PARIS – I have been hearing for several months now that Willi’s Wine Bar has some serious competition. So I decided to stop overnight in Paris on my way to Vinitaly and check out the buzz.
The newcomer (relatively speaking) is right around the corner from Willi’s, at 47 rue de Richelieu, just a few blocks from the Lourve on Paris’ right bank. It’s called Juveniles and its reputation has gained momentum over the past six months with locals and visitors alike.
So I was somewhat surprised as I made my way through the front door. I had thought Willi’s was tucked into a tiny space, but Juveniles could fit into Willi’s twice. And there’s really no bar in this wine bar; just a dozen or so bistro tables crammed together, one wall with wines stacked floor to ceiling and a small kitchen.
Juveniles won’t dazzle, but it does have charm. The staff is young and friendly, the food simple but fresh, and the wines are well chosen and modestly priced. I noticed the wines on the wall all had two prices – one for takeaway, the other for consumption on the premises.
But what I liked most was the carafe concept. If you’ve ever visited Paris, you know every bistro offers carafes of wine. Usually in quantities of 25cl, 50cl and 75cl. The rub is usually the quality in the carafe. Bistro wines disappoint more often than they please.
Juveniles offers excellent wines from its nightly ‘degustation’ menu in these varying amounts, which is great for a person dining alone or even for two people who might want to start with a 25cl carafe of white as an aperitif and move on to a 50cl carafe of red with the main course.
I did precisely that, enjoying a Spanish cava as sort of a pre-dinner cocktail before washing down dinner with a 50cl carafe of red, a delicious Vacqueyras. And there was plenty left to have with cheese at the end of the meal.
All in all it was a good experience and I would certainly return, though I felt the tug of Willi’s as I left Juveniles. So I walked around the corner to 13 rue des Petits-Champs, the location Willi’s has been holding down behind the Palais Royal since 1980.
As I soaked up the atmosphere (as well as a glass of Cote-Rotie) I couldn’t help but marvel at Willi’s long run as a Paris icon, almost without challenge. The food at Willi’s is a good as ever (and more elegant, I must say, than the faire at Juveniles) and the wine list is deep and well chosen.
And Willi’s does have a bar, albeit a small one with only about ten stools. And it has style, as well as those famous, or infamous if you prefer, Willi’s Wine Bar posters.
Yet Willi’s has had the field to itself for far too long for a city the size of Paris. Oh, there is wine by the glass everywhere. But a bistro on every corner hardly guarantees good wine at every stop. So I applaud Juveniles. Willi’s is still the benchmark for Paris wine bars, but Juveniles has expanded the options for Parisian wine enthusiasts and thirsty travelers weary of tired and lackluster bistro wines.
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