Best Places to fete Beaujolais Nouveau 

The Baron Rouge photo W.A.Dudley

Juveniles 47 rue de Richelieu, 1er, M° Pyramides, tel: 01 42 97 46 49, closed Sun.A fabled pit stop on the international wine bar circuit, this institute is presided over by the authorative and highly likeable figure of Tim Johnson.  Not only does it offer a wonderful selection of both French and international wines, including many rarities, but it also maintains an excellent kitchen. Try the crostini with roasted red bell peppers, Parma ham and sweet garlic cloves, all drizzled with olive oil, and a truly superb home made paté de foie gras.

Couleurs de Vigne 2 rue Marmontel, 15e, M° Vaugiraud, tel: 01 45 33 32 96, closed weekends. Presided over by its gracious and knowledgeable owner, Alain Touchard, this charming little establishment embodies what a good, modern, independent wine bar should be. Olive green walls, cork-colored floors and shelves stocked with an impressive array of treasure. Offers reasonably pricedassiettes de produits du terroir.

 Le Sancerre 22 av Rapp, 7e, M°Alma-Marceau, tel: 01 45 51 75 91, closed Sun. For decades, Le Sancerre has been a favorite for businessmen in search of some rustic authenticity. As its name suggests, the star of the show is wine from the famous village. The oyster bar offers a nice opportunity for the white Sancerre to shine, but don't overlook the lesser-known red Sancerre, a perfect accompaniment to the house specialties: an excellent, if highly pungent, Andouillette and a truly superb cèpes omelet.

 Le Baron Rouge 1 rue Théophile-Roussel, 12e, M°Ledru-Rollin, tel: 01 43 43 14 32, closed Sun afternoon & Monday.  Just off the bustling place d'Aligre markets, this neighborhood institute has retained its working class feel thanks to the locals who linger at the zinc bar for a quick glass before filling their empty bottles from one of the large wine barrels that guard the entrance. During winter, regulars enjoy a quintessential Paris experience: standing around an outside wine keg, tucking into a tray of freshly-opened oysters while savoring the house's flinty Chablis.

Le Rubis 10 rue Marché St-Honoré, 1er, M° Tuileries, tel: 01 42 61 03 34, open noon to 10:30pm, closed Sat evening & Sun. Le Rubis is one of the best known wine bars in Paris, offering an extensive wine list centered mainly around the Beaujolais and Loire regions. Despite its rustic, slightly battered interior, it attracts heavyweight businessmen and lawyers at lunch, and students and fashion folk at night. The best time to visit is late in the afternoon when the streets are darkening and the regulars are installed at the bar, leaving the banquettes empty.

 Aux Bons Crus 7 rue des Petits Champs, 1er, M° Bourse, tel: 01 42 60 06 45, open noon to 11pm, closed Sat night & Sun. This appealing wine bar dates back to the turn of the last century and has retained much of its old-world feel complete with ancient monte-charge, wine kegs and old oak bar. Hearty fare makes up for the inexpensive yet surprisingly limited wine list. The back room, with its low ceiling and windows overlooking the back of the Palais Royal, makes a perfect place for that secret rendez-vous.