Tuesday 7 December 2010

Very cool wine bar in Beziers - Le Chameau Ivre

My favourite place in Beziers is Le Chameau Ivre, a wonderful wine shop and Tapas bar which is owned by Philippe Catusse.

The selection of local wines is good but the most striking feature here is the esoteric range of wines from outside the L-R and the traditional triumvirate of Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. The Loire is a speciality, both white and red and, should one feel inclined, one can buy several vintages of Cotat Chavignol (a wonderfully traditional Sancerre that rewards ageing in bottle). Also on offer are magnums of Jurancon, an enticing selection of Austrian wines and a good range of sherries. And lots, lots more.

For those who don't get quite so turned on by these esoteric offerings, I can recommend it as a good stop for a light lunch. The choice of wines by the glass is significantly better than the sorry offerings one finds in most restaurants here. Definitely no paris goblets either.