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19 June 2010

chez Paul[e] - Montpellier

I meant to post something about this cosy wine bar and brasserie a while ago (I went there four months ago actually), which is found a few minutes walk to the south of Montpellier train station. They have a relatively short yet sweet wine list including a handful of high-profile Languedoc and Roussillon winegrowers; and serve up generous portions  with good-value menus (€16-€18 evenings and less at lunchtime) featuring: e.g. homemade brandade de morue (a kind of salt cod and garlic mash), chunky Toulouse sausages, simple steaks done right and succulent duck in mushroom sauce. Oh, love that Monty Python-esque, pointy hand logo too. Quite a few wines are sold by the glass; we had these two tasty bottles (between four of us, I hasten to add), both recommended and both under €20:
2005 Domaine JM Boillot "les Roques" (Roussanne, Viognier 13%) - unusual white vin de pays from the Pic St-Loup area (north of Montpellier), fairly toasty  yet with nice oxidising hazelnut notes and a touch of buttery roundness; fairly mature and soft now, quite Burgundy in style in fact with attractive mature toasty nutty profile.
2008 Domaine Rimbert "les Travers de Marceau (Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre 12.5%) - from this well-known estate in the Saint-Chinian appellation: lovely floral spicy aromas with earthy edges; juicy ripe black cherries, quite soft and tasty vs a touch of grip then attractive fairly easy finish.
12 Rue du Pont de Lattes, 34000 Montpellier. Tel: 04 67 68 31 72 / chezpaule.fr
N.B. Chez Paul(e) is operating from different premises during the summer: see Louise's comment below.

chez Paul[e] - Montpellier

I meant to post something about this cosy wine bar and brasserie a while ago (I went there four months ago actually), which is found a few minutes walk to the south of Montpellier train station. They have a relatively short yet sweet wine list including a handful of high-profile Languedoc and Roussillon winegrowers; and serve up generous portions  with good-value menus (€16-€18 evenings and less at lunchtime) featuring: e.g. homemade brandade de morue (a kind of salt cod and garlic mash), chunky Toulouse sausages, simple steaks done right and succulent duck in mushroom sauce. Oh, love that Monty Python-esque, pointy hand logo too. Quite a few wines are sold by the glass; we had these two tasty bottles (between four of us, I hasten to add), both recommended and both under €20:
2005 Domaine JM Boillot "les Roques" (Roussanne, Viognier 13%) - unusual white vin de pays from the Pic St-Loup area (north of Montpellier), fairly toasty  yet with nice oxidising hazelnut notes and a touch of buttery roundness; fairly mature and soft now, quite Burgundy in style in fact with attractive mature toasty nutty profile.
2008 Domaine Rimbert "les Travers de Marceau (Syrah, Carignan, Cinsault, Mourvèdre 12.5%) - from this well-known estate in the Saint-Chinian appellation: lovely floral spicy aromas with earthy edges; juicy ripe black cherries, quite soft and tasty vs a touch of grip then attractive fairly easy finish.
12 Rue du Pont de Lattes, 34000 Montpellier. Tel: 04 67 68 31 72 / chezpaule.fr
N.B. Chez Paul(e) is operating from different premises during the summer: see Louise's comment below.

BYO wine club

A recent story on Decanter.com by Brian St Pierre caught my attention: "BYO Wine Club debuts in UK restaurants." I know I'm not alone (among those with limited resources, I mean) in being fed up with the sometimes silly prices restaurants charge for wine - I understand about overheads and all that; but a reasonably priced, sold bottle must be better than a overpriced one gathering dust. And not just in the UK: in France it can seem worse as the difference between retail and resto price is even greater, since taxes on wine are lower in the first place. Anyway, someone's had the bright idea of launching a kind of club, whose members can take their own wine to certain partner eateries in London and pay no or reduced corkage charges. More info here: byowineclub.com

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Header image: Château de Flandry, Limoux, Languedoc. Background: Vineyard near Terrats in Les Aspres, Roussillon.