June 18, 2007
Wine Tasting In Paris
Mähler-Besse, Cheval Noir, 2002, Saint-Emilion (France) and many, many others!
When one is trying to become a wine snob, there is certainly no finer place to go than France. So it was rather spectacular timing that I had the opportunity to visit Paris, France just at the same time that I have come to discover wine. Wine is an institution in France. It is served at every restaurant and cafe and enjoyed with nearly every meal — as soda is to Americans, wine is to the French. I tried to make the most of my visit by having a glass of wine every night with dinner. I admit, I was mostly clueless about what I was actually ordering — the French appellation system continues to be way over my head — so I just picked something that looked good or sounded different. What I ended up with was a broad selection that varied from being very good to very, very bad and everywhere in between. What struck me most was that every glass was distinct in taste from nearly every other wine I’ve tried. I have yet to experience this great variety of flavors with the wine I’ve purchased in the US. Amongst the best wines were some strong and peppery reds and a delightfully refreshing rose. But I also had what was easily the worst wine I’d every tried. I decided to buy a bottle of cheap Bordeaux from a local shop near my hotel, figuring that even cheap wine in Paris was probably good wine. At 4 Euros what I got was nearly undrinkable! A sobering surprise that, even in France, you get what you pay for.
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