Vignoble Saint-Gabriel in Quebec's Lanaudière Region: Organic Wine in a Natural Setting
An organic winery in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon with stunning views, an array of wines to be tried, and a museum and wine cellar that ultimately ensure that Vignoble Saint-Gabriel will firmly remain on the Lanaudiére tourist map.
If heaven ends up being a winery perched atop a picturesque hill that offers an array of cheese laden charcuterie platters, I will not be upset in the slightest.
That’s precisely why the moment I pulled into the driveway at Vignoble Saint-Gabriel, I knew that I was going to be rather fond of this place. I was just about to do some hiking and canoeing in La Mauricie National Park, but first I knew it was my duty to relax a little bit, and head towards this rocky hilltop near Lac Maskinongé to appreciate what’s become known as “the organic winery of Lanaudière.”
I was fortunate to spend a fair bit of time in Quebec recently, particularly in the Lanaudiére and Mauricie regions, and this was a worthwhile stop if you too happen to be around there. I had to practice my French since this setting was far more rural than the likes of Trois-Rivières (the largest city in the region), but that’s ultimately a good thing.
I’ve always been a big believer in the value of stepping outside your comfort zone. My French could (and should) be better, but I was able to communicate that I wanted to try some wine, to get my hands on some fondue and, afterwards, was able to communicate how much I enjoyed everything. Let’s not forget how, in the end, can be communicated with kind eyes and a smile.
I do plan on returning to Quebec (and this region, to be honest) more frequently though, so I will be practicing my French further in the meantime!
Alas, let’s turn our sights towards Vignoble Saint-Gabriel.
About Vignoble Saint-Gabriel (Saint- Gabriel Winery)
Vignoble Saint-Gabriel is an organic vineyard/winery that’s technically located in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, Quebec. It was started by Johanne and Paul, who now have over 35,000 rustic vines to call their own. With those aforementioned vines, they’re making over 10 different wines.
On their site, they note that they “produce wines with exceptional qualities resulting from the components of the soil, the orientation of the vines facing south, and the meticulous care lavished from the pruning of the vines to bottling.”
Their vines (Minnesota hybrids) are grown with zero fungicides, insecticides or herbicides, which means that all of their wines are certified by Ecocert Canada.
The property is, of course, more than just vines. They’ve got a stately tasting room, a museum, a terrace that overlooks the terroir, nearby walking trails, a famous wine cellar with over 100 French barrels and so much more. I’ll get into all of that below, but for now it’s worth noting that this is much more than just a place to pick up a bottle of wine and be on your way.
It’s a place to stop and enjoy an afternoon.
The Wine at St. Gabriel
The landscape happens to be the perfect pairing for their wine!
I should note that not all of their wines may be available when you visit. For example, I know that right now they’re out of stock of their Brume Rosée, and that’s just the way it is with smaller wineries. That being said, it’s also likely they’ll be serving something you may not have expected, something seasonal perhaps.
Here are some of their staples:
Coteau Saint-Gabriel Réserve Spéciale: A reserve wine that’s aged for twelve months in French oak barrels. It’s a nice balance of tannic and fruity, while being bold and full-bodied.
Coteau Saint-Gabriel: This is made from a blend of Radisson and Marquette grapes. It’s dry and a has a little touch of wood on the backend of the tongue since it’s aged for six months in barrels. I feel like both this one and the wine above would be rather nice with red meat.
La Côte à Beausoleil: This wine is a blend of Sabrevois, DM-85, and Marquette grapes. It’s a fairly soft wine and it’s fruit forward which makes it a good wine to serve with appetizers or a charcuterie board before a main meal.
Régal d’Automne: I expected this wine to be very sweet, but in fact it was some of the dry, bitterness from the citrus that came forward here, which means it wasn’t actually too sweet at all. It features grapes from their Aldamiina and Osceola Muscat vines.
Brume Rosée: I’m a wine drinker that likes dry, bold reds first and foremost, so a rosé has always been a bit of a tough sell for me. To me, this wine is a very fruity, fairly sweet wine that would be best served very, very cold on a very, very hot day.
