Clos Montmartre

We love the idea of vines growing in the centre of big cities, in gardens, terraces and rooftops. We have mentioned Chateau Tooting, the Association des Vignerons de Paris who make the wine from vines grown on the window boxes and balconies of Paris apartments and the tiny vineyards in the middle of Berlin.

Not long ago we read about an actually commercial venture in New York growing vines on a Brooklyn rooftop (above).

Then there is the famous Clos Montmartre, a vineyard planted with Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Riesling in 1933 on the site of a 16th century vineyard on the same site. Nowadays the wine sells for over E.40 a 50cl bottle. The wine itself is not terrible but its price has nothing whatever to do with the quality and everything to do with the fact it is grown in the middle of Paris.

For the sake of seeing for ourselves we actually made the pilgrimage up to the top of the hill of Montmartre and bought a bottle. We did it so you, dear Slotovino reader, don't have to.