Buying wine in France while on holiday

[Type R Tom]

This question seems silly, but I’m a bit naive. I’m on holiday in France for the first time this summer, spending nine days in the Loire Valley and nine days west of Bordeaux. I like my wine, but I’m a bit clueless about how to buy it in France. I’ve looked at some chateaux/vineyards online, and most seem well out of my price range.

So, how does one find decent but good value bottles besides supermarkets?

[Exiled Imp]

You can try the ubiquitous vintner "Nicolas" https://www.nicolas.com/

Other than that, most towns in wine regions will have a local vintner.

One care point is duty free allowance when taking it back to the UK

[Harpoon]

You could also lookup the Maison des Vins - there's one in Bordeaux and Bergerac. Chance to taste from different vineyards without the travelling.

I think it was the Bergerac MdV we picked up a leaflet for a vineyard which mentioned they spoke English. My French was rubbish then (the English was a big plus point), so we rang and arranged a visit. The owners were English and happy to take us round the vines, then spend the afternoon sat outside their house, enjoying the sunshine, with some very generous measures of wine accompanied with bread & cheese. Shame I was driving but Mrs Harpoon had an excellent afternoon!

It's changed hands since we went but the new owners offer a paid tasting session

https://chateaulestevenie.com/the-wine-food-experi...

[ferret50]

36 litres or 48 standard size bottles is your 'duty free' allowance per adult.

I have never bought at the vineyard gate, but a big French supermarket's wine section see's me behaving like a child in a sweet shop!

I bought half a dozen bottles of Gigondas at a Leclerc hypermarket just outside Chartres a few weeks back, worked out at about £11/bottle, UK online retailers are offering similar from £25/bottle.

Sadly, French tax has risen sharply over the last few years and 'cheap' wine is more difficult to find. I suspect that those who live in rural France are making their own.

[Exiled Imp]

For wine, it's 18 litres per adult (24 standard size bottles). Even if you're over, you can claim an exemption from customs duty (but not from excise duty or VAT)

https://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal...

In any case, better to stay under the duty-free allowance to avoid additional costs

[z4RRSchris]

Type R Tom said:

This question seems silly, but I’m a bit naive. I’m on holiday in France for the first time this summer, spending nine days in the Loire Valley and nine days west of Bordeaux. I like my wine, but I’m a bit clueless about how to buy it in France. I’ve looked at some chateaux/vineyards online, and most seem well out of my price range.

So, how does one find decent but good value bottles besides supermarkets?

depends what you class as "good value", your going to bordeaux... even a second wine from lynch is going to be £30 a bottle en prim

St Emillion town has a load of wine shops who will help you out, other than that drive to the vineyard, they will let you try it for free and then if you like, buy the wine... the bigger estates you'll have to book and there will be a cost.

[nickfrog]

Hypermarkets (Auchan, Leclerc, Carrefour etc...), best choice, best price.

[ferret50]

Exiled Imp said:

For wine, it's 18 litres per adult (24 standard size bottles). Even if you're over, you can claim an exemption from customs duty (but not from excise duty or VAT)

https://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal...

In any case, better to stay under the duty-free allowance to avoid additional costs

You are correct, we have travelled for so long as a couple!

[LooneyTunes]

z4RRSchris said:

Type R Tom said:

This question seems silly, but I’m a bit naive. I’m on holiday in France for the first time this summer, spending nine days in the Loire Valley and nine days west of Bordeaux. I like my wine, but I’m a bit clueless about how to buy it in France. I’ve looked at some chateaux/vineyards online, and most seem well out of my price range.

So, how does one find decent but good value bottles besides supermarkets?

depends what you class as "good value", your going to bordeaux... even a second wine from lynch is going to be £30 a bottle en prim

St Emillion town has a load of wine shops who will help you out, other than that drive to the vineyard, they will let you try it for free and then if you like, buy the wine... the bigger estates you'll have to book and there will be a cost.

They won't be selling en primeur at the property? In any event, the 2024 is an easy pass for most of them...

I tend to find that the main value at the large properties is being able to buy older vintages with good provenance and the occasional special release. For the smaller ones its being able to get them at all (not all import to the UK) but with the caveat that visiting you'll often be the only people there, so it can sometimes feel like there is a bit of pressure to buy.

