The Valley has quite a few great options for enjoying local wines. Among them is Domaine des Salamandres, which makes products from both grapes and pears. It has been operating in Hemmingford since 2008; this year, in honour of its 15th anniversary, it is throwing a Fête Familiale on September 16.
One of the owners of the vineyard, Denise Lavoie, explains that while theirs is a small business, they are very passionate about the products they make. “We’re a family business. We’re only four people who work here full time, with an employee who helped me this year at the boutique. We really believe in what we put in our bottles,” she says. The use of pears makes the vineyard unusual, but it has received acclaim for both pear and grape products over the years.
On the day of the event, admission is free. The only cost will be if guests would like to buy a plate of seafood from the Gaspésie Bistro Gourmand. Wine will be sold by the glass, so guests can try different kinds if they would like to. “We’ll have inflatable games and a makeup artist for the kids; we’ll have two singers who will do sets at different moments of the day; we’ll have a DJ who will be there all day, and wine workshops – like a wine tasting of our wines with a sommelier,” Lavoie explains. The party will begin at 11 a.m. and will go into the early evening. She hopes that Mother Nature will cooperate to have the best day possible.
The event will be to celebrate 15 years but also to show off renovations that are underway. “We’re doing really nice renovations at the vineyard and next year we’re hoping to have a wine bar, and we’re hoping that people are aware about it,” she explains. The renovations will enhance the location while still keeping “the spirit of the original building,” which was built in the mid-1800s.
For Lavoie, events like this are a great way to “shine a light on our region of the Montérégie.” The weekend of this event will have a lot to offer visitors: “Apple season will be pertinent at this time. There will also be garage sales in Hemmingford that weekend, so they can then come by and join a celebration.” She encourages people to take the time to explore the region: check out the garage sales, enjoy some time in a U-Pick apple orchard, and then come join the festivities and celebrations at Domaine des Salamandres.
