I am constantly on the lookout for new outings, experiences, and discoveries in every field and theme that our beautiful capital has to offer.
I recently had a wonderful experience testing one of the oenological evenings that take place on Fridays at the Bistrot du Sommelier, and I would like to share it with you.
This restaurant, opened in 1984 by Philippe Faure-Brac (voted best sommelier in the world in 1992), has just been completely renovated with the help of architect Franck Dupuy.
These Winemaker’s Fridays, featuring a communal table style, are regular events that take place almost every Friday of the month (for both lunch and dinner), and it is an opportunity for the house to host a winemaker who comes to talk about their estate.
All of this takes place over a meal with food & wine pairings, and at the table, you’ll find not only the winemaker but also Philippe Faure-Brac, whose personality is both joyful and imposing.
The nice thing is that you find yourself at a table with a majority of people you don’t know, which is a pleasant and friendly way to make new acquaintances.
At the beginning of the dinner, which starts with a small, informal aperitif around the table, you might still feel a bit shy and reserved, but I assure you that by the end of the meal, after having tasted 6 different wines (2 whites and 4 reds that evening), tongues loosen up and the exchanges become warmer; that is the magic of wine!
During this Winemaker’s Friday, we discovered wines from the Rhône Valley, from the TerraVentoux winery. This vineyard is located in the heart of Provence, at the foot of Mont Ventoux.
I must admit I was completely blown away by these wines. I didn’t really know what to expect, and it was a wonderful discovery (I believe I wasn’t the only one in that situation that evening…).
In addition to the wine tasting, 3 people from the TerraVentoux estate were present on-site to answer our questions, introduce us to the vineyard, and explain the choice of pairing the wines with the dinner dishes.
As a bonus, I was captivated by the wine tourism aspect developed by the TerreVentoux winery through various wine tourism initiatives that I am very keen to test in the near future!
A truly lovely experience for a very reasonable price in the end (€50 for lunch and €75 for dinner), which I therefore recommend to wine lovers who want to discover new appellations and have a great time in the company of other connoisseurs.
Bistrot du Sommelier 97, boulevard Haussmann 75008 Paris
Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan Photos not royalty-free; photographer's authorization required before any use
