This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
We no longer drink Quebec wine just out of solidarity; we drink it because it is good. The visionaries of the Quebec wine industry, through their conviction, have paved the way for those who would follow. Today, new faces are also making their contribution. Their talent and their concern for protecting the environment are shaping a future that is full of hope.
Crystallizing the future of Quebec
The potential of a region is realized when the quality of the wine produced is no longer anecdotal. When the co-owners of Domaine du Nival, Fannie Boulanger and Matthieu Beauchemin, put their first vintage on the market in 2016, they validated a world of possibilities. Inspired, among other things, by the success of the Les Pervenches vineyard, they adopted organic viticulture and used low-intervention winemaking methods, which in turn caught the attention of sommeliers.
The duo’s contribution to the local industry is multiple. For example, they created a cable system to facilitate the installation of winter canvases protecting vines, a technique they shared rather than patented. They also introduced Gamaret to Quebec, a red grape variety developed in Switzerland from a cross between Gamay and Reichensteiner. With its early maturity, Gamaret is well adapted to our climate and has the advantage of being resistant to fungal diseases, thus reducing the number of treatments required. Continuing the work of the pioneers, Fannie and Matthieu have become a driving force for newcomers.
Mission possible
Owner of Domaine L’espiègle, Zaché Hall is one of the people whose meeting with Matthieu Beauchemin had an impact. The quality of Domaine du Nival’s wines changed his opinion on what could be achieved in Quebec and contributed to his decision to settle in Estrie.
Unlike many self-taught people in Quebec, Hall studied viticulture and oenology at Brock University in Ontario and Montpellier, then worked in France and California. His expertise and experience, combined with a vineyard ideally located on a south-facing slope overlooking Selby Lake, allowed him to distinguish himself from his first vintage in 2020. Sober, pure and precise, his wines overturn and raise the standard again. His work in the vineyards is just as remarkable. Virtuous practices, without herbicides, toxic pesticides or chemical fertilizers, while maintaining wild vegetation between the rows to promote underground life are part of the continuity of a sustainable model.
Attracting competence
Another sign that a region is evolving well is when it attracts talent. After obtaining her higher technician certificate in viticulture-oenology in Beaujolais, Geneviève Thisdel stayed there. While working for others, she developed her wines from a plot that she rented and exported them. After four years in France, she returned to Quebec with the desire to make wine. In 2020, when she went to Sébastien Daoust, from the Les Bacchantes vineyard, to buy grapes, he offered her much more. She became a winemaker at the estate and had the opportunity to launch her own range at the same time. This is how her project, En roue libre, was born.
Thisdel quickly climbed the ladder, because nothing was left to chance. Her rigor and knowledge, as well as the collegiality of the local winegrowers, allowed her to quickly find her way. She converted the vineyard to organic and gained the esteem of professionals thanks to the excellence of her wines.
Our history is young and we are just beginning to grasp what is possible. Despite the climate chaos, the longer seasons that we have observed in recent years are becoming an ally of growing knowledge, and the quality of Quebec wines will continue to improve. Moreover, to complete the theme of promoting local products, the next post will be devoted to cider and local piquette.
Here are three wines that brilliantly illustrate the talent of our next generation. You can find them in bars and restaurants as well as by subscribing to the producers’ newsletters and Instagram accounts.
Domaine du Nival, One of these four, Gamaret 2023
Expressive, with juicy and crisp notes of plum and red cherry, this wine, at 11.6% alcohol, is particularly digestible. Smooth and dangerously easy to drink, this is undoubtedly the best vintage of this cuvée to date. Long live the gamaret! The ideal companion for a steak tartare. $45.00
The mischievous The cool places, Extra brut 2020
Zaché Hall’s signature is defined by the precision of the aromas and the finesse of the bubbles. Fresh and delicate with a palate that opens with discreet notes of lemon, red berries and toast, with a salinity and chalky texture on the finish that add depth. Perfect for an oyster feast. $59.60
Freewheeling Le Blanc, Vidal and Pinot Gris 2023
The blend of vitis vinifera grape varieties and hybrids is Geneviève Thisdel’s signature, and this first white vintage is a success! The mid-palate substance and the roundness provided by the maturity of the Vidal and Pinot Gris provide a perfect balance to the lively acidity. A lovely nose, marked by the clarity of the aromas, reveals notes of pear, red apple and white flower that intertwine. A delight with pan-fried scallops. $38.00
This content was produced by the Special Publications Team of Dutyrelevant to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part in it.