Glug, Glug: How to Enjoy Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Tasting in Paris
Beaujolais Nouveau Tasting Season in Paris: Overview and Info for 2014
The French may not celebrate Thanksgiving, but on the third Thursday of November they find something of their own to be thankful for: wine. To be specific, the yearly vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau, an unpretentious, freshly harvested and often fruity red wine that comes from the southern half of the Beaujolais region. Across the country the French celebrate by drinking Beaujolais and enjoying the ensuing revelry that comes from enjoying too much wine, and in the nation’s capital many wine shops offer free tastings or "dégustations" of the Gamay wine, accompanied by snacks.
A Beaujolais tasting tour of Paris is not for the weak of heart nor for the low of tolerance, but for the brave and foolhardy it is an excellent and unique way to explore the city and participate in some great free tastings. See our guide to the best wine bars in Paris for more suggestions on where to head this year and beyond. Also make sure to check out our complete guide to Paris for wine lovers.
Pictured here: Le Vin en Tête, a small chain of Parisian wine shops, led the celebrations this year. Each location offered "dégustations" of four varieties of Beaujolais Nouveau as well as an accompanying assortment of bread and charcuterie.
At their main wine bar, employees and customers worked together to fill bottles with Beaujolais Nouveau straight from the barrel. Inside, free tastings of the new vintage were offered while speakers blasted disco music, and an employee served up free cups of French onion soup from a large pot outside the bar.
Le Vin en Tête
53 rue Saint-Placide
Metro: Saint-Placide
Tastings at Cave Augé
At the Cave Augé on Boulevard Haussmann, one of the city's oldest wine bars, enthusiasts circled around a long wooden table in front of the store to taste the latest harvest of Beaujolais Nouveau. This wine shop offered free tastes of the new vintage starting at 11 am, possibly to capitalize on the high daytime foot traffic in the area.
Read related: Exploring the Bustling Grands Boulevards neighborhood
Cave Augé
116 Boulevard Haussmann
Metro: Saint-Augustin
Comparing and Contrasting Wines: A Lesson in Taste
At Le Vin en Tête Saint-George in the 9th arrondissement, four varieties of Beaujolais Nouveau were proudly displayed for tasting. An employee guided visitors through a tour of the wines from left to right and from a lighter, fruitier flavor to a darker and earthier wine.
Le Vin en Tete (St-Georges Location)
48 rue Notre Dame de Lorette
Metro: St Georges
At New Parisian Wine Bar Nectar des Batignolles
One new Parisian wine shop chose to open its doors for the first time to welcome Beaujolais Nouveau in 2011. The sign at Nectar des Batignolles (26 Boulevard des Batignolles) had yet to be hung above the door, but inside the owner proudly displayed his wares: a wall of wine bottles as well as specially chosen snacks and spreads. Free glasses of Beaujolais Nouveau were poured, accompanied by homemade snacks and organic charcuterie.
Nectar des Batigolles
26 boulevard des Batignolles
Metro: Place de Clichy or Rome
Following a Different Drummer: Beaujolais Crus
At a wine shop named “Mes Accords Mets Vins”, also in the 17th arrondissement, the owner offered a change of pace, guiding visitors through a tour of the varieties of Beaujolais from the North of the region (these are called Beaujolais Crus). The owner proudly stated that he had no interest in Beaujolais Nouveau, and after tasting his wines I had to agree that they had a more interesting flavor overall, which he attributed to the large number of minerals in the area.
Mes Accords Mets Vins
10 rue Bridaine
Metro: La Fourche or Rome
At Le Vin en Tête's Batignolles shop in the 17th arrondissement, the same four varieties of Beaujolais Nouveau were proudly displayed alongside charcuterie and sliced baguette. An employee tasted the wine with potential customers and discussed the differences between each bottle. The black bucket on the left side of the table is used to discard extra wine from your glass after tasting. This was a common fixture at wine shops that night and a necessary one for those hoping to make it all the way across the city for tastings.
Le Vin en Tete (Batignolles shop)
30 rue Batignolles
Metro: La Fourche
There was no free wine to be had at well-known Paris wine bar Au Sauvignon, which specializes in the young Gamay variety, but there were free straw hats and a roving guitar player inside. The outside of the wine bar was adorned with festive signs celebrating the annual arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau.
