Paris wine shops routinely host free tastings, often led by the growers who make the wine. Paris by Mouth publishes a calendar of tastings, but two shops can be depended upon to have something interesting on the weekends: Les Caves Augé and La Dernière Goutte. The latter has a mainly French clientele but, because it's run by Juan Sanchez, a Cuban-American who has been in Paris for more than 20 years, the winery prides itself in helping English-speakers discover the wonderful wines of France.
Les Caves Augé, 116 Boulevard Haussmann, 33/(0) 1-4522-1697; La Dernière Goutte, 6 Rue de Bourbon le Château, 33/(0) 1-4329-1162, ladernieregoutte.net. Photo courtesy of Parisbymouth.com