On the blogby Alfred

26 March 2020

Domaine du Chenoy – Walloon Region of Belgium

by Pasquale Charland

During this visit to the vineyards of Belgium, I made some great encounters and discoveries. Belgian wines are wrongly underestimated. They certainly do not have the great reputation of some wines from its French neighbors, but there is still a growing interest in these new northern domains. Domaine du Chenoy, in the heart of a soft green countryside and on this cloudy November day, Pierre-Marie Despatures is waiting for me. 

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19 March 2020

Champagne Laurent-Perrier

by Pasquale Charland

A visit to the most prestigious champagne domains makes this trip an unforgettable experience. Champagne is known for its undeniable beauty. First stop: Maison Laurent-Perrier. I am greeted there by an all-female team. They take good care of me, showing me around the garden, the reception areas in the cellar and by finishing with a tasting of each of the products. A little extra, an incredible favor is offered to me; I will be tasting two primeurs, which made its official release in the fall of 2019. This kind of little attention confirms to me how immensely lucky I am and how these moments I live are moments of pure happiness.

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12 March 2020

Quinta de Soalheiro, Vinho Verde Portugal

by Pasquale Charland

This area is the northernmost in Portugal, so far north that on the other side of the mountains, we are in Spain. A family that has four generations in the business world. Who is undoubtedly the pioneer in the creation of Alvarinho wine in Melgaço. An international reference for this type of grape variety that blends perfectly with the green landscape all around. It was in the 1970s that a passion for winemaking led Joao Antonio Cerdeira, with the help of his father, to plant his first Alvarinho vine and thus create the brand in 1982. The rest of the family joined the project. His daughter Maria Palmira and his son Antonio Luis will pursue the passion and dream, taking great care to keep the values of the estate intact in the pursuit of the family business.

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5 March 2020

Domaine Covela, Vinho Verde Portugal

by Pasquale Charland

With a history that dates back to the 1500s, the ruins of the old stone Casa de Covela, now the façade of the old Renaissance manor house and the more recent chapel of Santa Quiteria, bear witness to its agricultural and cultural importance. It is even amusing to think here that some of the paths and cart tracks that mark the boundaries of the estate date back to Roman times. In more recent history, Covela once belonged to the European director Manoel de Oliveira, one of the most important directors of the second half of the 20th century.

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27 February 2020

The Gors-Opleeuw, Belgium

by Pasquale Charland

It was my friend Laurence Feraud, from Domaine Pegau, a reference in the wine business, who advised me to make a detour through this small vineyard during a trip to Belgium. One grey and rainy autumn morning, I headed for Gors-Opleeuw, a small village located between Liege and Namur.

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20 February 2020

Aveleda Vinho Verde

by Pasquale Charland

The Aveleda S. A estate in Portugal, in the Vinho Verde region, has been owned by the same Guedes family since 1870. For five generations, from father to son, they have been working with the same passion and the same values. Today, the company is directed by two of the descendants of the fifth generation: Antonio Azevedo Guedes and Martim Guedes. Since its founding in 1870, the passion for winemaking, the sustainable treatment of the surrounding environment, biodiversity and attention to detail are still the guiding principles of the group. These pillars are at the heart of the production of quality wines and the creation of renowned brands such as Aveleda, Adega Velha, Quinta Vale D. Maria, Quinta D’Aguieira Follies and Casal Garcia. The group is active in three different wine regions in Portugal, in the wine regions of Douro, Vinho Verde and Bairrada. The company is the largest producer and exporter of Vinho Verde in Portugal, exporting to more than 80 countries worldwide.

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6 February 2020

1729: Ruinart, the oldest Champagne domain

by Pasquale Charland

To evoke the name Champagne without thinking of Ruinart is practically impossible. Almost 300 years of history is not commonplace. To enter the Ruinart universe in the very heart of Reims is to feel very privileged. All this impressive and long history, this majestic domain, the famous chalk, the splendor of the site itself, without forgetting the delicacy and the great reputation of its excellent champagnes recognized all over the world. In this grandiose environment, everything breathes beauty and luxury, refinement and finesse: art is everywhere.

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30 January 2020

Education and learning

by Baptiste Gissinger

When opening our first restaurant I put myself in charge of the bar and didn’t know much about spirits. But because I can get pretty obsessive I spent years studying what is now a profession. This is also through education that I gained most of my clientele. I made it my mission to get customers to enjoy something they said they didn’t by the end of the night. The idea behind the Rum Club of Quebec was also to educate people on how to drink rum, how rum is made and to open their minds on the different rums available around the world. With the growing demand on spirits I truly think that education should be a major priority to any brand along with transparency. 

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23 January 2020

The cost of wine

by Sébastien Légasse

In the world of wine, we can find almost everything and its opposite: from the 4 liter vinier to the bigger formats of vintaged champagne, including the bottle at $ 9 and the grand cru at $ 6,000. We can also understand that the rarity and prestige of the product will influence its price. Collectors of “labels” will give more importance to the known wines as they will be considered as a safe investment.

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16 January 2020

Domaine Chevalier, a Burgundy domain very close to Quebec

by Pasquale Charland

When we mention Domaine Chevalier, we are referring to Quebec and to Claude Chevalier, who is well-known and very present in Quebec. Claude is faithful with his visits of the province several times a year, to see more and more friends and of course to promote his products. During my visit, he was traveling home while I was traveling to his home. He has trouble staying put, according to her daughters. It’s Julie, her daughter who welcomes me after her call ended with Claude, in Canada precisely to learn about developments. Julie tells me their story.

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19 December 2019

Fortified wines

by Sébastien Légasse

For Porto wines, five grape varieties are chosen, especially to make quality products: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Tinto Cão. A sweet red wine is normally made, stopping fermentation when it reaches 5% to 9% alcohol rates. Since the fermentation time is reduced, strategies must be adopted to extract the color and tannins.

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19 December 2019

Life on the road

by Baptiste Gissinger

I’m writing this article from the front seat of my camper, from somewhere called “Fort Courage” in Arizona, an old abandoned gas station next to an abandoned Pancake House. The sun is slowly rising; I’ve poured myself a hot tea and put on some soft jazz music on the speaker. The mood is set and it feels a little surreal,  in terms of what life can bring and where it can bring you. 

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