I live in the Napa Valley CA area and would like to take a bottle of CA wine to our French hosts in Paris. Please comment on whether you would advise this as a good idea or perhaps make a suggestion of another local gift to take as a thank-you gift.

travling -I would think a more appropriate gift might be something more "typically American" such as some indian artifacts. We recently gave some polish friends a "Dream Catcher" and they were intrigued and delighted. A Northwest coast mask might also be appropriate. Though I love Napa Valley wine - the French also have excellent wine and might take your largesse the wrong way. Bring them something uniquelly American and something they cannot obtain in France. They will be gratefull and if permanent will always remember it came from their American friends.

Wine people love wine...I think it would be very appropriate.

i don't see why CA wine would be inappropriate. I love a good boutique wine from Napa or Sonoma, but I wasn't unappreciative when my friend from Paris brought me a couple of bottles of French wine to share. California wines are so completely different from French wines, sometimes it's nice to taste a change.

Real wine lovers are always interested in trying something different, particularly if the something different is also very good and hard to find. Napa wines, particularly the better cabs, are both uniquely American and hard to come by in France. Sounds like a great gift to me.

If you want to bring something really Californian, how about a gallon of gasoline. On second thought, you probably don't want to bring a gift THAT expensive.

Traveling:<BR> We have brought California wines on several occasions to French friends and they were always very pleased,since they do not have access to the ones we bring.. As Uhoh,busted said,&quot;wine people love wine.&quot; (They also bring us French wine that we can't buy here.)

travling - some people on this thread assume that your gift is going to wine lovers. Not all French are connoisseurs of wine and could not differentiate a Petrus from a Gallo. Unless you know the likes and dislikes of your hosts I would avoid wine - unless you want them to share it with you.

Excellent choice provided its something like Opus One or Camus <BR>or any of the cult wines!<BR><BR>;~))<BR><BR>US

Stick with the wine -- a good one. I have always been amused at French wine lists that sometimes include one or two American selections -- usually something like a standard &quot;Ernest and Julio&quot; selection at something like $40 a bottle. I think if they know wine, they'll appreciate a good California one.

Last year we stayed at the Auf Schoenburg Castle Hotel in Oberwesel on the Rhine River, an area well known for it's wine. During dinner in the hotel restaurant I noticed a very well dressed older German couple who were obviously entertaining a much younger associate and his wife/girlfriend. The older man asked for the wine list and proceeded to order a California wine! I found this extremely odd at the time, but decided it was probably his way of being worldly and sophisticated! <BR><BR>Take the wine!

You might want to consider something lighter and less breakable.

Hi<BR><BR>After tasting in Sonoma I'm a great fan of the heavy red Zinfandel.<BR><BR>I always buy a few cases when I'm in Belgium (I can't buy it here).<BR><BR>I've taken it as a gift to various French hosts many times ............ they weren't impressed.<BR><BR>Now I take something else and enjoy my Zinfandel at home.<BR><BR>Peter<BR>http://tlp.netfirms.com/<BR><BR><BR><BR>

&quot;I've taken it as a gift to various French hosts many times ............ they weren't impressed.&quot;<BR><BR>Now there's a surprise!<BR><BR>;~))<BR><BR>US<BR><BR>

Bring the wine!!! It's not a contest about who has the better wine, it's the thought that counts and all that...<BR><BR>I live in Seattle and take Washington wine when I visit friends in Switzerland (where they have excellent wine BTW). Everyone got a kick out of it and were impressed I dragged it all that way!<BR><BR>As for non-drinking hosts, fairly unlikely &amp; even if not big drinkers themselves, in my experience you never go to a dinner party empty handed (and try to make sure you're not giving back the same bottle your friends brought to your house last dinner party!).

Living in Napa Valley, you know the difference between table wine and &quot;a nice bottle of wine.&quot;<BR><BR>Take a nice bottle of wine. Your French hosts will appreciate it.<BR><BR>I make my own wine using California grapes, and I can tell you first hand that it is much better than any of the French house wines I had in Paris.

Hi,<BR><BR>I would certainly say you should bring a US wine. I think it would be a very welcomed and appropriate gift. If you want to add a nice touch, you might check out Windsor Vineyards, who make wonderful wines and will also put customized messages on the wine labels (www.windsorvineyards.com). Prager Vineyard makes fantastic ports and will also do custom engravings on the bottles (www.pragerport.com).<BR><BR>Happy travels.<BR><BR>John H

Uncle Sam - You meant Caymus, right? I'd avoid Camus wine like the plague.