8 Best Wine Tasting in Paris, France (+ Vineyards)
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Written by Joshua Lagandaon
Swinging by the City of Love? We’ve selected eight of the best Paris wine tasting options to satisfy your love for vin. Cheers to that!
France’s longstanding love story with wine is world-renowned. As the world’s wine capital, each region in France has its take on wine, with vintners throwing in local flavors and unique twists.
Since the 6th century, France has been hard at work mastering the art of wine-making. Before this, wine came from the Italians, who exported their wine to France’s noble families.
The French fell head over heels with the bittersweet fermented juice that sparked a cultural obsession – a passion for making wine they could call their own.
Years later, the love for wine blossomed into a real art form. Armed with wine-making techniques from the Romans, the French constructed their vineyards, further perfecting the art.
Wine Tasting in Paris
In Paris, wine-making has been elevated to whole new levels. Here, wine is revered and even venerated. The oldest vineyard in Paris dates back to 945, built by the abbey of Montmartre.
With wine drinking as the national pass-time, almost every street in Paris is dotted with bars specializing in the very best wines.
You’ll find a variety of Paris wine-tasting tours in the city, from two-hour classes that guide you through the particulars of French wine to whole-day educational escapades with a professional sommelier.
Some tours pair wines with cheese or chocolate, while others are historically or pop-culturally themed to give tourists a whole new perspective.
Whether a wine connoisseur or a pinot noir newbie, a Paris winery tour will tickle your wine-tasting tastebuds. We listed down the best wine tastings in Paris to give you a headstart on your Parisian wine-tasting journey.
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1. Discover the magic of wine and cheese
Cheese is to wine as Romeo is to Juliet – their pairing is a love story that withstands the test of time. There’s nothing like the tart acidity of the wine to instantly refresh the palate after nibbling on a slice of rich, fatty cheese. Paroles de Fromagers, the only cheese school in Paris, brings the magic of this perfect pairing to life.
Founded in 2017 to establish a place in Paris where traditional cheeses can be made, aged, tasted, and bought, Paroles de Fromagers is a cheese and wine shop that offers cheese-making workshops, cheese, and wine tasting workshops, and teaching and immersion programs for future cheesemakers.
The tour: Try this cheese-making workshop with a wine-tasting tour for Paris’s best cheese and wine tasting. This Paris wine tour includes a cheese-making tutorial from an English-speaking cheese master.
Expect to learn about the different French cheese varieties, visit a cheese-aging cellar, make your own “tomme fraiche” cheese, and pair your creations with excellent wine for an authentic French culinary experience.
Looking to take something home? The school’s cheese shop offers a delicious assemblage of traditional cheeses, charcuterie, wines, and other delicatessens. Read our full review from our experience at this wine and cheese tasting.
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2. Wine and dine at O Chateau
To help Paris visitors have a deeper understanding of French wine, Olivier Magny founded O Chateau in 2004. What started as a small tasting operation became one of Paris’ most popular wine-tasting establishments.
With over 500 wines, this wine bar and restaurant are the first in Paris to receive the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.
Visitors looking for some of the best Paris wine tastings will find a variety of events at O Chateau, each catering to different budgets and tastes. The two-hour Wine Tasting Dinner (€99 per person) includes samplings of four wines over a three-course meal with a professional sommelier.
Visitors looking for lighter fare will enjoy the two-hour wine and cheese tasting event (€75 per person), which includes five glasses of wine and a variety of cheeses and charcuteries.
The tour: Plan your whole experience with this wine-tasting dinner tour in O Chateau, one of the best wine tours in Paris, France. Enjoy a four-course meal with five different wines from various regions in France. A professional sommelier will teach you how to read wine labels with tips on selecting and tasting wine.
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3. Pit beer vs. wine in Bastille
Bastille, the epicenter of the French Revolution, is more than just the allure of its historic sights. Here, you’ll find trendy creative scenes, numerous bistros, and watering holes where you can get your foodie game on.
If you’re looking for the perfect Parisian experience, this historical neighborhood offers many things to see and taste.
The tour: If you love all forms of alcohol and you’re not one to snob a humble pint of beer, this beer vs. wine tour in Bastille takes you through the neighborhood’s bars and taverns where you can sample beers and local wines while learning about Paris’ history.
This three-hour tour allows you to taste through the city, sampling an assortment of cheese, snails, or charcuterie paired with a glass of wine or beer.
The adventure begins in Place de la Bastille, where the French Revolution started, before trotting to a historic bistro where you’ll sample French snails and a glass of wine.
Next is a tour of the artsy Faubourg Saint-Antoine neighborhood and into some of Paris’ quintessential wine bars, where you’ll pair wines with delectable rillettes, pates, and smoked hams.
After having your fill of France’s best charcuterie, you’ll be swinging by Marche d’Aligre, one of Paris’ oldest markets, to sample an assortment of cheeses and onto a famous beer bar that serves 300 different beers.
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4. Sip wine in style at Le Marais
A visit to Paris is incomplete without stopping by Le Marais – the closest you’ll ever get to the feel of real medieval Paris with its pre-revolutionary buildings and historical streets.
Travelers looking for a cultural escapade will never run out of things to explore, from its fashionable art galleries and trendy shops to its lively gay bars and low-fashion boutiques.
For foodies and wine lovers, there’s plenty to explore. You’ll find a number of outstanding food and wine options within Marais’ labyrinth of fashionable streets.