Au Sauvignon
80 rue des Saints-Père
Metro:Sèvres-Babylone, Saint-Sulpice
The French may not celebrate Thanksgiving, but on the third Thursday of November they find something of their own to be thankful for: wine. To be specific, the yearly vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau, an unpretentious, freshly harvested and often fruity red wine that comes from the southern half of the Beaujolais region. Across the country the French celebrate by drinking Beaujolais and enjoying the ensuing revelry that comes from enjoying too much wine, and in the nation’s capital many wine shops offer free tastings or "dégustations" of the Gamay wine, accompanied by snacks.
A Beaujolais tasting tour of Paris is not for the weak of heart nor for the low of tolerance, but for the brave and foolhardy it is an excellent and unique way to explore the city and participate in some great free tastings. See our guide to the best wine bars in Paris for more suggestions on where to head this year and beyond. Also make sure to check out our complete guide to Paris for wine lovers.
Pictured here: Le Vin en Tête, a small chain of Parisian wine shops, led the celebrations this year. Each location offered "dégustations" of four varieties of Beaujolais Nouveau as well as an accompanying assortment of bread and charcuterie.
At their main wine bar, employees and customers worked together to fill bottles with Beaujolais Nouveau straight from the barrel. Inside, free tastings of the new vintage were offered while speakers blasted disco music, and an employee served up free cups of French onion soup from a large pot outside the bar.
Le Vin en Tête
53 rue Saint-Placide
Metro: Saint-Placide
Tastings at Cave Augé
At the Cave Augé on Boulevard Haussmann, one of the city's oldest wine bars, enthusiasts circled around a long wooden table in front of the store to taste the latest harvest of Beaujolais Nouveau. This wine shop offered free tastes of the new vintage starting at 11 am, possibly to capitalize on the high daytime foot traffic in the area.
Read related: Exploring the Bustling Grands Boulevards neighborhood
Cave Augé
116 Boulevard Haussmann
Metro: Saint-Augustin
Comparing and Contrasting Wines: A Lesson in Taste
At Le Vin en Tête Saint-George in the 9th arrondissement, four varieties of Beaujolais Nouveau were proudly displayed for tasting. An employee guided visitors through a tour of the wines from left to right and from a lighter, fruitier flavor to a darker and earthier wine.
Le Vin en Tete (St-Georges Location)
48 rue Notre Dame de Lorette
Metro: St Georges
At New Parisian Wine Bar Nectar des Batignolles
One new Parisian wine shop chose to open its doors for the first time to welcome Beaujolais Nouveau in 2011. The sign at Nectar des Batignolles (26 Boulevard des Batignolles) had yet to be hung above the door, but inside the owner proudly displayed his wares: a wall of wine bottles as well as specially chosen snacks and spreads. Free glasses of Beaujolais Nouveau were poured, accompanied by homemade snacks and organic charcuterie.
Nectar des Batigolles
26 boulevard des Batignolles
Metro: Place de Clichy or Rome
Following a Different Drummer: Beaujolais Crus
At a wine shop named “Mes Accords Mets Vins”, also in the 17th arrondissement, the owner offered a change of pace, guiding visitors through a tour of the varieties of Beaujolais from the North of the region (these are called Beaujolais Crus). The owner proudly stated that he had no interest in Beaujolais Nouveau, and after tasting his wines I had to agree that they had a more interesting flavor overall, which he attributed to the large number of minerals in the area.
Mes Accords Mets Vins
10 rue Bridaine
Metro: La Fourche or Rome
At Le Vin en Tête's Batignolles shop in the 17th arrondissement, the same four varieties of Beaujolais Nouveau were proudly displayed alongside charcuterie and sliced baguette. An employee tasted the wine with potential customers and discussed the differences between each bottle. The black bucket on the left side of the table is used to discard extra wine from your glass after tasting. This was a common fixture at wine shops that night and a necessary one for those hoping to make it all the way across the city for tastings.
Le Vin en Tete (Batignolles shop)
30 rue Batignolles
Metro: La Fourche
There was no free wine to be had at well-known Paris wine bar Au Sauvignon, which specializes in the young Gamay variety, but there were free straw hats and a roving guitar player inside. The outside of the wine bar was adorned with festive signs celebrating the annual arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau.
Au Sauvignon
80 rue des Saints-Père
Metro:Sèvres-Babylone, Saint-Sulpice
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