Comments on: A rite of autumn in France: Foire aux Vins wine sales

By: Tom Fiorina

Tom Fiorina — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 08:09:55 +0000

You must have shopped at another State Store than I did, Donnie. Hey, did you hear about that crazy idea of installing State Store vending machine kiosks? I can just imagine people putting in their coins to purchase a bottle of Vosne-Romanée…

By: donnie

donnie — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:46:28 +0000

Hey, watch what you say about the “state stores” back home, I’ve got some warm memories of them! All kidding aside, keep up the good writing. I am learning, slowly, bit by bit. Thanks much.

By: Tom Fiorina

Tom Fiorina — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 10:48:58 +0000

Thanks, Wink, for your comment and suggestions. I have to admit that there have been, on a few occasions, knowledgeable people at a Foire aux Vins to answer questions about the wine on stock (but this is more the exception than the rule). You’ve cleared up the mystery about who gets those pre-Foire tasting and purchasing invitations. I’ll need to find out who has the biggest wine cellar in my vicinity. Your tip about buying single bottles of different wines to taste, and then returning later to buy additional bottles, sounds like a good plan. I’ll need to do this on the sly, however, as my wife monitors with a critical eye the growing collection of wine in our cellar.

By: Wink Lorch

Wink Lorch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 08:16:26 +0000

Good sum-up, Tom. A few points:

In stores I’ve been too, they often emply an extra person as a ‘wine expert’ for the duration, but it’s true their wine knowledge is very hit and miss (though inevitably they are wearing a wine apron, usually with some sort of sommelier/grape badge!). this one is really luck of the draw.

I have on a couple of occasions been able to taste a small selection from what’s been offered at a Foire du Vin – I guess it depends on the store, the day and the region. In addition, most of the big stores actually hold an official pre-Foire tasting by invitation only. To get an invitation you need to befriend someone who either has an account at the shop or is a known big buyer – so in the Alps, some of the chalets buy their wines for guests from the supermarkets and they get an invite.

You’re right to suggest doing the research – all the major French wine magazines (along with supplements in the newspapers like Le Figaro) cover the Foire aux Vins in their September issues – Revue du Vin de France, Gault et Millau and Cuisine et Vins have quite extensive coverage. It certainly pays to take the latest Hachette guide with you on your trawl. In the end, with my nearest supermarket (in France), I tend to go down to buy 6 single bottles of what I’m interested in, taste them back home and then hope there are still some left to buy on the next day (which as I have non-mainstream tastes, there usually are!). I’ve had some good successes – last year there were still some of the universally excellent 2005 wines available to buy, some from domaines that simply have too much stock. I’ve been amazed by what it’s possible to hunt down amongst the rubbish!