Discover the vineyards near Montreal

Did you know that there are many vineyards near Montreal? In fact, there are more than 20 vineyards near Montreal. In the whole province of Quebec, we have close to 50 wineries in 7 different regions.

You will find that most wineries are located in the Eastern Townships which can be the perfect day trip or weekend getaway from Montreal. I will recommed spending a whole weekend in the region. Most of the wineries are open to the public and are part of the Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route. This tourist route has 22 wineries and will make you pass by sprawling hillside views and plenty of opportunities to stop and taste the local flavours. The wine route of Quebec is located in Dunham, in the Eastern Townships, around 1:30 hour away from Montreal and it is one of my favourite regions near the city. We are not foreign to the wineries in Quebec. In fact, the hubby and I got married in a winery in the Eastern townships (same region), l'Orpailleur.

La Route des Vins (wine route in French) can be done by bike or by car. There are 6 different road trips routes that you can embark on. There are 4 cycling routes 20 restaurants worth the stop and countless other outdoor activities. They also have a couple of packages for you to enjoy to the max your time in the region.

A little info on Quebec wines

The tradition of winemaking in Quebec can be traced back to the 17th century to the colonial era when early settlers attempted to cultivate European grape varieties. However, the harsh climate posed significant challenges and the wines did not survive the cold Canadian winter.

In the 80’s there was a new effort to develop vineyards and scientifically cold-resistant grape varieties were developed to be more suitable for Quebec's climate. Quebec viticulturists started experimenting with hybrid grape varieties that combined the hardiness of North American grapes with the flavours of European varieties. This led to the creation of grapes such as Vidal, Frontenac, Seyval Blanc, and Maréchal Foch, to name a few, which are better suited to Quebec's climate. The oldest winery is more than 40 years old meaning that it is a fairly new industry.

The Eastern Townships then emerged as a prominent wine-producing region due to it's microclimate. The Wine Route promotes wine tourism and allows visitors to explore the various vineyards in the region.

If you are looking for something quintessentially Canadian, you need to try Ice wine, or "vin de glace" in French, is a sweet and flavorful dessert wine made from grapes that have naturally frozen on the vine. The freezing process concentrates the sugars and flavors in the grapes, resulting in a rich and intensely sweet wine.

In the province, you won’t find many of the “noble” grape variety. So what types of grape varieties is commonly found in Quebec wines?

Vidal is a popular white grape variety that thrives in colder climates. It is often used to produce dry and off-dry white wines, as well as ice wines, known for their crisp acidity and citrusy flavours.
Seyval Blanc is another white grape variety commonly grown in Quebec. It produces wines with a balance of acidity and fruitiness, often used for both still and sparkling white wines.
Maréchal Foch is a red grape variety that has gained popularity in Quebec. It produces red wines with fruity flavours, often characterized by notes of cherry and plum.
Frontenac is known for its resistance to cold temperatures and disease. Winemakers use Frontenac to produce red wines with robust flavours and structure.
La Crescent Wines made from La Crescent grapes often exhibit floral and tropical fruit aromas.
St. Pepin Wines made from St. Pepin grapes are typically crisp and aromatic, with citrus and apple notes.
La Crosse is a versatile grape variety used for both white and red wines.

Psst: I have to warn you that if you are a wine connoisseur and like strong and full-body wines like Shiraz, you will be extremely disappointed with the taste of the wines, especially the red ones. The wines are not as good as the wines in Niagara on the Lake or other places in Canada.

Practical info to nail your trip :

Check the opening hours and prices, I will suggest you visit the website of each vineyard before you embark on your trip.
The tasting usually range around $15 per person.
Don’t drink and drive, please be moderate on your consumption.
A lot of the wineries maybe be close or have shorter opening hours during the winter.
Some wineries often offer activities during the harvesting season.
Some establishment might ask you to have reservations for guided tours.

Wineries near Montreal

Vignoble de l’Orpailleur

This is by far the best winery in the whole province and my favourite. In fact, the hubby and me got married here!

They were one of the pioneers of Quebec’s wine industry, the vineyard has been open for more than 40 years. The vineyard offers over a dozen varieties of wine, as well as an extensive food menu ar their delicious restaurant Le Tire-bouchon. They also have an Ecomuseum on site (near the tasting room) so you can learn more about the winemaking process in general and in the province. I especially like their white reserve whine and their sparkling wine.

Léon Courville Vigneron

The vineyard is located on the top of a small hill and valley with breathtaking views where you can oversee the vines and the lake in the background. This beautiful domain reminded me of the vineyard in Mont-Orford. You can do guided tours and wine tastings. One of their options is to taste 8 of their wines. They have a large variety of white, pink, red, bubbly & ice wine,

UNION LIBRE CIDRE & VIN

The domaine is located on the hillsides of Dunham. Their wines are characterized by freshness and minerality. This winery like others in the region also offer cider. If you want to learn more about Cider in Quebec, go read my other blog post.

CLOS SARAGNAT

If you like very sweet wines then this is the stop for you. Le Clos Saragnat produces an unusual wine, straw wine and these certified organic ciders. What is straw wine you might ask, it is a type of dessert wine made from grapes that have been dried for an extended period, typically on straw mats or racks. This winemaking technique concentrates the sugars, flavors, and acidity in the grapes, resulting in a sweet and flavorful wine.You can visit the cider house only during the summer time.

VIGNOBLE SUGAR HILL

Located in the Knowlton in the beautiful Brome Lake, this winery produces organic wines, they are certified. They have won a few prices in the province. They are known for their sparkling wine, La Grande Cuvée Pelechacz 2013. They also have different wines & varieties such as Frontenac Noir, Cabernet Franc, Petite-Perle, Pinot Noir and Radisson.

Château de Cartes

Château de Cartes (house of cards in English) specializes in sparkling wines and also offers ciders since the domain also has apple trees. The winegrower explained to us how the sparkling wine is made and took us to the cellar. Here, we also tasted the Quebec specialty of Ice Wine and Ice Cider.

Here you can have lunch composed of homemade paté, charcuteries, cheeses, bread and salad. As a dessert, we had an éclair and I had a fruit salad with dark chocolate since I'm lactose intolerant.

Cheese and charcuterie lunch provided by Kava Tours

Chateau de cartes, a vineyard near Montreal

La Belle Alliance

This is a family-run operation that practices a “minimalist intervention” meaning that they let the grape do their thing without too much mechanical or chemical manipulation. Their name is inspired by their location, Waterloo Quebec. In Waterloo Belgium Napoleon had its main headquarters during the Battle of Waterloo.

Vignoble de la Bauge

The last stop is completely different from the other ones since the owner also raises foreign and wild animals like llamas, deer and boars. Some of the animals are butchered to provide their restaurant with meat. I have to admit that the baby llama was the cutest!

The winemaker is trying to shift his production towards organic wine production, what a great initiative! Their white and rose are very good. We even bought 2 bottles to take home.

Vignoble La Bauge, a vineyard near Montreal

Wether you are a wine lover of you just enjoy a glass of wine occasionally this getaway to the country side near Montreal will leave you wanting for more. If you are looking for a different day trip from the city, this could be a very pleasant activity to add your bucket list.