Bargains to be had in French Wine Fairs

During the months of September and October, different companies choose a different period of around three weeks for their promotions, with great wines at attractive prices.

Held in high esteem by the French population, the ‘Foire aux Vins’ was started nearly 50 years ago in 1973 by the E.Leclerc supermarket group.

Developed from a simple idea of buying lorry-loads of certain wines at the lowest possible price, the wine fairs now include wines from every wine region in France, with wines from two euros a bottle to some which are 200 euros and more.

One region above all stands out in the various wine fairs and that region is Bordeaux. In this year’s catalogue from Leclerc, Bordeaux wines account for some 40 per cent of the wines featured, down from 50 per cent in past years due to big increases in price of the top wines from Medoc and St Emilion.

Nevertheless, Grand Cru Classé wines are still featured, being mainly the more recent vintages such as 2019 and 2020 for laying down.

Such is the popularity of the French wine fair that in 2021, the turnover in the 600 Leclerc shops alone amounted to 108 million euros.

The wine fair now also appears in Spring, with fresher wines presented more for immediate drinking rather than laying down cellar stock.

Designed to have wide appeal to wine drinkers that don’t necessarily have deep pockets, the greatest pleasure of the wine fair is discovering wines or wine regions which are newly emerging into the limelight.

In 2022, E.Leclerc has heavily promoted the Languedoc region, with wines of great quality at very attractive prices, such as a Viognier from Jean-Claude Mas at only €3.75 a bottle, or a deep fruity red Saint Chinian from Cave de Roquebrun at €10.95 from Carrefour, another champion of the lesser known.

Champagne, Alsace, Loire, Rhone, all these regions are featured with fabulous wines at competitive prices.

If you’re thinking of restocking your ‘cellar’, whether that be a musty basement or a cupboard under the stairs, a trip to France at Wine Fair time is a great excuse for a trip to France!

Not that you necessarily need an excuse – wine, cheese, bread and the general ‘art de vivre’ speak for themselves.

Be brave! With such great prices its worth experimenting a little, not just sticking with the classics.

Although there is an argument for buying some of each, if budgets allow. Red burgundy at under €10 a bottle?

Can you resist? Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits 2020 Anthonin Bajard at Leclerc.

Or how about Clos La Gaffelière 2019, second wine of the famed Bordeaux Chateau La Gaffelière at €17.79 from Carrefour?

Start saving and get ready for next year’s Foires aux Vins.