, Taillevent offers not only the top classic wines but a very wide range of artisan wines. It also sells 20 wines with the Taillevent label (like the one on the picture), a selection made from the up-and-coming vignerons from the french wine regions (the labels show their names and location). There's a Caves Taillevent branch at Printemps Maison, with about 280 wines.
Serge Lacombe-Les Crus Du Soleil (rue du Chateau store)

Les Crus du Soleil 146 rue du Chateau 75014 Paris Metro Pernety (line 13) Phone : 01 45 39 78 99

Les Crus du Soleil 21 rue D'Aligre 75012 Paris Metro : Ledru Rollin (line 8) Phone : 01 43 43 52 20

Serge Lacombe's accent hints at his southern France origin. This is the place to visit in Paris if you're looking for Languedoc AND Roussillon wines, as the 500 wines here all come exclusively from artisan producers of these two southern-France regions. He may have a couple of bottles to taste when you drop there and the back of the shop offers relaxing room for the occasional tasting. Both shops also sell about 20 different Languedoc/Roussillon wines in Bag-in-box. Recent new finds : a Cotes du Roussillon-Villages by Jean-Philippe padié in Calce, west of Perpignan. Another one, which happens to originate from the same area, is a Cotes du Roussillon-Village by Cyril Fahl of Le Clos Du Rouge Gorge in Latour-de-France.
The price range for the wines sold here go from a mere 3 Euro to 200 Euro.

