French wines in Paris

Paris is a brilliant jewel of the Old World wines.

While the New World is battling with a lack of cool climates and desperately trying to replicate the weightless complexity of Bordeaux and Burgundy, the French winemakers are lengthening their qualitative lead by importing technology and talent from across the oceans.

Gone are the days of rustic, backward French wines. Every one of the 20+ French wines I've tasted this month was at least suave, if not ripe and juicy. And they still had all the sophistication they are known for. To order a wine in Paris is to taste the fruit of a new paradigm: the Old World is winning.

And yet, I noticed nothing new with the Parisian consumer. They are still going almost exclusively for the Loire (excellent value and food pairing), they still demand more bottle ageing than anyone else and they still seem eager to degrade the entire experience with a stinky cigarette break, or even worse, an artificially flavoured vape at the table right next to yours.

Serving an equal mixture of locals and tourists, Parisian restaurants thus cater to two sets of consumers who couldn't be more different. The reverent French with a tight economic and stylistic comfort zone and the high-spending visitor, insatiable for new experiences. Match that to your wine list!

• 2021 Domaine Des Hauts Chassis Saint-Joseph ..... ? 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Saint-Joseph

  (1/22/2024)

  By glass at the methodical Origines, Paris where la sommelière appoints stimulating wines and the chef personally thanks each table. How humanely beautiful.
  
  The question mark in the name is intentional - it represents the cuvée of 100% Syrah, presumably as named by Franck Faugier.
  
  Deep ruby. Nose of Melipona honey (similar to pomegranate molasses), cherry, white peppercorn and a light herbal lift. The round tannins give way to fresh cherries, a hint of red berries and toasted brioche, followed by olive umami and a truly suave matter. But this is all about finesse and elegance. A ballet in weightless space. Inspirational. 95 pts

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• 2017 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape 96 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  (1/23/2024)

  By glass at the George V. Reputation precedes this restaurant, but the food and service precede its reputation.
  
  A grapefruity and inticingly bitter bundle of complexity. Feel free to serve with creamy salmon! 96 points

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• 2020 Trimbach Riesling Reserve 91 Points

  France, Alsace

  (1/25/2024)

  By glass at the Maison Lucas Carton, where a visit is a Belle Époque itself. For a Michelin 1 star, this restaurant is surprisingly gourmet even by Parisian standards.
  
  Youthfully light colour followed by petroleum, pear, rhubarb pie and camomile. The palate is already quite round and rich, with good acidity and a little sample of each and every fruit in the white-yellow-green spectrum. Just like a young man, it is indeterminate yet serious, expressive yet weak. Let’s all hope he will age into a graceful, sophisticated woman. 91 points

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• 2022 Chartron et Trébuchet Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy 89 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  (1/27/2024)

  Poured by glass next to a coffee machine, a cheese plate and a dauntingly rancid bakery oven. Stinks like interest under Sharia law.
  
  Here I appreciated the bitterness of orange peel, so prominent in the nose of this translucent liquid. Otherwise the nose was too light for this particular tasting environment.
  
  Not shy in alcoholic warmth and length, this is also buttery smooth. Some acidity is present but this is not lively. A slight hint of well-water minerality on the finish. Still quite closed but tending toward bitter lime, vanilla custard and a wooly texture. This strikes me as a relatively weighty Chablis that does not compensate with density or depth. 89 points.

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• 2020 Château Cantin La Chapelle 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru

  (1/27/2024)

  Poured by glass next to a bakery bent on perfumes of incessantly vulcanized bread, spoilt cabbage and a sprinkle of what ensues after two gods of plenty lock each other out of the only toilet at Mount Olympus. If someone owns the @sickening handle on Instagram, it is this bakery. Literally viral.
  
  The wine in question stands its ground even under these conditions. Unmistakably Bordeaux from the first look and smell, this opaque purple positively eludes plums, ripe red currants and oak. Nose is the allure here.
  
  Though still a bit harsh, the palate does allow for blackcurrant, good freshness and a passing reference to violets. Not exceptionally concentrated by any means, its grainy tannins should meet their match after being paired with some caramelized proteins or the patience of a year in the cellar. 90 points

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The French wines I've tasted on this trip exceeded my expectations in terms of quality and affordability, and so did the restaurants serving them.

The one place I want to highlight here is Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels. I didn't take notes during my visit but I've never seen a more geeky, deeper-dug list of wine gems.