Location: 1071, chemin Royal, Saint-Pierre, QC
Hours: Open year-round. Open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Phone: 1-418-828-9562
Web Site: Le Vignoble de l'Isle de Bacchus (not available in English)
When Jacques Cartier arrived on the Île d'Orléans in 1535, he found it covered in wild grape vines. He christened the island "Isle de Bacchus" for the Roman god of wine and revelry. Although the island was later re-named to curry favor with the French Duc d'Orléans, Cartier's original burst of inspiration lives on at Le Vignoble de l'Isle de Bacchus (literally, "The Vineyard of Bacchus Island").
Taking advantage of the island's excellent climate for grape vines, Le Vignoble de l'Isle de Bacchus grows more than five different kinds of wine grapes, and its wines have won several awards abroad and at Quebec City's yearly Gastronomy Festival. The Vignoble offers three different wines, all made from several varieties of the vineyard's grapes: Le 1535, a blend of Vandal, Eona and Geisenheim; Le Village des Entre-Côtes, usually made from St Croix, Maréchal Foch and Michurinetz; and Le Saint-Pierre, a gold-medal-winning rosé.
The most exciting time to visit Le Vignoble de l'Isle de Bacchus is in late September to early October during the grape harvest. However, wine tastings and tours of the vineyard are offered year-round (reservations recommended), and visitors can even stay overnight at the vineyard for an authentic taste of Québécois rural splendor.
The overnight accommodations at Le Vignoble de l'Isle de Bacchus are four-star rooms within the ancestral home, which dates from French colonial days. Four rooms are available, all named after flowers: La Tournesol (the Sunflower), L'Iris (the Iris), La Gloire du Matin (the Morning Glory) and L'Oiseau du Paradis (the Bird of Paradise). Rates are based on the number of occupants and range from $65.00 (CAN) to $75.00 (CAN) for single occupancy. Charges for additional occupants usually run around $20.00 (CAN) or less for children.
Guests of the house are served a sumptuous breakfast and can expect lovely views of the Saint Lawrence River (le fleuve Saint-Laurent) from their bedroom windows and from the communal porch, which is furnished with hammocks and looks out over the vineyard down to the river. Guests are also provided with a free tour of the vineyard (le vignoble) and the wine cellar (le chai) as well as a complimentary evening wine tasting and dinner at any of the local auberges (inns).
For excellent wine and beautiful scenery in a setting of rural elegance and hospitality, visitors to Quebec would do well to consider the Vignoble de l'Isle de Bacchus.
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