In Paris, as befits the capital of a renowned wine-producing country, there are always opportunities to try a fine French wines, be it drinking champagne on a cruise of the Seine, visiting a vineyard in the local outlying regions or heading down into a famous wine cellar within the city.  And wine-tasting is something you really should experience in Paris; after all, from the glasses of house red sipped outside cafes to the gloriously aged and expensive affairs drunk with meals at Paris’s top restaurants, wine is taken very seriously here.

However, if you enjoy wine and also happen to be visiting when there is a wine-tasting event on in Paris, you’d be foolish not to take advantage of it.  And such is the case on the first weekend of December 2011: Le Grand Tasting is all set to go on the Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd of December.

Le Grand Tasting, held for the sixth consecutive year in Paris, has grown in both popularity and stature over the years.  It has become known as one of the most serious wine shows around, with the best range of bottles.  This year there will be wine from over 120 vineyards presenting their products, from the top, most exclusive vineyards to the smaller, boutique ones, including Château Lafite, Moët et Chandon, Louis Roederer, and Krug. Depending on how seriously you want to get into this, you can either wander from stall to stall, sampling wine after wine, or you can go the whole hog and pay the extra to attend master classes (costing between 10-40 € a class) which tell you all about the food and wine combinations that would doubtlessly impress any dinner guests.

The general deal is this:  You get given a glass upon entering the Grand Tasting stalls, which you take around with you all day to sample the wines.   You can take a sip and spit it out; you can actually drink a small bit and then pour the rest away, or, if you’re going for it properly, you can drink it all.  Bear in mind how much wine there is around, though, and remember that people who attend wine-tasting events do not look kindly on drunkenness.  There is plenty of bread around, too, for cleansing the palate, and various local food places provide a bit of sustenance too, such as hams and cheeses.  Representing each vineyard are knowledgeable staff who will tell you all about the wine you are drinking, so you can take some culture home with you.

The location couldn’t be better more eye-catching for visitors to Paris – Le Grand Tasting is set up in the Carrousel du Louvre, which is a giant underground shopping centre right in the middle of the metropolis.  You’ll find it located more or less directly under the courtyard of the Louvre, because that famous inverted pyramid made so popular by The Da Vinci Code dips down into the shopping centre.  The proper address, however, is 99 Rue de Rivoli, and is nearby not only the Louvre but the Jardins Tuileries and the Musée d’Orsay.  Nearby metro stations include the Palais Royal-Musée de Louvre.

The event is open from 10.30am until 8.30pm on Friday 2nd, and from 10.30am until 7.30pm on Saturday 3rd.  Day tickets cost €18 in advance or €20 on the day; two-day passes cost €23 in advance or €25 on the door.

For full lists of classes and the wines and producers involved, as well as how to book tickets, have a look at www.grandtasting.com.