Lafayette Gourmet48 boulevard Haussmann (and elevator)75009 ParisMetro : Havre-Caumartin (line 3/9)Phone : 01 40 23 52 40The wine store of the Galeries Lafayette departement store is one of the top wine stores in Paris. Located on the second story of the Bd. Haussmann flagship store (men's apparel building), it has a very large choice, mostly from artisan and organicly- biodynamicly-farmed estates from all over France. Bruno Quénioux, buyer-sommelier at Lafayette Gourmet can be credited for having made it one of the best wine stores for independant, artisan-minded wineries. A recent find : Domaine Saladin, an estate in the cotes du Rhone-Ardèche (Marie-Laurence and Elisabeth Saladin) making small-batch cuvées, like the Cuvée Loi, a 100% Syrah at 8,7 Euro. Also Domaine Guiberteau, Saumur 2004 (Loire), a 100% Cabernet Franc at 11 Euro.Pascal Gesnet, at L'Avant-GoûtL'Avant Goût26 rue Bobillot75013 ParisMetro : Place D'Italie (line 5/6/7)Phone : 01 45 81 14 06 This wine store was created by Chef Christophe Beaufront, who owns the same-name restaurant close by. Asked about some particular wine these days, Pascal Gesnet points to a Saint Chinian by Yannick Pelletier (who formerly worked with Leon Barral). Also a Fitou of the Domaine des Mille Vignes by Jacques Guerin.
Open tuesday through saturday.Vin en Tête - Rue Notre-Dame de LoretteThis 2nd Vin-en-Tête wine-shop offers an equally nice choice of artisan- and natural wines, plus a few well-selected whiskies, including some from Japan (Yamazaki an Nikka). The manager is a whisky fan and regularly organizes whisky tastings. Its location near Metro Saint-Georges (line 12) a couple of minutes' stroll down from Boulevard de Clichy is very convenient and central.
If you're on a tight budget, there's a very cheap Chinese restaurant on the other side of the street (#57 rue Notre Dame de Lorette) with a "lunch special" at a mere 4 Euro...
See map.Le Vin en Tête48 rue Notre Dame de Lorette75009 ParisMetro : St Georges (line 12)Phone 01 53 21 90 17Open 7 days a week -check the website for hourslevinentete.net............Le Vin en Tête opened a branch in the 6th arrondissement ! You can now take advantage of their great list of vignerons and of their services in this part of Paris.Le Vin en Tête Saint Placide53 rue Saint Placide75006 ParisMetro St Placide (line 4)phone 01 42 22 01 05 The Etablissements VaneauThe Caves Vanneau is a venerable institution located in the 7th arrondissement which has a large clientèle of restaurants and demanding wine amateurs. The extensive wine list is very qualitative and comprises both traditional reassuring values of Bordeaux and Burgundy and a growing portfolio of small estates. They choose the wines so as to be representative of a given terroir. They keep adding news finds, like recently the Domaine Léon Boesch, an organic/biodynamie estate in Alsace. Also, in the Loire they found two years ago the Domaine Alain Cailbourdin in the Pouilly-Fulé Appellation. They have several cuvées from this estate like Boisfleuri, Les Cris, Les Cornets. Another winery that they added recently is Domaine Didier & Carherine Champalou in Vouvray (Loire), and samely they sell several of their cuvées, dry, demi-sec, mouelleux (sweet). I have a brief look on the shelves whith many Grands Domaines from Bordeaux & Burgundy, oh and on the Loire shelves I spot Damien Laureau (Savennières). They added another Champagne to their list recently : Leclerc Brillant, and in Bordeaux, an interesting estate : Chateau Pimpine, which is owned by Chateau Le Puy, this Pimpine wine is made out of vineyards that grow on a terroir close to Pomerol's and are farmed for the last 4 years on biodynamie. In Corsica, they selected Domaine Sant Armettu, with several wines, the estate red, plus two rosés and a white. The red variety Sciacarellu is typical for Corsica and grows well on granitic soil, plus this variety yields wines that are very close to Pinot Noir (it is considered as a sommelier's trap), with a lighter color and much lighter in the mouth than other Corsican reds. An easy wine that can be opened young. Cost 10 Euro. the young man on the picture is one of the most knowledgeable sommelier that I came across. The Caves Vaneau has also a nice list of magnum bottles plus about 20 well-selected wine bibs, I spot a bib from Jas D'Esclan, a Cru Classé from Provence.
The Caves Vanneau holds free tastings on saturdays. Call to know wich vigneron is the guest.
Check Brian's comments below, he brought interesting additional information. Etablissements Vinicoles de France82 rue Vaneau 75007 ParisAccess planphone 01 45 48 67 85Metro Vaneau (line 10)Paris TerroirsParis Terroirs opened maybe a year ago, it is located in the up-and-coming 11th arrondissement neighborhood. There a well-thought wine list here with lots of artisan wines and natural wines. It was created by Yann Chamaillé who also made wine some time ago in the Chateau de Suronde in Anjou (Loire). Nice staff too.Paris Terroirs68 rue Jean-Pierre Timbaud75001 ParisMetro : Parmentier (line 3)phone 01 43 57 92 97ychamaille@paristerroirs.comAu Bon Plaisir is more than the neighborhood wine shop it looks like so much : in addition to its warm feel of old-time caviste, it offers a very scrupulously artisan and terroirs-minded wines. I heard about this wine shop through Mourad, the manager of the excellent wine bar A La Vierge de la Réunion which sits in the same area of Paris. The neighborhood is both working class and bo-bo and the wine shop offers very good deals. In spite of the good selection in terms of quality and serious vineyard-management (often organic here) and vinification, it offers more than 60 wines at prices between 3,5 € and 8 € (plus others at higher prices). A few examples :
_Chermette Beauj-Nouveau : 6,3 €
__Foillard Morgon 2008 : 10,5 €
__Anne Gros Chambolle Musigny 2006 : 43 €
__Goisot Saint-Bris 2007 : 10,3 €
__Marcel Richaud Terres d'Aigues 2008 : 8,5 €
__Vigbnerons d'Estézargues Cuvée des Galets 2007 : 4,4 €
__Marc Tempé (there are many of Tempé here) Riesling Zellenberg 2007 : 12,9 €
Actually you can see yourself the wines and their prices on this page (just click on a given region).
What I like in this shop is also the wines which are out of the beaten path, like this Cote Roannaise 2008 by Jacques Devaux (5,3 €) that I bought recently [december 2009]. Also, there is a Coteaux du Giennois 2008 by Domaine de Villargeais (7,5 €), or this Irancy 2007 by Franck Givaudin (11 €), and this Coteaux du Vendomois by Patrice Colin (sold-out but the next vintage will cost 7,5 €), there is also this Misardises 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc (8,3 Euro) which will be labelled as Pic Saint Loup in 2009, also Les Eminades Vin de Pays 2007 "Rue des Vignes" at 6,7 Euro, or this Marcillac 2008 by Domaine du Cros (7,2 Euro), made near Rodez with a rare variety named le Fer Servadou, it's a variety which was very tannic and rustic like the Côt but which gives interesting wines when well vinified.
Check the website, free tastings are organized with visiting vignerons on saturdays.Au Bon Plaisir104 rue des Pyrénées 75020 ParisMetro Maraichers (line 9)phone : 01 43 71 98 68www.caves-aubonplaisir.frRacines : SO2-free wines onlyI should have included Racines in this list long ago. Racines is of course the wine restaurant that we know (you must eat something to order a glass, even if only a plate of charcuterie), but it is also a caviste, and the wines at Racines are totally SO2 free (and of course additives free). You find here the best from the best of natural wines, and you can just choose a bottle on the shelves, pay and go.
there are maybe 120 different wines with quite a number of Loire natural wines.
Here are a few examples of what you find here : Claude Courtois (and his son Julien), les Griottes, Jean Pierre Robinot, Alexandre Bain (Pouilly-Fumé), Sébastien Riffault, Olivier Cousin, Sylvain Martinez who worked with Olivier Cousin with his cuvées Goutte d'O and Les Griboullis, Pierre Beauger (Auvergne), Philippe Jambon (Beaujolais), Michel Guigner (Beaujolais), Christian Ducroux (Régnié), Guy Blanchard (Maconnais), Bernard Bellahsen (Domaine Fontédicto (Languedoc), Anne-Marie Lavaysse (Petit Domaine de Gimios, Minervois), Axel Prüfer, Loïc Roure, Edouard Lafitte, le Casot des Mailloles, Hirotake Ooka Domaine de la Grande Colline (a Japanese who formerly worked at Thierry Allemand), Patrick Bouju (Auvergne), plus Gerald Oustric, Gilles Azzoni, Andrea Calek (Ardèche), and also Bruno Schueller (Alsace), Pierre Overnoy, Jean-Marc Brignot (both from Jura)..... Racines8 Passage des Panoramas (a covered gallery)75002 Parisphone : 01 40 13 06 41Metro Grands Boulevards (line 8 & 9)Open Monday through friday

