Aux 3 p'tits bouchons - The sexiest reims wine bar
We visit the most famous Reims wine bar. It is as cute as a button and as warm as a fuzzy blanket.
We uncovered a new gem - a surprising Chardonnay by a natural wine producer in the outskirts of the Loire valley.
Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons is a legendary Reims wine bar and one of the sexiest natural wine places I’ve been to. It’s just panty-wetting perfect.
When it comes to natural wine bars, it’s never about the wine selection.
It’s always about people. The people who pour and the people who drink. Passion, kindness and generosity turn me on.
Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons Reims wine bar - where food, natural wine and people come into perfect synergySince we're in Champagne - let's have some Muscadet Nouveau!
We showed up at Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons in Reims on a cold rainy day - wet, hungry and jet lagged. And we didn’t have a reservation - Quel horreur!
They took us in as if we were regulars.
It was the 3rd Thursday of November - the official day of Beaujolais Nouveau.
Most Reims wine bars on that trip were pushing Beaujolais Nouveau - because it’s still a big deal in France (and apparently Japan).
It's here - Beaujolais Noveau! It just doesn't want to die.But we didn’t fly across the Atlantic to Champagne in cold November to drink mass-produced Gamay. No, thanks.
We were just about to show the palm of the hand, when we were introduced to this lovely bottle.
Muscadet Nouveau 2023, Grains de Raisins by Jo Landon
Muscadet Nouveau 2023, Grains de Raisins by Jo Landon - divine!The Nouveau movement had spilled over to the other wine regions.
This one is from Muscadet in the Loire valley. From one of the region's most prominent biodynamic producers - Jo Landron.
100% Melon de Bourgogne. And it was divine!
I generally have a tough time saying no to a Muscadet. The combination of light, fresh and ethereal is my kind of sexy.
And this one is another solid representation from that cool and wet region.
Although there is no lees ageing that is customary for Muscadet - it is still quite complex and wise for its young age.
That was a very promising start to a very long soirée at Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons.
Stemware is a pet peeve of mine. Thank you Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons - for treating this Muscadet Nouveau with respect and pouring it in a gorgeous vessel it deserves. Nice logo too.Why this Reims wine bar is so awesome
It was our first night in France and - true to my track record - I don’t remember much of it.
I don’t remember drinking all the wines we had. Good thing I have a habit of taking pictures of every bottle.
One of several bottles we consumed and 2 buckets of bread. 2!I was surprised to discover - as photo evidence shows - that I devoured two large servings of fries, a plate of hummus and a bucket full of bread.
Fries, hummus, some more fries.I was also perplexed by stories of me dancing in the empty streets of Reims. I vehemently denied it until I was presented with video footage.
Future blackmail material.
But some things from that evening are deeply etched in my mind:
1. How fucking cozy it is!
Aux 3 P’tits Bouchons is where all the locals go for a bottle of good wine served with the side of warmth, care and good wine knowledge.
We immediately felt at ease. Not an ounce of pretentiousness - which sometimes permeates the air of French natural wine establishments.
So cozy!
Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons invests in all the right things - wine, stemware and heating. Who cares about the mdf walls - just look at these wonderful crown mouldings.
Cash register. Safe to assume they take Apple Pay.2. Awesome wine selection and cave at this Reims wine bar
Like most Champagne establishments - Aux 3 P’tits Bouchons has a cool “cave” - an underground cellar. If you want to choose a bottle you can go down and browse the selection.
Heading down to the cave
Into the heart of awesomeness we descendIt’s not as grand and modern as the one at the neighbouring Reims wine bar - le Pressoir.
But the smaller selection is less intimidating and makes it easier to choose a bottle.
Ta da! Cute, cozy and manageable.3. Food!
Food menu - written on a column - is small but inspiring.
Everything is very delicious, presented on cool flying saucer plates.
Food menu on the black column. Natural wine bars in France decidedly don't like menus.
My sister's Carpaccio St Jacques - flew in on a funky saucer plate.And - they have 3 different fries dishes. You bet we tried them all.
Champagne has an obsession with fries. I saw that pairing everywhere in Champagne.
And it is a match made in heaven - greasiness of the fries and the aristocratic rigidity of the Champagne. Mix the bourgeoisie and the rebels.
My theory is that when you spend so much money on a bottle of Champagne - there is only enough budget left for a plate of cheap fries.
Because even in its homeland Champagne is fucking expensive.
Some more food porn - because why not
At Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons you always get a complementary amuse bouche. A nice little touch. Here - with an incredible bottle of rosé Champagne from Francis Boulard & Fille3. The staff at Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons
The Somms who work the floor at Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons are a dream team!
Knowledgeable, down to earth and super friendly.
They were able to read us quickly and offered wines that we absolutely loved. And they always showed up at the right moment.
Our glasses were never empty, if you know what I mean.
Two buckets on the table - one for the red wine and one for the bread. You have a problem with that?The somms asked for our names on our first visit.
When we showed up a couple of days later hungry for some more natural wine magic - I heard a cheerful “Bonsoir Oxana”. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
3. They introduced us to Domaine des Pothiers
Domaine des Pothiers was THE natural wine discovery of this entire trip (Champagne and Paris combined).
We had many incredible wines, including some sexy Champagnes. But if you asked me which wines were most memorable - I would have to say - Domaine des Pothiers.
Domaine des Pothiers, Côte Roannaise
This winery is located in a region called Côte Roannaise, which is technically part of Loire valley.
But in reality - it’s a stone’s throw away from Beaujolais.
And although some think that Côte Roannaise is kind of like a pretend Beaujolais (my wine instructor included) - Domaine des Pothiers proves them all wrong.
La Chapelle by Domaine des Pothiers - a gorgeous Gamay. Served chilled, thank you very much.Gamay is the focus of production at Côte Roannaise.
But the wine that made us piss with joy was a Chardonnay.
Fou de Chêne or Oak Fool. It is aged in oak for about a year. This baby was so good!
“To kill for” - say my drunk wine notes from that night.
Fou de Chêne 2022, Domaine des Pothiers - one of those wines you take intravenously.Relatively unknown outside of France, this domaine is making waves in its motherland.
We saw it in many reputable natural wine bars and shops in Paris. So, it’s not like we discovered America.
What’s so special about this winery?
Volcanic soils, high altitude, biodynamic practices, indigenous fermentation, minimum meddling in the winery. All the good stuff.
Imprint this label in your mind!To be honest I was ready to pay 40 euros for that bottle of Chardonnay.
We paid 18. At that price - it felt like we stole it. All of the other wines of Domaine des Pothiers are in the same price range or even cheaper.
The bottle is still in our basement. We don’t dare touch it.
It’s a reminder of an evening well spent at a magical Reims wine bar - surrounded by real people and real wines.
Outside - the storm is raging. Inside - everything is basked in warm yellow candlelight
Knocking on heaven's doorp.s For my non-French speaking friends - I will clarify something here. P'tits is a cute and short version of Petits - a plural form for "small". It has nothing to do with tits. And should be pronounced as "ptee".
What would you guys do without my expertly guidance?!
When I come back to this Reims wine bar, I want to get so drunk and possessed that I start crawling and writing on the ceiling à la Exorcist. Seems to me - that's what happened here.Aux 3 P'tits Bouchons - Reims wine bar
29 Rue Henri IV, 51100 Reims, France
