Once I advised family and friends that we had been travelling to Quebec, to share the driving and tasting alongside the area’s Routes des Vins (‘wine routes’), they appeared shocked. Wine in Quebec? Who knew? Even the perplexed Canadian immigration officer instructed we must always have visited France as an alternative!
But within the French-speaking La Belle Province, pleased with its roots and joie de vivre, it’s maybe unsurprising that wineries (‘vignobles’ regionally) have been blossoming over the previous 45 years – as have the ensuing wine routes to tour by automotive, bike, taxi or on foot (relying how a lot you need to style). Dunham within the Japanese Townships (Cantons-de-l’Est) southeast of Montreal was the birthplace of wine-growing in Quebec in 1979 – though it wasn’t till 1985 that winemakers might legally promote their wine. The Conseil des vins du Québec now lists 9 wine-growing areas with 165 wineries producing greater than three million bottles yearly from at the least 80 grape varieties, primarily hybrids, however more and more Vitis vinifera.
The latest growth has coincided with local weather change and consequent warming temperatures in a area previously extra well-known for Icewine. Whereas Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and Niagara, southern Ontario, are usually most related to vineyards in Canada, Quebec now boasts one of many nation’s fastest-growing wine-producing areas. Amount isn’t every thing, although, and if it’s high quality you’re after, then you definately’ll undoubtedly discover it in Québécois boutique wineries, a lot of that are only a pleasure to behold. Quebec’s winemakers are enterprising and experimental, combining conventional and trendy methods and extra readily embracing an natural strategy.
The Abbaye de St-Benoît-du-Lac on the western shore of lake Memphrémagog within the Japanese Townships. Credit score: Mathieu Dupuis
Sleepy villages
Heading east of Montreal by way of Montérégie, inside half-hour the roads grow to be tranquil and villages sleepy, with each wildlife and vineyards simpler to identify. At our first cease, Vignoble Mas des Patriotes, France Cliche has nearly single-handedly developed her certified-organic vineyard from scratch, with none earlier wine-growing expertise. Her 6ha of vines are all hand-planted, -protected and -picked – no imply feat in a area of extreme-cold winters.
Having overcome hurdles comparable to frost, mildew and grasping starlings, Cliche is without doubt one of the area’s few feminine vintners, together with her white, rosé and pink wines profitable medals. Like most Quebec winemakers, she has discovered hybrid grape varieties (Frontenac, Lucie Kuhlmann, Louise Swenson, St-Pépin) to be sturdy, but additionally grows hardy vinifera varieties Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Merlot, with the latest addition of Chenin Blanc impressed by a South African vacation.
The quaint city of Dunham, within the Brome-Missisquoi valley, is an idyllic base for exploring the encompassing vineyards, cider homes, wine museums, microbreweries and connoisseur eating places, a lot of that are farm-to-table.
A must-visit is without doubt one of the space’s authentic vignobles – l’Orpailleur, launched in 1982 by 4 companions, together with winemaker Charles-Henri de Coussergues, who realized his craft from his father within the south of France.
At the moment, the companions and youthful members of the family are simply as immersed within the now-extensive vineyard, standard for its guided excursions, viticulture museum and workshop (often known as an ‘économusée’), restaurant, classes in sabrage (the artwork of opening glowing wine bottles with a blade) and 14 wonderful wines, such because the distinctive, fortified La Half des Anges (‘Angels’ Share’), which matures and evaporates over at the least six years in demijohns exterior – it’s paying homage to Christmas in a glass. An outside, self-guided path with 27 data panels reveals improvements comparable to wind generators, hilling-up (burying the bottom of the vines) and protecting with sheets of protecting materials to protect towards winter chill.
One other Brome-Missisquoi valley pioneer, Vignoble de la Bauge works with nature to scale back chemical use. Winemaker Simon Naud and his enterprising crew are researching methods comparable to coaching vines to develop grapes excessive off the bottom, to extend air flow and publicity to daylight whereas additionally letting sheep do the mowing somewhat than tractors. Swallow and bat containers are put in to scale back bugs, and fruit timber are being launched to reinforce variety and improve resilience in the entire ecosystem.
Our early September journey coincided with the annual Fête des Vendanges harvest pageant held within the scenic lakeside metropolis of Magog. This family-friendly occasion gives tastings, grape-treading competitions, reside nation music and meals vans – what’s to not love?
Vignoble Mas des Patriotes, southeast of Montreal
My good day in Quebec
Morning
Blueberry pancakes and home-sourced maple syrup on the sunny verandah of Gîte La Maison Bleue, a Pal of the Wine Route in Dunham, present the proper begin to the day. Then go to Au Diable Vert resort close to Sutton, the place you possibly can glide among the many treetops on the VéloVolant (‘flying bike’), pedalling round a 1km circuit on a suspended recumbent bicycle – it’s distinctive in Canada, and the views are spectacular.
VéloVolant at Au Diable Vert resort
Lunch & afternoon
Craft beer and lobster rolls at Auberge Sutton Brouërie in Sutton are arduous to beat. Observe them up by searching the colorful city’s bagel bakeries, boutiques and wine outlets. Then meander on a scenic highway journey to the city of Mont-St-Hilaire, previous vineyards, orchards and farmland, calling in at picturesque cellar doorways comparable to Coteau Rougemont and the family-run Cidrerie Michel Jodoin, full with its forest stroll to a surprising lookout level.
