Interviews

Le Mas des Patriotes winery grew out of a lifelong dream. In the early 2000s, France Cliche restored an old abandoned barn and planted the first few acres of vines in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu—becoming one of only a handful of women winery owners.

With environmental awareness gaining ground, could regenerative viticulture be the next big thing? We spoke about it with Simon Naud, a pioneer of the movement in Quebec, and Michel Gassier, who comes from a long line of French winemakers.

The Temiscouata Distillery, located in Auclair in the Lower Saint Lawrence region, is made up of some 40 maple syrup producers who decided to innovate, stimulate the economy and take charge of their industry by producing Acerum, a maple syrup-based spirit!

Myriam Jean-Baptiste and Stevens Charles drew inspiration from a traditional Haitian drink to create the award-winning LS Cream, a distinctive cream liqueur that embodies their pride, culture and entrepreneurship.

As Black History Month unfolds, meet Dr. Joy Spence, a master blender for nearly 30 years at Appleton in Jamaica, an exceptional woman whose reputation extends far beyond the Caribbean region.

“The apple trees right behind me were planted by my great-grandfather 100 years ago,” said owner Justin Petch before biting into a Cortland apple he picked along our walk.

Along the wine route in Dunham, in the Montérégie region, sits the magnificent building that houses the Château des Cartes winery. It’s where Stéphane Lamarre has spent many years pursuing his passion for vine-growing.

In Rimouski, in the Lower St. Lawrence, stands a new architectural building overlooking the St. Lawrence River that’s home to Distillerie du St. Laurent. It’s in this enchanting part of the Pointe-au-Père district, with its iconic lighthouse and spectacular sunsets, that Joël Pelletier and Jean-François Cloutier create and share their products.

When you stroll through the streets of Bedford in the Eastern Townships, you quickly notice a huge red-brick building. A vestige of the industrial era, this old needle factory has become a creative hub and an artists’ residence, and it’s where Samuel Gaudette and Vanessa Cliche have set up their stills.

What does a meadow, river or forest taste like? That’s a prickly question! One we boldly try to answer by exploring the province in the hopes of discovering Quebec’s taste profile, a bit like a large herbarium of flavours and aromas.

The Eastern Townships, with Mount Shefford as a backdrop, is where the Bourassa brothers harvest some 2,500,000 litres of maple water per year, and where they nurture their second passion—the distillery.

Right by the Quebec-Vermont border, 80 km south of Montreal, there’s a winery steeped in history located in the town of Dunham—Domaine des Côtes d’Ardoise. It’s considered to be the oldest active commercial vineyard in Quebec and stands out through its gardens, historical buildings and impressive art exhibit. And it’s where Henry-Alain Drocourt offers tastings of the estate’s wines.