Ex Cellar wine store

One of the problems with visiting a country like France - especially a country that is so rich in its gastronomic tradition - is that it is very hard for a foreigner to know where to start eating, or in this case, drinking. That's why when I stumbled upon Ex Cellar a few years ago - and thus the wonderful minor celebrity of the 5th arrondissement that is Stuart Cole - I knew I had found a second home.

Ex Cellar on the rue des Ecoles (between the Panthéon and the Seine) is not the only one of its kind. The business actually began in England, due a to a desire to provide both wine enthusiasts and dilettantes with high quality and diverse wines from the cellar door, without the need for a middle man. However there are only 2 stores (one here in Paris, the other in Surrey in the UK) and all the wines are literally picked by hand by Stuart (originally from Britain) and his colleagues.

The very genial, knowledgeable and charming Stuart makes a point of representing all the different wine regions of France. Should you be unfamiliar with any (or all) of the range, he is more than happy to tap in to his vast experience of over 30 years of selling French wine and advise you so that you may walk away with smile on your face and a great bottle in your hand.

Ex Cellar has become something of a local meeting place, due to Stuart's warm and generous nature, and is always an inviting spot to stop by if you feel like dipping your toes in France's collective wine barrel. When you drop in be sure to say hi to Stuart from me, or perhaps I'll just see you there (I'll be the one lingering by the cellar with a half-empty glass in my hand and a cheeky grin on my face).

Ex Cellar / 25 Rue des Ecoles / 75005 Paris / Ph:(+33) 01 43 26 99 43 / Hours: 11am - 2pm, 3pm - 8:30pm Monday - Friday / 10:30am - 8:30pm Saturday / Closed Sunday / Metro: Maubert Mutualité / http://www.excellar.net/ / stuart@excellar.co.uk