white wine being poured
Credit: vm / E+ via Getty Images
(Image credit: vm / E+ via Getty Images)

Several waiters told Le Parisien newspaper anonymously that Paris bar owners had ordered them to replace a more expensive wine with a cheaper version in the glass, to help protect profit margins. 

Many outlets and wine professionals take pride in the skilled service they provide to diners and guests, in the French capital and elsewhere, but a team working for Le Parisien concluded it had been served the wrong wine at a handful of venues.

A reporter and two different sommeliers went undercover in central Paris, posing as English-speaking tourists. 

In one encounter, sommelier and journalist Gwilherm de Cerval said that an €8.50 glass of Chablis had the characteristics of a Sauvignon Blanc. 

In a separate video clip, sommelier and wine merchant Marina Giuberti said a €7.50 glass of ‘Sancerre’ white wine didn’t have the complexity one would expect and was likely a generic Sauvignon Blanc.

According to Le Parisien, one was listed on the menu at €5.60. After complaining to the waiter, the wrong wine arrived a second time.

The issue may have been an honest mistake, and only a very small number of venues appeared to have been tested.

However, Le Parisien quoted an unnamed Paris waiter as saying that one can serve ‘any wine you want’ to some people, because they cannot tell the difference.

Consumers have a legal right to see the wine poured directly from the bottle at their table, with the label visible, according to the publication.

For bars, intentionally serving the wrong wine carries the risk of prosecution, and potentially a fine or prison sentence.

Looking beyond Paris, Matt Walls, Decanter Rhône correspondent and contributing editor, recalled that he may have been served Prosecco, or something very similar, instead of Champagne in a restaurant setting in the past.

‘The problem is it’s very difficult to prove, and nobody wants to pick a fight when they’re trying to enjoy a meal out,’ he said.

‘Next time I visit – if there is a next time – I’ll add that I’d like to see the bottle. The best way to be sure, however, is to buy by the bottle, not by the glass.’ 

Chris Mercer
Chris Mercer

Chris Mercer is a Bristol-based freelance editor and journalist who spent nearly four years as digital editor of Decanter.com, having previously been Decanter’s news editor across online and print.

He has written about, and reported on, the wine and food sectors for more than 10 years for both consumer and trade media.

Chris first became interested in the wine world while living in Languedoc-Roussillon after completing a journalism Masters in the UK. These days, his love of wine commonly tests his budgeting skills.

Beyond wine, Chris also has an MSc in food policy and has a particular interest in sustainability issues. He has also been a food judge at the UK’s Great Taste Awards.