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+--- Thread: Traveling Abroad (/thread-17420.html)
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- Fetzergirl - 09-11-2005
Hello All, I'm new to this site and the wine world but I will be traveling through London, Paris and parts of Germany at the end of the month and I wanted to bring back some good wine for a moderate price. I usually like reds but I'm open to whites. I don't usually like the really sweet wines. Does anybody have some good vineyard advice or at least a good place to go, over there? Thank you for your help.
- Bucko - 09-11-2005
Howdy! Glad you found us. Your request is far too broad for us to be of help. Can you be more specific as to exactly what wine regions you will be visiting, wines you have tried that you like, etc.?
- Thomas - 09-12-2005
In Europe, mostly, you don't just drop into wineries unannounced (I said mostly).
They are not set up with tasting rooms the way we are in the USA. Wine is not a tourism business there--yet.
[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 09-12-2005).]
- Thraz - 09-12-2005
The area most convenient to Paris is probably the Loire region. Mostly whites, but if you go to Chinon for example, you will find many red wine producers. They use cabernet franc and make light to medium bodied wines - many of them very good. Chinon is about two and a half hours from Paris, and is a very beautiful town with a lot of well-preserved medieval architecture. It's easier to stay the night if coming from Paris though (a lot of charming hotels right in town). If you think you might be interested, buy a few bottles of Chinon to try ahead of your trip, then call the producers of the ones you like, most are likely to be family operations and usually very friendly in that area. Then you can catch a chateau or two.
- Fetzergirl - 09-12-2005
Thanks for your help, I will do that, as to what wines I've tried, I like Fetzer's cab-sav and some of the Five Rivers Ranch chardonnay, I like Rodney Strong as well. I don't have specific places that I'm going to so I'm willing to go outside Paris to get to the good wines.Thanks again.
- Thraz - 09-12-2005
If you do pursue the Chinon idea (if you decide you like the style of wines), and need some help, let me know I can give you some pointers on where to stay and how to approach vineyards. I highly recommend it, the area and the town are so beautiful that it is not really a wine trip, more like an all-around great destination that also has great wine.
- wondersofwine - 09-12-2005
In Germany you might look for wines in Bernkastel if you visit the Mosel River Valley or in Rudesheim along the Rhine River (Rheingau wines). For dryer German white wines look for Trocken or Halb Trocken on the label. Some Kabinett wines will seem dry (maybe not the 2003 wines when Europe experienced a very hot summer and grapes ripened early). Paris will have many wine shops if you don't get to the vineyard areas.
- wdonovan - 09-13-2005
If you're not leaving the cities of Paris or London, how about visiting some of the great wine stores of the world in lieu of seeing vineyards. In Paris, Lavinia., 3 Blvd de la Madeleine or Les Caves Taillevent. First probably has biggest selection, second is arguably the oldest wine merchant in Paris.
In London, it has to be Berry Bros. & Rudd, 3 James St. Worth the visit.
- Fetzergirl - 09-13-2005
Thanks for the wine shop info, if I can't make it out of the city I can definitly stop there, that's really helpful.
- Fetzergirl - 09-15-2005
Hey Thraz, thanks for your help with the Chinon idea, it would be really awesome to do but looking at my budget I won't be able to get out of Paris; but I will hit you up again the next time I go to France. I'm probably going to have to stick with the wine shops.
- Thraz - 09-16-2005
Anytime - have a great time.
- wdonovan - 09-21-2005
Hey Ms Fetzer,
If you find yourself in Paris around 4 to 5 PM and it's a tad too early for wine..... go to either Angelina (walk about 4 blocks west on Rue Rivoli from the Louvre) or Laduree (walk about 5 blocks east down Champs Elysee from the Arch de Triomphe). Both are Salons de The (or tea houses). If you get to Laduree try the mille fueille (the spelling is undoubtedly wrong) which means "a thousand feathers". It is what we call a Napolean. They also have their own version of a macaroon that will be in your dreams for months. If you get to Angelina's, skip the tea with your snack, get the hot chocolate. You won't forget it. Why, you ask, will you be looking for tea and pastry at 5PM? Because the restaurants don't open 'til about 8PM. Better idea... stay 2 days and go to both!
One tip for London. Don't order a bloody Mary. Mary was from London so they call it a bloody Caesar. Have a great trip and report back if you would.
- Thraz - 09-21-2005
Aaaarrrrgghhh Angelina. Not about wine anymore, but if the moderators allow me: get the hot chocolate as wdonovan said (it's called "Africain"), and get a "Mont Blanc" to go with it. Decadent. A Mont Blanc is made with cream and sweetened chestnut cream - nothing like it in the US, but you won't forget it, especially Angelina's version. Or go after dinner, for dessert.
- robr - 09-21-2005
I don't want to be a wet blanket, but...
I have been reading all these mouth-watering descriptions of French desserts and have my own tip for you. If you drink three or more glasses of wine with dinner, and then top it off with one of these rich sugary treats you may regret it later.
My advice is drink wine, or eat decadent desserts, but don't mix the two together. It's certain to cause dire gasto-intestinal distress, and could ruin a wonderful vacation!
- wdonovan - 09-22-2005
bern,
Maybe I can get one more real quick non-wine blurt in here before we all get asked to cease and desist....
Not dessert but high tea. About 3 hours before dinner. For us it's the snack after touring for the day, before returning to the hotel for a short, well-deserved nap then spiffying up for dinner (which you're not going to find before 8:00 or 8:30PM.
- Fetzergirl - 09-22-2005
you guys are awesome thank you for the tips, I love desserts as much as I love wine (thank god for a high metabolism rate) so I'll have to try that. I leave a week from today and don't come back until October 13. You guys will get all the juicy details ( well most of them anyway)
- TheEngineer - 09-22-2005
I love Laduree. I once went to Paris jsut to get its Macaroons again....
The two stores in particular are the ones on 21 rue Bonaparte (which is in the middle of Saint-Germain-des-Prés) and the original store at 16, rue Royale. The one on Champs Elysees is pretty good too but...you don't get the same Parisian feeling.
Sorry not wine related but man...great pastries
- TheEngineer - 09-22-2005
Oh yeah...the other place I really like for pastries is Dalloyau.
- Fetzergirl - 09-24-2005
To TheEngII,
The two stores you were talking of on rue Bonaparte and rue Royale were they Laduree? Sorry I think I missed something.
Thanks again.
Fetzergirl
- TheEngineer - 09-24-2005
Yes, it was....now that you mention it, there is the immediate area around the Madeline that have the mustard house Maille, Fachon (definitely worth an afternoon tea and then a visit to their shop), and many other foodstores.... Awww Ma Gawd.....I wanna go backkkkkkk!