Italian Wine Roadshow 2017: Piedmont

Mini Salon Piedmont Wines

November 22, 2017

The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada honoured the Piedmont region wines. A good number of wine producers displayed special vintages from their vineyards, most of them not yet available in Quebec or Canada. The event was held in Montreal, at the ITHQ -  Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec. 

The day started with the formal wine tasting session where every wine was presented one by one, its special qualities pointed out, and the regional growing environment explained. The very top photo in this article show the wines that were tasted.

The Montreal professional wine enthusiasts were delighted to taste various wine vintages from different vineyards, comparing and selecting the wines they intended to promote and those they would like to see being sold at SAQ (Société des alcools du Québec). Agreements and deals were made.

This Mini-Salon achieved its objective for both the Piedmont wine produces and the Quebec wine promoters, dealers and other professionals who were introduced to quite a few excellent wines. 

The event was a great success.

Click on images to enlarge them.

Italian Wine Roadshow 2017: Emilie-Romagne

Mini Salon Emilie-Romagne Wines

November 21, 2017

The Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada honoured wines and gourmet products from the Emilie-Romagne region in northern Italy that extends from the Apennines Mountains to the Po River in the north. Wine producers from the region presented a variety of their excellent wines. The event was held in Montreal, at the ITHQ -  Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec. 

A good variety of wines were presented by several lesser known vineyards, many of them quite unique and even exceptional. It was a great opportunity for the Quebec wine professionals to discover wines from this Italian northern region. This  expert tasting experience will make it possible for at least some of those wines to be promoted in Canada, Quebec and North America.

There were two seminar-like wine presentation. One was held at mid-day with various wines being presented and tasted along with the foods speciality products from the Emilie-Romagne region (photo just below). The other very professional and very detailed wine tasting session followed right after this lunch seminar (see the very first and the very last image in this article).  

Here are products from Emilie-Romagne region that were promoted at the event.

This was an excellent event, well organized, well attended and very informative.

Click on images to enlarge them.

Salon du Livre 2017: 40th Edition

Le Salon du livre de Montréal 2017

Montreal Annual Book Show

November 15-20, 2017

The very popular Montreal Book Show - Montreal Book Fair, a book gathering not to be missed, is once again taking place at Place Bonaventure. This is an annual event that celebrates Quebecers' pleasure of reading in all its forms and for all the public, demonstrating the love of the books and the passion of the words. 

This Show is for all : children, school group visits, neophytes, experts, authors, illustrators, readers and any other visitors. The physical space covered by the book displays and stands is so imminence, the variety of books offered  so vast that everyone will certainly find books for himself that will bring him or her knowledge, pleasure, and happiness. It is a place where the public can meet poets, novelists, essayists, authors and illustrators, as well as to discover many activities that take place at the Show.

This year, the Show features more than 2,000 authors and more than a thousand publishing houses. Exhibitions, dedications, meetings of authors and illustrators, animations, all this is taking place for six days of book adventures and discoveries at the Montreal Book Show 2017.

It is impressive to see how many children visit the Show during its first 3 days and how eager they are to to look at books, to read some passages inside them, to meet the authors, and especially to get the authors' signatures and to have them sign the books they bought. It is a real pleasure to see that regardless of our electronic age, the reading of physical books is so strong in children!

And don't forget about the upcoming Holiday Season when a book often is the best present one receives.

Click on images to enlarge them.

For more information, visit the Salon's website.

La Grande Dégustation 2017

La Grande Dégustation de Montréal
7th Edition

November 2 -4, 2017

La Grande Dégustation de Montréal is the largest annual grape-and-wine gathering in Eastern Canada, where more than 200 wine producers, distillers and brewers come together to share their passion with more than 13,000 wine, beer and spirit lovers, connoisseurs and professionals in a special experience. Attesting to the flourishing industry, the event allows Quebeckers to meet producers who come from all around the world, on top of offering a unique tasting experience.

La Grande Dégustation is back at Place Bonaventure. There are conferences and tastings of a great variety of products. This is also an opportunity to meet over numerous wine and spirit producers from all around the world, and to purchase some exceptional private imports. Visitors will meet the wine producers and distributors face to face, having an excellent opportunity to ask questions, to compare various vintages, and to discover what they like the most.

Each year La Grand Degustation event has a special theme, and this year it is Champagne. You will find it flowing freely into wine glasses, and each person is bound to find the just the special bubbly that would please his or hers palate the most.

Additionally, many food delicacies are also offered to the public for tasting.

Private Imports
You can purchase most private imports displayed on the fair, individually or per case. To do so, simply get an order form available at each booth and make your payment at the SAQ order terminals. The products will be delivered before December 1st to your home or to your favorite SAQ outlet. 

Click on images to enlarge them.

For more information, visit La Grande Dégustation de Montréal website.