Three Stars in Paris: An Exceptional Lunch at Épicure

In October 2025, on our third day in Paris and prior to our journey to Bordeaux, my wife Dio and I experienced our first three-Michelin-starred meal in Paris at Épicure, located within the legendary Le Bristol palace hotel. Under the leadership of Executive Chef Arnaud Faye—who took over in May 2024 and successfully retained all three stars—we enjoyed an eight-course tasting menu featuring innovative preparations that showcased both French gastronomic tradition and creative innovation. The sommelier team selected wines to complement each course, creating a memorable dialogue between Faye's light, delicate cuisine and exceptional French wine. Stay tuned for a blog post with pictures and videos at heavypourwine.com.

• NV Roger Pouillon et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Brut Rosé 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Lunch with wine pairing at Épicure in Paris. Served with three opening courses: an onion surprise with black truffle and onion chips, a mushroom tart, and a grapefruit and carrot tart. Medium red color, which was surprising for a rosé. Cranberry nose with a bitter cherry palate. Great with the starters.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2022 Shiraiwa K.K. IWA 5 Assemblage 4 90 Points

  Japan, Chūbu, Toyama

  Lunch with wine pairing at Épicure in Paris. The sommelier explained it's a specific style of sake with a lot of texture, creating an interesting pairing. This sake was poured blind as a challenge to guess what it was. Served with fennel prepared in escabeche with remoulade and aniseed oil. Tasted like a sherry, specifically reminding me of Pedro Ximénez, and I guessed incorrectly. Tastes totally different with the dish than by itself. Not really my thing but a nice pairing with the fennel. Didn't finish the glass.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2019 Camin Larredya Jurançon Sec La Virada 93 Points

  France, Southwest France, Jurançon Sec

  Lunch with wine pairing at Épicure in Paris. The sommelier described this southwestern French wine as a blend of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, Petit Courbu, and Camaralet, giving flavors of exotic mango and passion fruit with a dry, mineral mouthfeel. Served with fresh butternut cooked with butternut cream and puree, infused with lovage—a tiny herb flower whose extracted juice was infused in oil to give the sauce its green color and powerful flavor. Gold color with herbal green notes on the nose. Kind of dark melon on the palate with slight acidity. Fantastic pairing with the butternut. Wow.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2001 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 95 Points

  France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie

  Lunch with wine pairing at Épicure in Paris. The sommelier explained this comes from the northern Rhône Valley, just south of Lyon, which is the best place for Syrah. The terroir gives black peppery notes, and this mature 2001 vintage offers a later sensation with fine, elegant, velvety tannins—a classical but amazing pairing with lamb. Served with milk-fed lamb—both the saddle and chopped lamb with lamb sweetbread, accompanied by a mix of spinach and tarragon, smoked butter lamb jus, and eggplant caviar. Old World nose with dark fruit that was super expressive. So layered and complex with that funk and barnyard in a good way. Beautiful. Still had fruit left but wonderful tertiary notes. Amazing pairing with the lamb. WOTN.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 2012 Domaine Robert Chevillon Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Roncières 94 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru

  Lunch with wine pairing at Épicure in Paris. Served with pigeon from Pornic, produced by Marie-Samuelle Bourreau-Cassard on the west side of France near Nantes. The pigeon was served with chives, corn, popcorn, mushrooms with black cardamom, pigeon galantine made with pigeon liver and legs, black cardamom-reduced cooking jus, and corn polenta with mushrooms. The wine has a rustic minty nose. So bright and refreshing with an elegant palate. Resolved tannin and beautifully balanced. The polenta was amazing—possibly the best food of the meal. Great pairing with the pigeon, though the 2001 Jamet Côte-Rôtie was the WOTN.
  
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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• 1976 Lhéraud Pineau des Charentes 95 Points

  France, Cognac, Pineau des Charentes

  Lunch with wine pairing at Épicure in Paris. Came from a large format bottle on a dessert wine cart and was poured using a large dropper. Served with the cheese course featuring fresh and matured cheeses from Épicure's cellar. Not feeling the nose—super alcoholic. But the taste is so smooth with honey flavor. Lots of alcohol heat on the finish but in a good way. Amazing pairing with the cheese.
  Brad - heavypourwine.com

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Our first three-Michelin-starred experience in Paris exceeded expectations, showcasing Chef Arnaud Faye's delicate, minimalist approach to French haute cuisine. The sommelier team's wine selections created exceptional pairings throughout the meal, with the 2001 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie standing out as the wine of the night alongside its perfectly matched lamb course. The elegant Louis XVI dining room overlooking Le Bristol's lush garden provided an unforgettable setting for this remarkable culinary journey through modern French gastronomy.