DECODING THE FRENCH WINE LIST

aka How to Always Order a Wine You’ll Love with 3 French White Wines + 3 French Red Wines

Tasting of 3 Whites + 3 Reds

This is a very special tasting organized by theme: THE RESTAURANT WINE LIST! We will use ACTUAL French wine lists from top Paris restaurants to taste our way to understanding how lists are typically organized. We will pick a wine from each list to 1. Get a sense of what that type of wine/grape is like and 2. Talk about what you like and don’t like about it so you better understand your sensibilities and will be better equipped to order wine in the future.

Every Great Wine Has a Story

We’ll trace each grape to its original French region to discover how where it’s made influences how a wine smells, tastes and feels. We’ll talk about who made the wines and how. The wines are paired with a variety of “aperitif” snacks from some of the best gourmet merchants in Paris—these are restaurant-chosen wines after all! All levels of wine knowledge are welcome!

I’m Your Guide

I’m an American sommeliere who specializes in French Wines. Let’s talk wine, France, food and travel while we taste our way through 6 wines, mostly the “classics” with a couple of new classics: Chardonnay (Bourgogne or Jura), Sauvignon Blanc (Loire), Chenin Blanc (Loire), Riesling (Alsace), Pinot Noir (Bourgogne, Alsace or Jura), Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cab Franc (Bordeaux), Syrah (Rhone).