The Marche des Enfants Rouges, located near the Picasso Museum, is a lively indoor market offering oysters, fresh fish, a variety of cheeses, seasonal fruits, cured meats, and vegetables. A wine merchant can help you choose wine to pair with your food.
The tour: For a complete Paris wine-tasting experience, leave it to the professional tour guides of this Marais Walking Food Tour.
This off-the-beaten-path adventure includes tastings of French cheeses served on baguettes and paired with wine, pastries, chocolates, and various charcuteries.
You’ll be stopping by some of the locals’ favorite stores with a knowledgeable tour guide sharing tidbits of Parisian history.
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5. Pair culture with a cabernet at Les Caves du Louvre
When in Paris, a visit to the Louvre is compulsory. As the world’s largest art museum, this world-renowned landmark in the city’s 1st arrondissement is the stuff of bucket lists. It is, after all, the world’s most visited museum, with an assemblage of pieces from old civilizations to the mid-19th century.
For wine connoisseurs, there’s no better way to discuss art than over wine, and luckily enough, Les Caves du Louvre is just a four-minute walk from the iconic museum.
Founded by King Louis XV’s sommelier, Les Caves du Louvre is a former royal wine cellar, now a popular Paris winery specializing in offering extraordinary experiences. Les Caves du Louvre boasts nine rooms offering visitors a different wine experience.
For example, The Winery houses wines from 15 different grape varieties; the Private Tasting Room is an elegant tasting room that may be booked for tastings, meetings, or special dinners; the Terroirs Room allows visitors to learn about the importance of soil in wine, while the Aromas Room is set in a nest of wood, allowing guests to stimulate their olfactory sense.
The tour: This two-in-one Louver Museum tour offers the best of both worlds for travelers looking to explore the Louvre and the Les Caves du Louvre. With skip-the-line access, you can get in without the wait and enjoy the Louvre at your own pace.
After having your fill of art, you’ll be swinging by Les Caves du Louvre to taste three different wine varieties with a professional sommelier who will walk you through your Paris wine-tasting experience.
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6. Match choco with vino
Pairing wine with chocolate can be tricky business – tannin from chocolate clashing with tannin from red wine can be a car crash on your palette waiting to happen.
But what should we do with Paris’s two most beloved products: vino and choco? Luckily, experts in Paris specialize in making the wine-chocolate love team happen.
Behind Paris’ expert chocolate craftsmanship are a number of revered artisans and Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsmen of France), including chocolatier Patrick Roger and globally-renowned expert Jean-Paul Hevin.
If you’re looking for a chocolate fix, there’s one in almost every corner, including Parisian classic Debauve & Gallais (the oldest chocolate store in the city) and Maison Pralus, which specializes in “barre infernal noir,” a 160g bar of chocolate crafted from the finest Madagascan cacao.
The tour: If you don’t know the nuances of pairing wine with chocolate, leave it to the experts. This two-hour Private Wine and Chocolate Tasting Experience allows travelers to experiment with a variety of chocolate and wine combinations.
A wine expert guides you through the experience while teaching you the best variations.
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7. Discover Parisian wine history through a vineyard
It’s no secret that most of the world’s best wines come from Bordeaux, the Rhone Valley, or Burgundy in France, but did you know that Paris played a massive part in the country’s wine-making culture?
The City of Love was France’s largest wine producer during the 18th century. Despite its unexceptional soil quality, the wine industry boomed in Paris. Vineyards were planted on 42,000 hectares of land by around 4,450 wine merchants.
While reading about Paris’ wine history can be a great way to know about the country’s love for vin, wine tasting with a knowledgeable sommelier offers the most thorough walkthrough.
The tour: This Latin Quarter Vineyard & Wine Bar Tour with Tastings offers a guided journey through the Latin Quarter while stopping by a carefully curated list of wine bars and shops.
The tour begins at Jardin des Plantes, where you’ll learn more about the vineyards of Paris’ past, and onto the Roman Arena, the Place de la Contrescarpe, and the Montagne Saint Genevieve. It also comes with tasting sessions and shared snacks made from fresh ingredients.
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8. Explore Loire Valley
Looking for wine tours from Paris? Known for its outstanding wines and unparalleled gastronomy, Loire Valley features aristocratic estates surrounded by sprawling vineyards and charming villages.
Once the home of kings, queens, nobles, and dukes, this 280-kilometer UNESCO World Heritage Site in central France’s Loire River is famous for its stunning chateaux and vibrant culture.
But tourists come here for more than just the spectacular pleasure palaces and breathtaking sights. If you’re looking for a winery near Paris, the Loire Valley is renowned locally for its outstanding wines (white, red, sparkling, and rose).
Loire Valley wines are popular for their variety and excellent value. Most wines here feature moderate alcohol with a refreshing minerality and acidity, making them exemplary food wines.
The tour: This Loire Valley Castles Full-Day Tour, which comes with an optional pick-up from your Paris hotel, takes you on a journey around the region’s castles and gardens while tasting some of France’s finest wines.
The journey begins with a stop at Chateau Amboise, the seat of the Court of Kings Charles VIII and Francois I. Next is at Chateau de Chenonceau, where you’ll learn about the castle’s history, and finally, at the royal Chateau de Chambord, where you can gawk over one of Europe’s best parks spanning 13,000 acres.