|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Townships of Quebec
Articles by Michael Fagin Meteorologist, Travel Writer and Wine Enthusiast
Auberge du Joli Vent, a delightful Inn Photo by Elizabeth Fagin
;
My wife Elizabeth and I wanted to learn more about the nascent but thriving wine industry in Quebec's Eastern Townships ( Cantons de l'Est) . And perhaps sample some of the region's fine foods, too. So last summer we set out for this district of small towns tucked within the rolling hills east of Montreal . Basing out of the delightful Auberge du Joli Vent ( Inn of nice breezes) near Lac Brome, we immediately began our education. While sitting outside the inn in Adirondack chairs enjoying the nice breezes coming off of the lake and smelling dinner cooking inside, our hostess graciously offered us local wines to enjoy.
As usual, Hans Christiner, the chef, was cooking up something special, drawing upon his multi-national skills he acquired from Europe and other parts of the world. He had studied in Lucerne , Switzerland, Saudi Arabia and Australia. In Australia he acquired more than new culinary skills, for this is where the Swiss-German Hans met Quebecois Patricia Provencher. The two married, returning to Provencher's Quebec to open the Auberge du Joli Vent.
Our first taste of Hans' masterful cooking was a delightful multi-course dinner featuring locally prepared Lac-Brome duck, which simply melted in our mouths. The next day we feasted on a much smaller scale; breakfast never-the-less was quite satisfying as well. Fully fueled from the ample breakfast, we were now set to wander around the surrounding rolling hills. Within ten minutes we arrived at Vignoble La Mission in Brigham. The proprietor, Jean-Christophe Hirsch, like many other proprietors in the region is a native of France . His hometown of Beaujolais is a historical province and major wine producing region. But, Hirsch insisted that that he would not bring the old traditions from France to his vineyard, opting instead to embrace his new region and exploit its uniqueness for icewine.
After sampling some of La Mission's icewines as well as white wines, some of the best in the region I may add, we were ready to take a break in the nearby town of Frelighsburg . Rated as one of “the most beautiful villages in Quebec ,” Frelighsburg sits at the base of Mount Pinnacle surrounded by rolling hills and apple orchards. The town is graced with old churches and shops. It's also the home to the Domaine Pinnacle Winery, a worthwhile stop. And Mount Pinnacle with its panoramic views of vineyards and orchards is a worthy objective too. It's about a one hour hike to the 665-meter (2,181-foot) summit.
We headed next to the town of Sutton to visit the Chapelle Ste-Agnes vineyard. This vineyard is under the management of Christian Barthomeuf, who also owns le Clos Saragnat Vineyard (See http://www.winesofcanada.com/fagin2_quebec.html ). Mr. Barthomeuf is a wine-making pioneer in this region. One of the first winemakers in the eastern Townships, Mr. Barthomeuf's Chapelle Ste-Agnes' specialty icewines have won several awards.
Chapelle Ste. Agnès Vineyard Quebec Photo by Elizabeth Fagin
The layout of this vineyard and the practices Barthomeuf exercises here are unique. While most vintners in the region protect their plants from the harsh winter by covering them with soil (earthing up), Chapelle Ste-Agnes engages a different process. They individually wrap a coat of insulating material around each plant as this is thought to be less stressful on the plant.
Another unique feature of Chapelle Ste-Agnes is that many of the plants are terraced on a 30 degree south facing slope helping the plant maximize its ability to absorb light and heat during the day. The winery as its name implies houses a chapel on its grounds. This striking Romanesque structure is built of solid stone.
After a satisfying day of wine tasting and touring through the lovely countryside of the townships, Elizabeth and I contemplated
returning to this region at a future date. As we drove back to the Auberge du Joli Vent we passed by 974-meter (3,194-foot) Mont Sutton.
A magnet for winter sports enthusiasts, Mont Sutton offers excellent downhill skiing and snowboarding. There's good cross-country skiing
terrain here too, but you need not travel very far from the Auberge du Joli Vent for that pursuit. The inn's property is laced with quiet
trails perfect for cross-country skiing and snow shoeing.
We thought about possibly returning in the autumn as well. Not only to enjoy the splendid colors but also for the wine harvest. Local bike tour operators organize group trips of 31 kilometer (19 mile) bike rides that stop for wine tasting along the way. Springtime wouldn't be bad for a return trip either. Before summer's heat you can enjoy some splendid hiking on the many trails found in the region's provincial parks. And if you time your trip right, head over to the village of Fitch Bay to see its lavender covered fields. Of course for any of our future trips in this region we would return to the Auberge du Joli Vent. For the Inn of nice breeze is also an inn for all seasons.
Links:
Additional Articles by Michael Fagin Icewine, Eastern Townships1, Quebec, Montréal, Prince Edward County
Be a Page Sponsor
e-mail to ask how you can become a page sponsor
