Montreal wine lists

[Lesley C]

We were just discussin Rosalie's French-only wine list on another thread and I thought we should break on to another thread to name a few other favourites.

Some of mine include:

Le St-Christophe and Derriere les Fagots in St-Rose, Laval

Le Club des Pins

Les Caprices de Nicolas

Rosalie

L'Express

Au Pied de Cochon

Lemeac

La Chronique

The Latini, but it's expensive

Le Piemontais

Chez Queux

Chez L'Epicier

Cafe Ferreira

Laloux

Auberge Hatley

Moishes, also expensive

Guy and Dodo

Les Halles

and of course, Bistro a Champlain

Any I missed?

[mcmillan]

mess hall has a crazy wine list,and of course the quebec gouvernment at nuances........

[Lesley C]

Les Chenets also has an incredible wine list but when I was there half the bottles I was interested in were part of the private collection and not available. And like Bistro a Champlain, the lower-end bottles are overpriced.

[chopper]

Steve and John at the Monkland Tavern often have interesting products to suggest. Always reasonnably priced.

Alex, at Cafe Méliès, seems to try hard to offer "something else" as well; in an other sphere, Cube (all this geometry talk is making me weak) seemed to be into "Bio" wines recently, I don't know if the maintained their interest...they also carried some nice Dagueneau and Scavino stuff a while back.

But we can't all be Nuances (talk about ressources...).

[David Russell]

I only get to Montreal once a year (for the Canadian Grand Prix F1 race), but I've been quite surprised at how many of the lists we encounter are more than decent. Maybe it's because we tend to gravitate to some of the better restos (Toqué, La Chronique, L'Express)...I dunno. Also, despite my being California-born and -bred (and live in the Golden State to this day) I'm pretty much a shameless Europhile in my wine preferences, so it's a real treat for me to run across wines like Edmond Vatan's Sancerre, Domaine de Bellivière's Côteaux du Loir, Jean-Marie Fourrier's Burgundies, Raveneau's Chablis, etc., all over town, usually (no doubt due in some measure to the exchange rate) at prices that I find dumbfoundingly reasonable.

Of the places we typically end up, the most enjoyable list overall (there are two lists, actually) is found at L'Express. But the hopelessly inadequate stemware there drivies me up the freaking wall!!! I find it utterly confounding that they put so much effort into their list, only to serve their wines in glases more suited to the most dreadful plonk.

[mcmillan]

i know alot of california winemakers that only swear by the euro juice,the natural wine thing by rezin and cube is comendable but just too weird for me,i did taste alot of it before i formed my opinion and its just not to my taste and not to my customers taste,they are usually private imports,and if customers turn them back you have to take the pill cause the saq wont,the wines are usually to sweet or to cloudy or too light or too tart or too stanky or not stanky enough , your right ,the monkland has good juice,and i cant beleive we forgot alex melies,i forgot too my first born globe doesnt do so badly either,and tavern westmount...

[Rex]

How could you forget Le Continental on St-Denis, they have a huge selection. Just need to ask to see the hidden wine list (at least three different ones: the regular, the specialties and the do not sell...)

Thanks Michel for mentionning Café Méliès, we have more than 120 differrent entries on our list, 17 by the glass !

[chopper]

I can't help but notice that Lesley's more than extensive list does not include Toqué's, that's an interesting MIA. Any particular reason...and no one else has mentioned it as one of their fav's either, myself included.

The lists of places like Les Chenets, L'Express, Chez Queux and Bistro à Champlain and even Continental have been built up over 15-20-25 years of solid operation and wine program management. Hopefully, the more recent additions to the city scene (Chronique, L'Épicier, P de C & others) will continue the trend, as well as other rookies and up-and-comers...

Edited April 10, 2003 by chopper (log)

[raspoutine]

I was going to post something about Le Continental's list but Alesk beat me to it. What is particularily interesting about it, at least for me, are the prices wich are similar to L'Express'.

[Lesley C]

Toque!'s wine list never hit me as anything special. Not sure why. It has certainly gotten better. I've had some nice tasting menus there with mediocre wines by the glass. Even the Xavier Pellicer dinner's wines were forgettable.

I've never been to Continental or Cafe Melies. I hear Melies's wines are a steal.

[Rex]

We apply a politic that promotes the sell of higher end products, less profit we take on more expensive wines.

