Wine Industry Montreal Event

Wines of Rhône Valley
Montreal Wine Industry Annual Soccer Tournament

May 28, 2015

Today, Montreal wine industry held an annual soccer game followed by a barbecue. The event was held at the McGill University's Percival Molson's Memorial stadium. Throughout the day, Rhone Valley wines were offered to be tasted.

Fourteen Wine agents and importers participated in this Event. At first, qualifying games were being held, followed by a semifinal game, and than the final one. All games were only 30 minutes in duration.

FC Testothérhône team was declared a winner.

As for the wine tasting, 37 red and white wines produced in the Rhone Valley were offered to the participants. This was greatly appreciated by all.

At the end, an urban barbecue was offered to all.

And finally, the ice-cream.

This was indeed a very successful and enjoyable event.

Quebec Seafood Launch - AML

Launching Quebec Fisheries Products

The Quebec Association of the Fishing Industry (AQIP) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ) and Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Exports (MEIE) launches a campaign to promote fishery products in Quebec under the theme "cast off". This year AQIP engages several famous chefs to create special recipes which brings forth the Quebec seafood's extraordinary freshness and flavour.  

Below are key players in the Quebec fishery products promotion campaign.

Two key events mark the launch: one in Quebec city on May 19, 2015,

and the other in Montreal on May 26, 2015. This  campaign brings together players in the fishing industry and the culinary chefs, in order to highlight lobster, crab, Northern shrimp and surf clam through custom-made and original recipes.

The following Chefs: Phillipe Hêtu from L'Epicier, Mathieu Perreault from Sous-bois restaurant, Alexandre Vincent from L'entrepot restaurant, Santino Testani from AML Cavalier Maxim,  Remi Michaud from AML Louis Jolliet accepted the challenge to prepare original recipes from the Quebec seafood products during the Montreal Launch event.

The promotion of Quebec seafood will also take place in the Metro and IGA grocery stores with the generic identification of products from Quebec. Radio broadcast in Quebec City and Montreal is will also promote this campaign.

With the arrival of May, marine products available in abundance. Retailers increasingly offer consumers Quebec marine products. "The opportunity is perfect to launch our campaign, which aims to bring together all the players in our industry, including fishermen and processors. We are very proud to add this year's top chefs from Quebec who represent for us a special relationship with the fans. What more eloquent indeed that the succulent taste of these recipes that highlight the exceptional quality of our marine products," said Paul Gagné, CEO of AQIP.

"The reputation of excellence of marine products from Quebec, though linked to the richness and quality of the water of the St. Lawrence river as well as the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is also the result of efforts of all those who work hard to ensure the sustainability of the resources and who provide consumers with more than 50% of eco-certified products, which represents an excellent performance in North America, "said the deputy of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr. Germain Chevarie.

The AML cruiser ships (Louis Jolliet and the Cavalier Maxim) closely collaborate with this project. They promote Quebec fishery or marine products and use them in their dining menus.

AQIP (aqip.com), AML Cruises (croisieresaml.com), and MAPAQ (mapaq.gouv.qc.ca).

Evenko Foundation Launch

Montreal concert promoter Evenko announced today that it has created the Evenko Foundation with a mission to help and encourage young people to practice the performing arts.

“We’re going to give back to the community’,” said Jacques Aubé, executive vice-president at Evenko.

The Evenko Foundation will provide support yo youth between 5 and 25 years of age to practice the performing arts. Evenko is owned by the Montreal Canadiens and is Quebec’s leading promoter. The foundation will fund projects by non-profit organizations that contribute in a tangible way to the cultural growth and evolution of young people. 

The foundation has already raised $350,000.

The following is the foundation's team, with Geoff Molson the first from the left.

New Generation German Wines

New Generation Riesling Wines

May 20, 2015

Today, Germany has presented its new generation of Riesling wines.

The event was held in the Rio Tinto building's art gallery, located right next to the Place des Festivals, at the very centre of Montreal in the Quartier des spectacles. The place was an excellent choice for the venue, as the paintings on the wals complemented and enhanced the wine presentation and the overall wine tasting experience.

Wines from 22 German vineyards were presented, ranging from dry to very sweet. All were New Generation wines, featuring a reinvented taste and grape composition, yet made by traditional wine producing establishments. Even some bottles were redecorated, with blue colour being the flavour of the day.

The wines were delightful, light, and refreshing. The attendance was plentiful. People waited patiently for their turn to experience the New Generation German wines.

There was also plenty of food which helped to balance the wine tasting experience.

Click on any image to enlarge it.

Visit Wines of Germany website.

New Wines of Greece

New Wines of Greece

May 7, 2015

A professional tasting and presentation of New Wines of Greece took place today in Montreal, at the Science Centre in Old Port. The event was well attended and appreciated by all.

22 new white, rose and red wines were promoted at an exclusive professional tasting presentation, accompanied by a video and a detailed explanation of the regions where the wines were grown and produced, as well as some specifics of various vineyards.

   
This tasting event was followed by the visit to the New Greek Wines exhibition hall with over 50 Greek vineyards on display. 

The representatives were very friendly, eager to help and to answer all the questions.

And there were many questions along with the visitors' desire to taste as many wines as possible.

This event was a great success!

Fine out more about the New Wines of Greece by visiting their official website.

New Zealand Wine

New Zealand Wines

May 5, 2015

A professional wine tasting took place today at the Montreal's Marché Bonsecure. It was a special treat to discover the New Zealand wines, which are not well known in North America. In a sense, they appeal as being somewhat exotic. We all know the Australian wines, but New Zealand ones - that's a different story.  Why do they appear exotic, the posters at the tasting hall tell it all.

The following New Zealand wineries participated at the event: Blind River Estate, Cloudy Bay, Craggy Range, Elephant Hill, Hunter's Wines, Kim Crawford Wine, Monkey Bay & Nobilo Estate, Matua Wines, Mud House Wines, Oyster Bay New Zealand, Pernod Ricard Winemakers, Rockburn Wines, Saint Claire Family Estate, Schubert Wines, Sileni Estates, te Pa Family Vineyards, Toi Toi Wines, Villa Maria Estate, Waimea Estates, Whiteheaven Wine Company.

The participating new Zealand wineries presented themselves as being wholesome yet of the old world high standards of taste and quality. Although the way one perceives the wine taste is quite individualistic, I have to admit that wholesome always taste quite good to me, and even much better than good...

And of cause, there also was food at this New Zealand wine tasting event.

For those who would like to know more about the New Zealand wines, here is the official New Zealand wine website.

Click on any image to enlarge it.