OUR STORY
Why French and what Paradox?
It all started with a segment, called 'The French Paradox', on ‘60 Minutes’ in the early 90’s, suggesting that, despite the relatively high fat content diet of the French population, the incidents of heart disease was much lower than that of Americans. The answer was, it seemed...consumption of red wine!
Ok, so that’s never been conclusively proven. But here at the French Paradox, our intent, since we love wine, is to offer great wines from around the world through a ‘French lens’, illustrating and discussing how the French invented the modern wine world and still dominate it. We also hope to sell some wine between conversations.
And yes, paradoxically, we have wines from California...and Oregon, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Austria, Germany, New Zealand…even Virginia. And local and international beers, spirits, ciders and cheese.
So, stop by. Let's talk about wine. French or otherwise.
WHAT WE OFFER
WINE
SPIRITS
BEER
CHEESE & CURED MEATS
OPINIONS
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Recent Opinions and Events
Tasting Notes: Eden Ciders, Oct. 13, 2018
Eden Heritage Cider, 4 – pk 12 oz cans Newport, VT Regular price: $17.99 Sale Price: $15.99 Contains heirloom and tannic apples varieties from local Vermont small family orchards, including: Kingston Black, McIntosh, Empire, Lawson, St. Lawrence, Cortland, and Fameuse. Fermented dry and blended with just a drop of Ice Cider to create an everyday[…]
My Favorite Wine, this week, anyway; October 10, 2018
2017 Clotilde Davenne Domaine Les Temps Perdus Chablis, FR Regular Price $28.99 Sale Price $22.99 So, back in the day, long before the Judgement of Paris, California wineries sought to emulate the French. They did this in their approach to winemaking (the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s Napa and Sonoma Cabs are probably the most Bordeaux-like[…]
Tasting notes: Oktoberfest, October 6, 2018
Winzerhof Stahl Muller-Thurgau, Franken 2017 Regular price: $18.99 Sale Price: $14.99 Müller-Thurgau is a crossing of Riesling with Madeleine Royale created by Hermann Müller from the Swiss Canton of Thurgau in 1882. It’s an easy ripening grape with good fruit and relatively low acidity. It’s easy to like, if a bit simple. Leitz Trocken[…]
My Favorite Wine; Oct. 4, 2018
2013 La Bastide Blanche ‘Cuvée Fontaneou’ Bandol, FR Regular Price $33.99 Sale Price $26.99 Bandol is the worst kept secret in the wine world; radio wine ‘experts’ love to allude to it as if its a newly discovered region rather than the internationally recognized region that has been producing wine since about 600 BC. Or[…]
Tasting notes; Mostly Loire, Sept. 29, 2018
Maison Roche de Bellene ‘Bellenos’ Rosé of Gamay Coteaux Bourguignons 2017 Regular price: $17.99 Sale Price: $13.99 So, to be honest, this is not from Loire. But it is from Gamay, and, well, rosés of Gamay from Loire exists, as does this one from Burgundy, so here you are then. For the record, it actually[…]
Is that wine worth the price?
There’s a lot of wine out there, and some of it is pretty damn expensive. Of course, some of it is pretty damn inexpensive. But, that’s a topic for another day. Let’s talk about expensive wine today. There are various factors that contribute to the sales price of a particular wine, and some of those[…]
My Favorite wine, Sept. 26, 2018
2015 Domaine Bertagna Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits ‘Les Dames Huguettes’ Burgundy, FR Regular Price $37.99 Sale Price $29.99 There’s Pinot Noir; and then there’s Burgundy. Pinot Noir is grown around the globe these days, and some of it is very good. Many of those Pinot Noirs, from California or Oregon or New Zealand, aspire[…]
Tasting notes, Sept.22, 2018: Mutts & Merlot
Château Les Arromans, Entre-deux-Mers 2016 Regular price: $14.99 Sale Price: $11.99 This blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon is classic white Bordeaux; fresh, round, clean and refreshing. Citrus, floral and honey aromas waft from the glass, and lead into a firmly structured mid-palate and a crisp finish. Jean-Luc Mader Riesling, Alsace 2016 Regular Price $22.99[…]
Local Schmocal
Perhaps you’ve heard, now all fifty states are producing wine. (Silence) I’m not trying to be mean. I’m sure that there are quite a few interesting, well made, and smartly priced wines coming from Idaho, Arkansas and Ohio (among other places). And I’m quite sure that the owners of these wineries are well-meaning souls, pillars[…]
My Favorite wine…Sept. 19, 2018
2014 Joseph Faiveley Bourgogne Aligoté Burgundy, FR Regular Price $24.99 Sale Price $19.99 Once upon a time, farmers grew the grapes that their grandparents and great-grandparents grew before them. Those grapes were made into wine that were largely the same as the wines that their grandparents and great-grandparents made and those wine were traded or[…]
Meet the team
Our store is a family business run by three generations of native Marylanders with decades of experience in the the wine industry.
Matt Wood
PETER WOOD