Le Secret de l’Archange: This is a dessert wine that is beloved by the surrounding community and most people who have ventured to take a sip. In full disclosure, ice wines and so forth are far from my thing, but I do know that this careful mixture of Adalmiina, St-Pépin and Osceola Muscat grape varieties is a crowd-favourite, and one of their more expensive options for a reason. Personally, it’s the sort of wine that I’d love to have to with blue cheese or perhaps a rich, dark chocolate.
Le P'tit Rouquin: This is the fortified wine at Vignoble Saint-Gabriel. It’s been aged for over two years in their famed French barrels, and it comes in at around 18% alcohol. This is a wine that you should save for after your meal to perhaps enjoy with some cheese or dessert.
Sangabriella: Simply put, this is their homemade sangria. If you get a bottle, I’d recommend cutting up some fruit at home (oranges, lemons, limes, for example) and adding it to your glass with ample ice.
To go along with your wine, they’ve got 3 different charcuterie boards. I personally enjoyed the Fondue plate that came with cheese fondue, cold cuts, bread, pickles, dark chocolate and fruit. They’ve also got a vegetable plate, and another plate which has a variety of pâtés.
What Else is Worth Noting at Vignoble Saint-Gabriel?
The Museum of Antique Tractors at Saint Gabriel Winery
Before you arrive, here are a few things worth knowing. They should help you plan your visit. Speaking of planning your visit, it can be busy there particularly in the warmer months, so you may want to book a reservation.
Le Musée de Tracteurs Antiques (The Museum of Antique Tractors)
Not far from the tasting room, on the other side of the parking lot, you’ll find two buildings that are filled with antique tractors as well as agricultural tools. In all, there are over 125 tractors, mostly from the 1930s to the 1950s.
You’ll find brands like John Deere and Ford, but also some more niche brands like Allis-Chalmers, Empire, and Massey-Harris.
It’s a fun spot for photographers, too.
The Wine Cellar
As Vignoble Saint-Gabriel notes, “the Vignoble Saint-Gabriel wine cellar has become a major tourist attraction in Lanaudière.”
As far as I understand, they still do run tours of the wine cellar during their high season at 11am and 2pm, respectively. They built the wine cellar about ten years ago, and it’s roughly 200 metres squared in size.
In the wine cellar, there are currently 110 French oak barrels containing over 225 litres of wine! It’s very picturesque.
Gabrielle’s Lavender Shop
Before 2015, they actually grew lavender here as well, and they still make products from their leftover stock. They’ve got soaps, hand creams, bath salts, dried lavender bunches and more.
You’ll find this little shop tucked into the corner near the serving bar in the tasting room.
Walking Trails
I didn’t get to experience this myself, but I’m told that there are walking trails that are connected to the property that are good to walk/hike on in all seasons.
There are two trails in particular that seem to be popular, the Mont-Marcil Trail and the St. Didace Village Trail.
Quality Organic Wine Awaits in Saint-Gabriel-de-Brandon, Quebec
The wine is a little different, and I thought it was very much worth the drive to get there. They’ve put their own unique twist on wine that highlights the soil around them, and shows no shortage of creativity.
But more than that, I cannot get over the view. When I was sitting on the terrace, I felt as if I could have sat there for hours, and simply stared off into the distance. Especially with the fall foliage that was present when I was there, it was beyond impressive.
Way back in the day, I used to plan trips and would somehow end up going from major city to major city (particularly when I was travelling in Europe). That was fine, but I do think there’s something to be said for making little detours, and choosing to visit and stay in spots that aren’t on every person’s tourist bucket-list.
That’s what Vignoble Saint-Gabriel was for me, a place that may not be on every person’s Quebec itinerary, but that should definitely make its way onto more of them.
If you decide to make the trip, then….bon voyage, mes amis!
I want to humbly thank Lanaudière Mauricie for hosting me as media. All opinions are completely my own.
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