Montreal is known for its lively nightlife and its much appreciated food scene. The city is filled with restaurants that are vastly different, giving locals and tourist the opportunity to always indulge in something new. While Quebec has its local fortes such as tourtière, foie gras, cheese, and maple syrup, people aren’t aware of many of the local producers that allow us to enjoy some of our finest ingredients.
We feel as though its safe to say that wine and cheese is one of peoples favourite food pairing. Quebec without a doubt produces some of the world’s best cheeses and we are spoiled in this aspect. Wine, on the other hand, is something that Quebec’s climate doesn’t allow for us to compete on a global scale with some of the other international wine producers. California, France, and Italy are all countries we think of when we think of wine. We are here to inform you about some of the local wine and cheeses we got to taste at this years Salon Accords Vin et Fromage. Our opinion changed completely after trying some Quebec wine and cheeses, proving that local producers are doing an excellent job.
One of the wines we really enjoyed came from “Le Mas Des Patriotes” located 1076, ch des patriots ouest in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. This winery is a short one-hour drive from the city. What we loved so much about this vineyard, aside from its friendly owners and wine producers, is its accessibility to the city and its beautiful grounds. Everyday in the summer, Le Mas offers stunning picnic areas, which allow you and whomever you decide to bring along to enjoy their grounds. You may bring all the food you like and Le Mas supplies their elegant wines. You can also schedule wine tastings and wine tours on their website.
Another locally delicious wine comes from a similar region in the Montérégie region. Domaine St-Jaques is again part of the southern microclimate that Quebec experiences during its summer months. Their wines are delicious and are worth trying especially when you are into wine. The soil is rich in minerals and their grape varietals consist of Lucy Kuhlman, Maréchal Foch, and Baco Noir. The vineyard also produces white, rosés, and ice wines. You can reserve a space on their website for wine tastings as they are open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11am-5pm. As the SAQ doesn’t hold all their wines, you can always order online or of course, visit their vineyard.
Other locally produced wines that are worth looking into are produced by “Le Chat Botté,” “Domaine Bergeville,” “Vignoble de l”Orphaille,” and “Domaine de Lavoie.”
In order to get the full experience with your wines, pairing them with locally produced cheese is the perfect combination. Our personal favourite is called “Grey Owl.” This creamy goat cheese is white at the centre and covered in a light vegetable ash. It’s simply irresistible and can be eaten on its own or paired beautifully with wine and crackers. You can buy “Grey Owl” at most cheese stores, such as “Yannick Fromagerie.”
For a sweeter taste with a combined flavour of another Quebec favourite, Le P’tit Bronzé is a pasteurized cheese made from cow’s milk. It’s a soft cheddar that is smoked on maple wood. Yes, maple cheese is what you’ll taste and it’s utterly delicious. The cheese is complemented by woody aromas and is finished off with its sweet maple kick. Finally, from the Lac-St-Jean region, Le Péribonka is a yellow cheese with subtle earthy aromas. It’s creamy in texture and has a nice butter and mushroom kick to it. Pair this with a wine to your liking and you’ll surely impress guests.
The Salon Accords Vin et Fromage was truly an unforgettable experience for us as we were able to meet with many wine and cheese makers from Quebec. It was extremely interactive, which allowed us to engage in conversations surrounding the industry along with understanding the fundamentals of what it’s like producing goods here in Quebec. Often times, international competition overshadows our local products that are just as good, if not better than some of the bigger named brands.
Other notable cheeses: P’tit Délice, Le Pont Tournant, Baluchon, Fontina.
We hope you get a chance to try some of the wine and cheeses listed above!