A Unexpected Parisian Welcome, A French Island Escape, and a Winemaker Crafting Some of Southern France's Best Wines

Hey guys!

This week’s newsletter covers my jet-lagged adventures in Paris, a relaxing trip to the island of Île de Ré, and a spotlight on Nicolas Carmarans, a winemaker in Aveyron whose wines always amaze me (plus an event in New York where you can try them). Hope you enjoy!

My First Day in Paris and the Jet-Lagged Adventures 🛩️

How a Solo Afternoon at Aux Deux Amis Became a Beautiful Reunion

I took a quick trip to Paris this week, and as usual, I found myself facing the same dilemma. I’m not the best sleeper on planes, so I always end up arriving in Paris late morning or early afternoon, tired but determined to stay awake to avoid messing up my sleep schedule. The age old question then arises: "Should I get a cup of coffee or a glass of wine?" More often than not, the answer is both.

This time, I decided to hit one of my favorite spots, Aux Deux Amis, for a solo glass of wine before meeting up with a friend who was also in town. I walked in, expecting a quiet afternoon, and immediately spotted the winemakers I worked with during harvest in Alsace, along with Damien, one of the owners of Sauced in New York (yes, that Sauced). If you’ve been following along, you know I had an unforgettable adventure with these guys last September, but I hadn’t seen them all together since then. So, you can imagine my surprise when I walked into Aux Deux Amis to find them sitting there, just the three of them, with the bartender as the only other person inside the bar. I had to pinch myself, half wondering if I had fallen asleep in my hotel room and was dreaming all of this.

We quickly caught up over a few glasses, and they invited me to join them at another spot for champagne and a few bites before they had to leave. Of course, I eagerly agreed. What followed was a multi bottle affair full of laughter, stories from our time together last Fall, and maybe a little too much wine. It was the perfect way to start my first day in Paris.

It’s moments like these that remind me why I love Paris, and the wine community in general. No matter where you are in this city, there’s always a good chance that someone you know is nearby, and you’ll likely bump into them at one of the countless wine spots scattered throughout. This particular encounter felt special, and I’m already looking forward to more. I feel like the wine world has a way of always making sure there’s a glass ready for you, no matter where you are.

Île de Ré: A Secret Gem of France 🌊 

A Relaxing Escape to France’s Scenic Island Between Bordeaux and the Loire

Along with my trip to Paris, I made my way to a lesser-known gem in France, Île de Ré. This island sits just off the west coast, near La Rochelle, nestled between the Loire Valley and Bordeaux.

The reason I ended up here? A friend has a family house on the island, and when she offered a few of us the chance to stay, I thought it’d be the perfect excuse to explore a new part of France.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but all I was told was that Île de Ré is like the Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard of France. After spending some time here, I can honestly say that comparison couldn’t be more accurate.

Île de Ré is known for three main things: its charming historic villages, stunning beaches, and exceptional seafood, especially oysters. The island is also famous for its salt marshes, where traditional sea salt harvesting has been practiced for centuries. The towns are picture perfect, with cobblestone streets, town squares, and green shutters on every building. It honestly felt like stepping into a 1960s French film about a beach getaway.

It’s a very family-oriented destination, and while there aren’t many natural wine spots, I did manage to find a few, with Method and La Part des Anges being my favorite. The island is also incredibly bikeable, with most towns only about a 30-minute ride apart.

Oh, and the island is covered in grapevines, which was pretty wild to see. A local told us there are over 600 hectares of vines here, although most of the grapes are bought by the local collective, where the wine is mass produced and sold in grocery stores sadly.

Overall, it was a wonderfully relaxing trip and definitely a charming place to visit. If you’re curious, it’s about a 3-hour train ride or a 5-hour drive from Paris. I definitely hope to find myself back there someday.

Producer Highlight ⭐️ 

One of our favorite parts of wine is the discovery: we’re constantly being put on to new regions, producers, and cuvées from our friends. We’ll never be able to try EVERY wine, but we want to take a moment to mention some producers that excite us!

Work Opportunity for Wine Industry Friends 🔨 

We’re excited to share that New York distributor, Stelle Wine Co. is hosting an industry-wide portfolio tasting on Monday, September 8 at The Rooftop at The Malin in Soho from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM. They’re looking for experienced wine professionals to pour wines from Stelle Wine Co.’s portfolio during this time. The day will begin at 10:30 AM to support with set-up and to familiarize yourself with the wines, and with pouring beginning at 11:30 AM.

Compensation is a flat rate of $75 for 3 hours of pouring + 1 bottle of wine from the Stelle Wine Co. portfolio + the opportunity to taste & network throughout the event. Please reach out to [email protected] to get involved. Tom will be getting each person comprehensive information on the winemaker/cuvées.

That’s it for today! I really appreciate all of the Paris recommendations, I’ll be sure to share a full list in a future newsletter.

Thanks so much for reading, and as always, drink responsibly! 🥂