What to Learn from Wine Tasting Events in Paris
When in Paris, there are plenty of sight-seeing areas to go to. From the world-famous Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum, sight-seeing is a great way to explore and learn more about the world of Paris.
Throughout the day, you get to experience the greatest of what Paris has to offer, and see how it has changed throughout the years as well. But, one thing that needs to be researched a bit more to enjoy are the wine tasting events in Paris. Whether it just be a few classes throughout the day, or tours given out to experience the best wines and cheeses that Paris has to offer, it can’t be rebuked that Paris is a hidden gem. With rich origins rooted in food, tastings, and champagne or wine, Paris has so much to offer.
History of Wine in Paris
Although not as prominently known, Paris is still quite rich with history in terms of wine culture and creation. Dating back to the days of Gauls, it was being created and cultivated at that time. Using the area around the Mediterranean, which were rich and plentiful for olive and fig trees, the creation and distribution of became commonplace. Again, this was in the late BC era.
Around the early AD era, viticulture started to spread to areas outside of the Gaulish regions. As such, there was a host of varieties to be harvested and cultivated, resulting in the many varieties of Cabernets. These are considered to be the ancestors of most wines and champagnes found today.
The Era of Enlightened Tastes
During the turn into the Age of Enlightenment of Europe, trading and transportation became standard. As transportation was expensive, many noted that transporting wine through certain areas would be more profitable, as it would help to reduce travel costs, as well as possible spoiling of the goods itself. This also created heavy diversity, as they would all end up being funneled through the region that would later be known as Paris.
Not only were classes starting to be created in different universities around the areas, but different creation methods would be fine-tuned and improved upon, creating even more delicious variations and blends to enjoy. This would also lead to the creation of the fermentation process, which would help to preserve wines even further.
What’s so great about wine tasting?
So, what is so great about going about on a tour to taste different wines around Paris? Well, that can simply be put as you can’t find them anywhere else! Finding decent wineries that host a wide variety of wines and champagnes can be far and wide apart from each other.
Instead of individually searching out for these different wineries themselves, many visiting Paris will find more success by signing up for a wine tour, or class. Although the cost of a wine tasting can get pretty expensive, it is well worth the effort to look for them. Walking between vendors trying turns at different flavor profiles.
Who pairs with who?
Not only do tours allow for a peek into the lifestyles and changes made to a deep culture such as wine-making, they also show you how to pair different profiles with different cheeses and other such appetizers. Learning to enjoy such delicacies in Paris will help when attempting to find which wines are best to go with certain foods.
The food here, aside from the incredible selection of elegant cheese, is phenomenal. English winemakers often visit and sign up for these tasting classes, as a way to enhance their own products to better provide a higher quality.
Read up beforehand
A fun tip is to do a little research and find out what cheese pairs best with certain types of beverages. While some of these tips can be learned in an English class, the level of hands-on experience from French classes is unmatched. Whether you are looking for a new champagne or just a ring to pair with your favorite food dishes, you will learn the most effective way of choosing those elements by participating in tasting classes.
Search High and Low for a Good Class
Lastly, understanding that certain Paris vintages can be found in different locations is paramount. Not all bottles will be found in the same areas. Travelling can be expensive and tiring. As such, knowing where to look first to find the best beverages in Paris is important so you do not waste any time in the day. Classes given can also help to make sure you don’t make any wrong turns at an improper winery that sells mediocre bottles at best.
So, what exactly are Wine Tasting Tours?
Sampling tours are a simple gathering of avid wine enthusiasts. These gatherings tend to be in wineries or pubs, as well as certain “tasting rooms” that can be found in many different areas.
Getting the Basics Down
The general layout of a tasting event consists of people taking turns as they try out different pours from a variety of bottles, some vendors will also have cheese to pair with their wines. As one goes between areas, the samples they receive along the way allow them to taste and enjoy the variety that the tastings have to offer.
For instance, one can gain insight into what food is best suited to go with which wines, and what cheese are not so great for champagnes, and so on and so forth, so pay attention before your experience turns sour. At the end of it all, the biggest payout is to the ones within the industries. These events are also big areas to get people to buy the wines that are being tasted and procured for their enjoyment. Although it seems rude not to buy at points, it is encouraged, as they have been allowing those around them to enjoy themselves.
Can you smell that smell?
When at tastings, there are quite a few different rules and untold etiquette laws that are supposed to be followed. For instance, one big thing when going to sampling tours, in general, is to not wear any fragrances or colognes. The smell of perfumes or different fragrances can distort the taste and smell of the beverage or champagne that is being tasted. As such, making sure to go as vanilla as possible will help to enhance certain flavors.
If you're feeling woozy then lay off the boozy
Another thing to make sure of while visiting tastings in Paris is to make sure you moderate your intake. If you're only visiting a small number of classes, drinking the samples is okay. No harm in having a bit of fun, after all. But, if one is planning on visiting multiple different tours and activities, it is good to keep a check on how much you drink, as being intoxicated by the end of it can cause problems for you, as well as those around you at the event. Moderation will always be key.
Wasting is not always wasteful
One interesting fact to note is, when tasting, it is sometimes not impolite to actually pour the wine out. This is known as "Dumping." Although it may seem rude, dumping is okay, as taste can be lost when left to the open air for far too long. It's not an English nor a French thing. It's simply a matter of preference and a class will tell you that.
Hands down and enjoy the tours
Lastly, do not try to skimp and ask for discounts or free items when at wine tastings. As some may already know, the wine tasting rooms in Paris and other areas tend to be quite generous already for people to sample such delicacies, but they are not going to damage their business in the process. Such things as attempting to fake that one is in the winemaking industry just to get free samples or to show off to other guests is a big no-no. Instead, take it for what it is, and allow those around you to make their own judgment calls.
So, where can I buy the Wine?
To buy wine in Paris, it’s a very simple process, but turns south for those who do not plan properly. If you are a traveler from outside of the lovely city, you may look into also buying a safe way to transport it home. But, to buy the wine itself, it is very simple. Going to sampling tours, you can interact and get to know many different people within the industry of wine crafting.
Looking for the best?
The best though is generally bought at the wineries themselves. This is because they will always be fresh, as well as not have passed through many different hands to reach their destination. Even better, you know that what they are offering is the correct price, as it does not have to go through multiple third-party markets.
Watch out if you are a traveler
But, many within the industry say that it is sometimes best to not buy a lot of wine if one is traveling from abroad. This is because many airports and customs do not allow the transfer of such contents across borders. This is mostly for safety reasons, but it must be taken into account. Not only that, many airports do not take special care of what is inside the contents of some boxes, leading to some bottles being shattered and completely worthless when they arrive.
