(Reading time: 2 minutes)

When you think of Issy-les-Moulineaux, you think of a dormitory town on the edge of Paris. Unless you take the path of the vineyards…

The Crayères des Montquartiers, former chalk quarries, have already had several lives. After chalk mining in the 19th century, there was a move to mushrooms, then a brewery and even a shelter during the Second World War.

The 2.5 km long maze of cellars now allows wine collectors to store their wines in ideal temperature and humidity conditions. Nearly 1.5 million bottles of wine are stored here. Since 1992, the wine merchant Yves Legrand has also been producing his own Isséan wine on the tiny estate. There are only 400 vines on the Chemin des Vignes. This represents a little more than 200 bottles per year. So where can you taste this white wine, a mixture of pinot beurot and chardonnay? I suggest you go to La Ginguette, a small restaurant whose terrace overlooks the vineyards!

 

Entering a judging panel for popular wine

I myself discovered the cellars as a juror for the Bettane and Desseauve pleasure prize. The concept? Medals that reward the best price-pleasure ratio. The two wine specialists ask a jury of wine lovers to blind taste affordable bottles and award medals. There are no pre-requisites to participate or any particular technical knowledge, except that you must be able to describe the immediate pleasure. Try your luck, by registering on the site. And while we’re at it, I recommend one of the wines, the Château Rouquette 2016.

Certainly, the paths of pleasure have never been so unexpected.

Music: Bobby McFerrin – Improvisaci 1

Good to know

The Vineyard Trail: 123 Avenue de Verdun 92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

More info on Le prix plaisir.