Comments

[hikalu]

what a fabulous wine shops! All shops looks nice. I liked those atmosphere. I would wonder where to go if there were the shops like those.

[ken]

Great post. Yours is the finest French wine blog I've encountered. Great work. One question: what does 'bibs' mean?

[CL..]

What a wonderful blog! I'm a writer living in New York and should be in Paris next month. My French is sadly inadequate for serious communication, which can be a problem in a wine shop, so I'm wondering whether any of these proprietors speak good English. Sorry to be provincial, but there it is. Thanks.

[Jim Karegeannes]

Bert - you are the man! We're heading back to Paris tomorrow. Just printed the above descriptions to guide my visit. I used your reviews of Paris wine bars during last year's visit. An invaluable resource. Thanks for the write up of Caves Fillot as well, sounds worth tracking down. More later.

[Brian Hinchcliffe]

Les Caves Vaneau was originally situated on the corner of the Impasse Oudinot, past the hospital, on rue Vaneau. These premises are now occupied by a property company. In the 50's and 60's the wine shop was run by André Loison. He had his own label champagne and a vin de table called Vanor.
A regular customer was André Gide, the Nobel literature prize winner, who was in the habit of having his selected bottle opened in the shop and sharing it with the owner and any neighbours who happened by. Gide lived in an appartment at the other end of rue Vaneau, past the traffic lights. Several of Gide's novels and récits take place in and around rue Vaneau. An unsubstantiated tale has it that Karl Marx was a tenant in a building long since replaced on rue Vaneau, at n°32.