The brightly decorated interior space is reminiscent of a San Francisco bistro somewhere, splashed with film posters and stacked to the ceiling with bottles. It nevertheless manages to offer a lovely little terrace outside, ideal for people-watching. This cheerful, independently owned bar juts out from a corner on the busy Cours d’Alsace-et-Lorraine, bustling with cars and cyclists. Au Bon Jaja Au Bon Jaja wine bar/Courtesy of the bar Address: 3 Cours du 30 Juillet, 33000 Bordeauxģ.As you’re starting to gather, the latter is something I’m enthusiastic about. Nibbles include cheese and charcuterie plates, as well as a chocolate platter. You’ll get a handy information sheet with each glass you order, and the onsite sommeliers are clearly very knowledgeable and willing to advise. It invariably includes 30 wines to choose from, including reds, dry and sweet whites, rosés, clairets and sparkling whites. The wine-by-the-glass list is relatively short (at least compared to some other bars in town)– but it’s also frequently refreshed. They’re all painstakingly selected here, so quality is never a worry. As such, it’s a great place to discover wines you may be unfamiliar with. Its mission? To promote local wines and increase exposure for some of them. Rather than a privately owned, traditional bar, it’s run by the Bordeaux Wine Council. Recommended to me by nearly everyone I met in Bordeaux, the CIVB Bar à Vins is a tasting room located in the Maison du Vin, close to the tourist office and the old UNESCO city center. Wine tastings at the CIVB Bar a Vin in Bordeaux/Courtesy of the bar Address: 8 Rue Saint-James, 33000 Bordeaux.I only wish this were my neighborhood wine bar. Prices were reasonable, and the servers were invariably friendly and warm, happy to make suggestions to whet our finicky tastes. The cheeses here are delicious, and the chocolate platter–featuring eight dark pieces that pair perfectly with certain reds and dessert whites– struck me as such a good idea for an after-dinner treat that I’m surprised so few are doing it elsewhere. The fortified white wasn’t actually on the menu, but Alexandre recommended it and poured us a glass to sample. We enjoyed several wines by the glass, including a smoky, rich, leathery example from nearby Médoc and a fortified white with tons of character. The wine bar, cheerful and bright yet warm and unpretentious, is pleasant whether you opt to sit outside or huddle at one of the wooden tables indoors. There’s also a wide selection of wines from elsewhere in France and the world, and a focus on organic, biodynamic and small, family-owned wineries. They offer an incredible 450 wines for purchase, with many excellent bottles from the main appellations around Bordeaux: Pessac-Léognan, Pomerol, St-Emilion, Sauternes and many others. Situated in the up-and-coming Rue St-James neighborhood, bustling with cafés, restaurants and terraces overflowing with people, Wine More Time opened in 2010 and is owned by two affable locals, Alexandre Lahitte and Jean Astruc. I begin with what turned out to be my favorite wine bar in the city– a place that I came to like so much that I’ll even forgive them their “punny” name. Wine More Time The cheerful tasting room at Wine More Time/Courtesy of the bar A Special Mention: The Bordeaux Wine Festivalġ.The Cité du Vin (Wine Museum) Rooftop Tasting Room
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