The vineyards of Montmartre are well known in Paris, but it has to be said that wine-making cellars are not commonplace in the capital. The city used to be one of France's wine hubs, but since the closure of the Bercy winery over 50 years ago, the tradition no longer persists.
It was against this backdrop that Les Vignerons Parisiens set out to revive wine-making in Paris. And now it's even possible to visit their winery, located in one of the alcoves of the Coulée Verte on Avenue Daumesnil, for an introduction to oenology.
The idea behind it is simple: why consume bottles of wine from large wineries... when you can bring the grapes to town and vinify them on site? The Vignerons Parisiens approach is to carry out all stages of winemaking in an urban environment!
To achieve this, Les Vignerons Parisiens select grapes from partner winegrowers in the Rhône Valley, which are then sorted on the vine, hand-picked in small crates and transported by refrigerated truck to Paris. Then comes the work of vinification - de-stemming, pressing, fermentation and ageing - right in the heart of the city.
The Vignerons Parisiens invite the curious and wine-lovers alike to visit the winery with oenologist Léa, take part in oenological workshops and, of course, taste their organic cuvées.
So, let's go and discover this urban-raised wine?
Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health, please drink responsibly.
Location
Les Vignerons Parisiens
57 Avenue Daumesnil
75012 Paris 12
Official website
www.lesvignerons.paris