Night
Absorb some surroundings from steamy swimming pools at Strom Spa in Mont-St-Hilaire earlier than checking into the wine-themed Hôtel Rive Gauche on the opposite facet of the Richelieu river in Beloeil. Splash out on the tasting menu at Le Coureur des Bois, ideally on the Chef’s Desk, with the pairing of uncommon wines from the restaurant’s Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning Aladdin’s cave of greater than 18,000 bottles, some courting again a century.
Felines & flying pigs
In Hemmingford, on the new économusée at Cidrerie du Minot, we realized how the domaine was awarded Quebec’s first artisanal cider-selling allow as not too long ago as 1988 and tasted our first ice cider – fairly the revelation. Subsequent door at Domaine des Salamandres, we found scrumptious perries and mistelles constituted of pears grown as a back-up crop in case vines are misplaced to frost, as occurred simply after the primary had been planted.
The quirkily named Vignoble Le Chat Botté, or Puss in Boots, is a fairytale-come-true for former architect Normand Guénette and designer Isabelle Ricard, who realised their joint dream of changing into winemakers. Within the heat sunshine, we loved a lunch of charcuterie made by native meals hero Jean-Simon Petit (extensively thought-about Quebec’s best butcher) with our wine tasting, which included a glowing and a straw wine (the grapes are historically dried on straw beds). Isabelle designs the enjoyable labels, a lot of which function felines or flying pigs. She’s additionally a mezzo-soprano and is planning to carry winery operatic concert events in 2025.
Close by, Vignoble Camy is owned by Fred Tremblay Camy and Isabelle Leveau, wine fans who struck gold, discovering simply the correct terroir of fossilised shells and gravel deposited by the Champlain sea from about 12,000 years in the past. Now their nurtured rows of Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir usually are not solely rising in status but additionally growing in manufacturing. Just like the roots of their vines, continually in search of and feeding on inspirational components, the couple thanks shared information from mentors comparable to Niagara winemaker Kelly Mason for contributing to their success. The cellar door is simply often opened, however their multi-medal-winning wines grace native accommodations, shops and eateries, and even Michelin-starred eating places in Paris – a prestigious honour for such a petite, younger vineyard.
Winding again by way of the fertile Richelieu valley, east of Montreal, over our remaining week – previous glittering shores to fairly Beloeil (be sure you pre-book for Le Coureur des Bois restaurant) and a day’s detour to the Centre-du-Québec area, with its simple biking loops previous farms with towering silos – we had been frequently impressed not simply by the wineries, but additionally the cider homes and microbreweries, in addition to fromageries and mead distilleries.
In fact, we packed as many favorite wines in our suitcases as we might earlier than our return Air Transat flight. At the moment, pink tape and small manufacturing volumes make it arduous to get your palms on Québécois wine except you go to the province. If that’s not an excellent purpose to journey to Quebec somewhat than France, then I don’t know what’s!
Credit score: JP Map Graphics Ltd
Your Quebec handle guide
Lodging
Fashionable rooms, rooftop bar, pool and spa close to Montréal-Trudeau Worldwide Airport, with scrumptious menus in Restaurant h3 enhanced by a 6,000-bottle wine cellar, about 120 of that are Québécois.
Hôtel Humaniti Montréal. Credit score: Humaniti Montreal Resort
Hôtel Montfort Nicolet
A heritage property in Centre-du-Québec with spa, bistronomic restaurant (bistro meals mixed with gastronomic cooking), gardens and rooftop hot-tub behind the bell tower.
The BOHO Dunham by Kabin
The pioneer of boutique hostels in Quebec gives rooms above Brasserie Dunham, in addition to three self-catering cottages.
Eating places
Au Pâturage Espaces Gourmands
Well-known for her appearances on TV collection Les Cooks!, Chloé Ouellet’s farm-to-table restaurant in Ste-Perpétue, Centre-du-Québec, gives a hard and fast menu with homegrown components and non-compulsory wine pairings.
Bleu Moutarde Bistro
In Beloiel’s outdated city, the riverside terrace beneath Mont St-Hilaire gives views as wonderful because the restaurant’s meals and wine.
L’Espace Outdated Mill
Agritourism restaurant in Stanbridge East, simply west of Dunham, serving gastronomic tasting menus with non-compulsory wine pairings, dwelling to TV presenter, creator and market gardener Jean-Martin Fortier.
Le Roy Jucep
This cheery Drummondville diner claims to have invented poutine, that iconic curd cheese, fries and gravy dish that sounds all unsuitable, however tastes so proper!
Les Cocagnes
Each weekend from June to September, this agro-ecological collective farm in Frelighsburg hosts visitors at its Nation Desk, offering ‘an intimate connoisseur expertise’ created by visitor cooks who showcase merchandise from native farms.
Les Cocagnes, Frelighsburg. Credit score: Daph Nico
Procuring & leisure
Fromagerie du Presbytère
Cheese, wine and church, solutions all prayers! Within the village of Ste-Elizabeth-de-Warwick, purchase within the store throughout the highway then eat at picnic benches in entrance of the church.
La Miellerie King
A buzzing distillery in Kingsey Falls with guided bee-to-bottle excursions showcasing spirits, mead and liqueurs (from Could to September).
Rose Drummond
A one-stop store and café in Drummondville for souvenirs, wine, flowers, artisanal crafts and native produce.
Methods to get there
Air Transat gives direct flights from London Gatwick to Montreal from about £450 per individual return economic system for a lot of the 12 months, or about £1,050 pp return for Membership Class, to get you within the temper for wonderful wines and connoisseur eating. Regional flights can be found by way of Toronto. Rent a automotive at Montréal-Trudeau Worldwide Airport or from the pleasant Enterprise crew in quieter Longueuil. Audley Journey gives tailored excursions.
