Tout le Vins Natures à Montréal
Celebrating Montreal’s Natural Wine Scene. At the risk of trying to compete with the news of Jen Aniston joining Instagram, I’ve discovered that Montréal’s natural wine scene is kick-you-in-the-crotch-spit-on-your-neck incroyable. Which is timely as Montréal is getting ready to host its second annual RAW WINE Fair next week (Oct. 24-25). Natural wine advocate Isabelle Legeron started the fair in London in 2012 and brought it to Montréal (it’s only Canadian stop, though Toronto is a potential future option) after a visit last year: “It’s definitely up there in terms of ‘best city to drink natural wine in’, perhaps even better than London!” And she also gives credit to the wine importers who are “the real unsung heroes of the Montreal wine scene.”
Drinking (and Buying) Wine in MTL. The natural wave hit Montréal a few years ago and the city has since become one of the best in the world to enjoy these wines, with over 40 bars and restaurants focusing on natural and low-intervention wines. I had some great wine at larrys, around the corner from Boucherie Lawrence where you can also buy Quebec wine (I bought a Marquette from Vignoble Négondos, as well as a local cider and obviously some maple syrup). But similar to Ontario’s beverage alcohol system, there are no independent wine shops, so the main retail option is the government-run Société des Alcools du Québec. But there are a few SAQs (155 Atwater Ave. and 900 Rue Beaubien E) who carry a larger selection of natural wines. And between Instagrammers BeauJoe and Orioux who share weekly SAQ picks, and stickers on bottles from specialty wine importers (Oenopole, Origines, La QV, Ward & associés, and réZin), it’s not hard to find some great natural wine (like this Gamay I got from baker-turned-natural-winemaker Karim Vionnet).
Quebec’s Winemaking History Dates Back to 1535 when Jacques Cartier landed on Île d’Orléans and he named it “Île de Bacchus”. Now there are 100+ wineries and while the winemakers face many challenges, particularly the cold temperatures and shorter growing season, the profile of Quebec wine is on the rise. Emily Campeau, wine director at Restaurant Candide, recently wrote about Quebec wines that are “sketching the cool climate from vine to glass with refreshing electric lines of acidity, angular bodies and an indisputable pleasure factor.” Emily said that none of these winemakers - Pinard & Filles, Les Pervenches, Domaine du Nival, Domaine de Bergeville, and others - can be put into a box, referring to their freedom: “The freedom to grow good healthy grapes, make wines that stand out in a crowd, and freedom to sell them to our thirsty market at home that is finally waking up to the deliciousness of the local wine offer.” ¡Vive le vin du Québec!
In Non-Quebecois Wine News, The Not A Wine Shop, Pop-Up Wine Shop is now open and will run until Oct. 22 at 96 Ossington Ave. It features a selection of wines imported by The Living Vine that you can taste (for a fee) or arrange to buy while you’re there. I tried and loved a Gamay from Therianthropy Inc., a small group making single vineyard wines in Ontario, led by winemaker David Eagle, with label art by French artist and illustrator Michel Tormer. Lifford Wine announced a new sustainable wine project, Campbell Kind Wines, which currently includes eight certified Carbon Neutral wines, a few of which will be released in LCBO Vintages on October 26. Crushable Wine Club's latest offering features six wines from The Grange of Prince Edward, made by mother-daughter winemakers Caroline and Maggie. And lastly, L’Imparfait, a wine project from David McMillan of Montreal’s Joe Beef and Ontario’s Hinterland Wine, have released new wines (a skin contact and a red blend) available for purchase online or at a few Toronto farmers markets.
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