There's a good wine shop on the main square in Bdx, especially for larger formats, but not incredibly cheap.

Supermarkets are better value than UK for daily drinkers, especially if you stick to the same price point and get a better wine for your money.

Don't let it cook in the car!

[T697JVS]

We always buy some Chateau Pierrail when we’re in the vicinity.

http://www.chateau-pierrail.fr/en.html

[captain_cynic]

Exiled Imp said:

For wine, it's 18 litres per adult (24 standard size bottles). Even if you're over, you can claim an exemption from customs duty (but not from excise duty or VAT)

https://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal...

In any case, better to stay under the duty-free allowance to avoid additional costs

Remember that you can bring in 4 litres of spirits or 9 litres champagne as well.

How much is a bottle of Grey Goose in France. Best I've done is US$30 a litre (in Bogota of all places).

[z4RRSchris]

LooneyTunes said:

They won't be selling en primeur at the property? In any event, the 2024 is an easy pass for most of them...

All of them, terrible year - when they are struggling to offload Mouton at £1500 a case and lafite at £1700 you know its done. Ive picked up pichon baron but only becuase i like having it and dont want to miss a year.

My point was more what do you consider "good value", if its just good drinking wine just head to the shops in bordeaux / st Em and load up on whatevers on offer.

[LooneyTunes]

z4RRSchris said:

All of them, terrible year - when they are struggling to offload Mouton at £1500 a case and lafite at £1700 you know its done. Ive picked up pichon baron but only becuase i like having it and dont want to miss a year.

My point was more what do you consider "good value", if its just good drinking wine just head to the shops in bordeaux / st Em and load up on whatevers on offer.

Agree! Price is a huge factor when it comes to what’d be recommend.

Re 2024, I think it’s the first vintage in 20 years that I’ve completely passed on, even for midweek halves. There were a couple that were slightly tempting but there are better out there for the same/not much more money.

[Type R Tom]

Thanks all.

Apologies; I should have been specific. I'd be looking for bottles in the £8-£12 range for everyday drinking. We are away for 19 days, so we have a budget. There will probably be a few nicer ones to take home, too.

The supermarket is the best bet or wine shops, instead of getting stuff direct.

[z4RRSchris]

10 euro a bottle. supermarket,

[LooneyTunes]

Yes, supermarket will be the best bet at that sort of price range.

When it comes to recent Bordeaux vintages, all other things being equal, keep an eye out for the 2016 and 2020 vintage. Avoid 2021 and 2024. Other recent vintages are pretty good but they’re the most notable ones. You’ll find some people talk highly about 2019 (and the pricing for these is often pretty keen due to their original release prices) but the generally higher alcohol levels can push them a bit out of balance.

[mikef]

Type R Tom said:

nine days west of Bordeaux

West of Bordeaux sounds like the Médoc down to Arcachon. I had a French friend who ran tours are one of the top châteaux in Pauillac, in the Médoc. The family bought their everyday wines at the Cave Co-op de Pauillac, now renamed as La Cave Rose Pauillac. May be worth a look

[omniflow]

St. Emilion has a Co-operative, which is some kind of local / community thing. They sell lots of wine including bag-in-a-box type stuff. It's all produced locally and the wine is pretty good VFM. I'm fairly sure this type of thing exists elsewhere.

Alternatively, what you're looking for is a "Cave" - which is a wine shop. The Cave de Lugny is awesome, but probably nowhere near where you're going to be.

You will only be able to buy French wine, as the French don't acknowledge that other countries also make wine, which is in many cases, better than the stuff they make.

[blueg33]

There are loads of small producers on the Loire and petit Loir. They often have signs at the side of the road saying “degustation du vins”. You usually meet the owner and taste the wines in a barn. The results are variable but it is fun.

Best value though is always the supermarket.

[Type R Tom]

mikef said:

Type R Tom said:

nine days west of Bordeaux

West of Bordeaux sounds like the Médoc down to Arcachon. I had a French friend who ran tours are one of the top châteaux in Pauillac, in the Médoc. The family bought their everyday wines at the Cave Co-op de Pauillac, now renamed as La Cave Rose Pauillac. May be worth a look

Cheers, we are about 30 minutes from there. On the list!