When it comes to wines, one of the best deals of the year remains the traditional Wine Fair (Foire aux Vins) that arrives in supermarkets across France during the month of September. It’s the perfect opportunity to stock up on bottles at great prices, as well as to discover a wonderful selection of vineyards. You know my passion and love for wine, as well as the sharing that happens around enjoying this drink. So, this year, I’ve put together my little selection of must-haves at Carrefour and Auchan.
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Carrefour Wine Fair 2014
As for the dates, the Carrefour Wine Fair will run from September 9 to September 22, 2014, in hypermarkets and from September 19 to October 5, 2014, in Markets.
In total, it will feature over 1,000 references (700 in hypermarkets and 355 in Markets).
Honestly, having tasted a few of these wines in advance, I can tell you that the quality-to-price ratio is definitely worth the trip! It’s primarily an opportunity to stock your cellar at a lower cost, with some very interesting bottles.
My personal selection in hypermarkets:
- 2013 Organic Languedoc by Hecht & Bannier – €5.90 (a typically Mediterranean red wine with fruity notes, perfect with a pissaladière or lamb chops with herbs)
- A Corbières Boutenac, Château Ollieux Romanis “Cuvée Aristide” 2011 – €7.95
- Cahors Château de Hautes Serres 2012 by Georges Vigouroux – €12.95 (a 100% Malbec red wine with long, silky tannins, ideal with duck) and Lafleur de Haute Serre 2012 – €6.50 / The winemaker from this estate even offers a complete wine and gastronomy package, as he welcomes you to his château in the Lot region with a Relais & Château hotel, vineyards, and a gourmet restaurant (something to give you ideas for an upcoming weekend…)
- 37-year-old Amber Rivesaltes by Marc Parcé – €14.90 (natural sweet wine, ideal for a little aperitif, with a chocolate dessert, or to accompany pan-seared foie gras)
- Sancerre 2009 (Loire Valley), Fouassier estate – €10.90 (a white wine ideal with game or certain aged cheeses)
- Maury Hors d’Âge Dauvergne Rannier Parcé – €9.90 (red natural sweet wine with aromas of cooked fruit, perfect with a chocolate dessert or as a digestif after the meal)
My personal selection in markets:
- Coteau du Layon 2013, Château la Varière – €8.90 (my favorite dessert wine, with its golden hue and delicious notes, great with foie gras, a tiramisu, or a blue cheese)
If you want to prepare for your wine fair a little in advance, the mobile app and the Carrefour website allow you to view the offers in a blink of an eye. From August 23 to September 8, 2014, the Drive service also allows you to reserve your bottles from a selection of 355 references and come collect them calmly during the Wine Fair.
The tip: “Preview” evenings will also be organized in Carrefour hypermarkets on September 9 and 10, 2014, and in Markets on September 18.
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Auchan Wine Fair 2014
From September 10 to 24, the 119 Auchan hypermarkets are offering the selection made by the brand’s wine team who, throughout the year, travel through the vineyards to hunt down good vintages.
For 2 weeks, 150 identical wines will be available throughout France, including 23 buyer favorites.
The rest of the offer is specific to each region, totaling about 300 wines including 4 regional favorites.
The tip: Auchan promises the best pleasure-to-price ratio in all vineyards and for a large number of vintages starting from €2.
The Wine Fair selection will be promoted via 12 brochures and a web catalog available on the Auchan website.
My personal selection:
- Chianti Colli Senesi, Bindi Sergadi 2012 – €7.50
- Languedoc, Domaine de Fabrègues Le Coeur 2009 – €9.90
- Côte de Castillon, Château Joanin Bécot 2012 – €14.95
- Santenay 1er Cru Beauregard, Domaine Roger Belland 2012 – €22.60
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The Wine Fair with Le Petit Ballon
Le Petit Ballon is a French company that offers wine boxes to make wine more accessible, easier to buy, and also simpler to enjoy. The concept is simple: you choose the desired plan (examples: 100% organic, grape without borders, fine vintage, Brewer’s word…), the duration of the subscription, personalize your gift card, and then each month you receive your box and bottles at home via Colissimo. For the wine fair, the team at Le Petit Ballon has selected wines, sometimes off the beaten path, so that “every consumer finds the perfect bottle for them“.
Le Petit Ballon Wine Fair
from September 1 to October 1, 2023
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Community site dedicated to wine: Les Grappes
September saw the launch of the site Les Grappes, which allows wine lovers to discover and buy wines directly from independent producers without leaving their homes. The site presents itself as a virtual exchange platform that puts producers and consumers in direct contact.
The tip: consumers benefit on one hand from attractive prices and free shipping, and on the other from an enriched shopping experience by discovering the world of wine as well as talented, passionate, and fascinating producers.
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The Millésimes wine fair
This brand, born in the south of France in Fontvieille, has been hunting down rare wines since 1984. The idea, bold at the time, was to gather the greatest French wines from all regions in one single offer. In 2004, the brand developed e-commerce, thus making their good bottles accessible to all enthusiasts across France and abroad with 24-hour delivery.
My recommendations for this 2023 wine fair: Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon 2021 (Burgundy, Macon – Milly – Lamartine) €24; Domaine Thomas Morey Le Puits 2020 (Burgundy, Saint-Aubin 1er Cru) €37; Domaine Ramonet 2020 (Burgundy, Chassagne-Montrachet) €49; Domaine Lumpp, Le Pied du Clou 2021 (Burgundy Givry 1er Cru) €36; Chapelle St Théodoric La Guigasse 2020 (Rhône, Chateauneuf-du-Pape) €68; Domaine Maxime Magnon La Begou 2021 (Corbières white) €26.40; Domaine des Quatre Piliers Chapitre 1 2020 (Loire, Touraine) €18; Domaine Jonathan Didier Pabiot Léon 2021 (Loire, Pouilly fumé) €21.60.
Autumn 2023 Millésimes Wine Fair
from September 12 to October 2, 2023
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So, ready to grab some great deals during this Wine Fair? If you have any wine recommendations to buy, don’t hesitate to leave your tips in the comments!