Tough my less expensive wines are still affordable. Café Méliès is not yet 4 year old and my goal is to eventually get a price policy where I will be able to ad a flat profit margin, like at L'Express. For now I do my best to get good producers, at good prices ! Meening no Ornellaia 99 on my list (with all due respect).

Edited April 10, 2003 by Rex (log)

[SteveW]

Toque!'s wine list never hit me as anything special. Not sure why. It has certainly gotten better. I've had some nice tasting menus there with mediocre wines by the glass. Even the Xavier Pellicer dinner's wines were forgettable.

I've never been to Continental or Cafe Melies. I hear Melies's wines are a steal.

Lesley, you have never been to Cafe Melies?? It's among your entries in the casual dining section, of your Flavourville book. You even list favorite dishes(& mention their wine list).

Steve

[montmartre]

Just wondering if italian wine lists are to be considered? If so, noticed that buonanotte restaurant is the first italian restaurant in montreal to receive a wine spectator award and first to be recognized on st-laurent blvd.

curious?

[raspoutine]

Dave, is that you?

[raspoutine]

I didn't think so.

[Rex]

What is a Wine Spectator Award ? An infinite list of bottles ? A check of 200 USD $ to be eligible ? You can have 25 chiantis on your list, it doesn't make it a beautiful wine list ! It's a bit like the former president of SAQ that filled the shelves with cheap chiantis all between 10 $ and 20 $. What is the point ! They are pretty much the same.

At least Roquet (new president of SAQ) understood that right, get rid of all these insipides products. You keep a few regular products (ie Chiantis) that are worth the try and get other producers or/and cuvée that brings a higher level of quality, different style of wine making and different philosophy on our shelves, and that inside that same region. That's what wine is all about. And it's the real way to learn about grape, wine region, wine making, climate, élevage and that human factor. It makes you travel geographically, and learn about peoples philosophy.

By the way Lino did an amazing job at BN bringing that wine list to what it is today. But the Award is to me not what makes it a nice wine list. It's the mentality behind, keeping in mind the business and the customers.

[mcmillan]

i hate wine spectator,

[Lesley C]

SteveW:

I went to Melies when it first opened, but it has been renovated since. I've also been to Continental, but long ago. I haven't yet reviewed either at the Gazette.

I can't figure out if Cafe Melies is casual or fine dining.

[porkpa]

"i hate wine spectator"

David,

Why?

Porkpa

[mcmillan]

i guess hate is a strong word, i used to read wine spec and i found it restraining,the describers are weird and the wine lingo a bit tacky,i think the point thing is a bit bizarre,and marvin schanken is a weenie ,i hate the cult cab drinkin,cigar afficianado stockbroker steakhouse types they market too,its not me ,i love the parker wine buyers guide,its magnificent,bettane et dessauve guide is also incredible,revue des vins de france,is also good ,i love winebuisness.com and if you can find it wineX is hilarious wine magazine,the web site is alright too,i also check out the news part of the winespec website updated every wednesday,there you go porkpa..............

[SteveW]

SteveW:

I went to Melies when it first opened, but it has been renovated since. I've also been to Continental, but long ago. I haven't yet reviewed either at the Gazette.

I can't figure out if Cafe Melies is casual or fine dining.

No sweat Lesley. Recently I have seen numerous mentions of Cafe Melies in this Montreal section. I was curious to check it out, & had used your Flavourville mention of it as a reference before going there. Did go, & enjoyed the total experience(including the food). I would call Cafe Melies fine dining(food wise), in a casual setting. Can't wait to check out their Kobe beef burger, once it comes out.

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Steve

[K.C JONES]

I love you dave

[Thesorus]

I was at l'express last sunday night, and was surprised that they had a second wine list; unfortunatly, I already had my bottle openned, but next time, I will have a look.

[wizpers]

Yeah l'Express always had the 'carte parallele' , you can find products de luxe or bottle in fewer quantity, there is also a hidden list of bottles that only the old waiters sells to the regulars (spenders) dont even try to get the information about it.... the problem I always had with them it is the the (*?*&%&%$*?% I.N.A.O glasses... my nose is to big I guess,

[ItalianFoodJunkie]

Express wine list is the one that really blew my mind,> when i saw they had a dolcetto d 'alba from sandrone it made my year.

I would disagree abrout au pied du cochon's wine list. It s one of my fav restaurants but I find their wine list is made up of private imports that, are original, but price quality don't offer much.

Da Vinci as well as piccola Italia have nice Italian Wine Lists

And i love le meac's selection by the glass.