The rue Paul Bert – home to acclaimed restaurants by Bertrand Auboyneau and by Cyril Lignac – also contains this beloved, insidery natural wine shop, opened in 2003 by former wine agent Michael Lemasle. The narrow, slipshod space is perpetually overrun with new deliveries and Lemasle’s loyal clientele, who endure the proprietor’s relaxed, almost narcoleptic pace for the sake of his soft-spoken and well-considered wine counsel. Lemasle specialises in the more extreme fringe of natural wine, including many small-production wines vinified and bottled without the addition of sulfur. The well-priced selection is heavy on wines from the Loire, Beaujolais, and the southwest, while wines from marquee regions like Champagne, Bordeaux and Chablis are rather scarce on the shelves. One last draw: Lesmasle is among the rare Parisian cavistes who perform the true duties of the role, cellaring wines for years at a stretch at either of his two off-site locations before returning them to the sales floor when the wines have matured. Crus et Découvertes accordingly remains a source of fun discoveries even for the most jaded natural wine aficionados.
Practical information
Address: 7 rue Paul Bert , 75011
Nearest transport: Faidherbe-Chaligny (8) or Charonne (9)
Hours: Closed Sunday
Telephone: 01 43 71 56 79
Reviews of interest
More Than Organic (2014) “Mikael Lemasle est un jeune caviste passionné dont la réputation grandit pour l’excellence de sa sélection de vins naturels.”
GQ France (2014) “Michaël Lemasle n’aime pas les vins «maquillés», que ce soit par la chimie, la technologie, le soufre ou le bois. Et pour tout dire, il aime les vins fins et qui se boivent facilement!”
Girl’s Guide to Paris (2014) “Another store specializing in natural wines and partnering with independent producers to bring them to Parisians.”