Most travellers flock to Paris to find love, escape the travails of a humdrum existence, or recover the vestiges of a long lost art. The City of Lights is well-endowed to address these desiderata—in accompaniment with an exceptional glass of wine. The wines of Paris are exquisite creations that come from world-renowned vineyards dotted around the French countryside. Each delectable product of time-tested viticulture abides by the principle of terroir: the unique colour, taste, and texture of a glass of wine is intrinsically affected by its geographical origin. Most bars in Paris play host to several popular grape varieties, including Cabarnet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot noir, and Sauvignon Blanc, as well as choice variants like Beaujolais and Touraine. While emerging wine enthusiasts may choose to take a wine tasting tour offered by many venerable establishments in the 16th arrondissement, seasoned oenophiles are certain to find their way to Saint-Germain-des-Prés and Les Enfants Rouges market.
A necessary destination to flag off any odyssey in pursuit of wine is the Musée du Vin. Located at 5, Square Charles Dickens, a stone’s throw away from the Trocadéro, the museum offers a historical overview of the French craft of winemaking through ancient tools of viticulture, winemaking, and wine sampling. Guests can combine their museum visit with an à la carte lunch paired with a selection of prized wines in the 15th century vaulted cellars of Passy Abbey.
Restaurant Le Bois, which is a short walk away, is a delightful bistro which offers a diverse selection of wines and savoury platters of cheese and charcuterie. Frequented by local habitués, this establishment credibly captures the flavours of gastronomie parisienne with an unmatched selection of aperos and digestifs. In keeping with savoir faire, pairing red wine with red meats and tomato-based dishes and white wine with chicken, seafood, or even dessert is encouraged.
The cobbled streets of Montmartre, a short taxi ride away, present an opportunity to visit Vignes du Clos Montmartre, the only vineyard inside Paris. Planted in 1933 to stall urban constructions, the vineyard is presently accessible in a guided tour only during the Harvest Festival. At this time, visitors are allowed to bid on bottles of Clos Montmartre—only 1,000 of which are produced each year.
Wine aficionados will find the perfect retreat in the heart of Paris in One Authentic Properties’ lavish apartment Poincaré. Providing luxury short and long lets in Paris, Poincaré embodies the ubiquitous Haussmannian aesthetics of the city. This luxury apartment in Paris houses a full-size kitchen, grand dining room with a view of the city, a private executive office, two expansive salons, four opulent bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, and two proximate parking spaces. The property is furnished with state-of-the-art audio, lighting, and air conditioning systems as well as an integrated security system. Concierge, chef and butler, and chauffer services are provided à la carte. For an experience worthy of a maturing sommelier, Poincaré is the ideal sanctuary to drink, to think, and celebrate the timelessness of wine.