We are just back from a glorious vacation in Québec (Montreal and Québec City). While I would love to talk about the vibrant and historic old city quarters, the influence of explorer Jacques Cartier, the changing of the Guard at the famous Citadel in Québec City, or the 400-year dual culture and language struggle between French and English — I will leave all that for another day. Instead let me share my observations on the buying wine in these cities. Before we headed off on our travels, friends remarked on the wonderful selection of French wines that lay ahead in Montreal and Québec. This was indeed true, as French wines account for over 31% of wine sales in the province of Québec. Not terribly surprising, given that French is the main language and the historic relationship with France and all things French. However, what did surprise me was the almost complete absence of Canadian wines on offer in many restaurants we ate in, except for the occasional token ice-wine. More on that further down, but first let's look at how wine retails in Québec.

The purchase and sale of wine in Québec is state-controlled, similar to Ontario, as well as to 19 states in the US, such as Pennsylvania (whose Liquor Control Board is the single the largest purchaser of wine in the entire United States), and European counties like Sweden and Finland. In Québec the control body is the SAQ, which stands for Société des alcools du Québec (Québec Alcohol Corporation). It was established in 1921 and has a legal monopoly on the distribution and sale of all alcoholic beverages. Government owned, the SAQ is an extremely important source of revenue through taxes on alcohol. The SAQ stores are divided into different types. The main ones that I visited were: - the online website. Before our trip, friends from Montreal advised us to aim for the Sélection stores for the best range and choices. One of my key observations from the stores was too much sameness. Admittedly I only visited a small number of the hundreds of stores that exist across the province, but they had a supermarket feel to them.

Secondly, having been disappointed in the number of Canadian wines on offer in restaurants, I was hopeful that the SAQ would be different. But alas, I spent about 15 minutes in one Sélection store looking for the Canadian section, to finally find it almost hidden away at the back of the store. Thirdly, partly due to the poor US to Canadian dollar exchange rate, wine in Québec is expensive compared to the United States. On the positive side, the stores were all well stocked (despite a strike at the port that reputedly was having an effect on wine supplies getting to the stores), bright and well staffed. Maybe it is a Commonwealth thing, but they reminded me a little too much of a UK Tesco supermarket. As mentioned above France reigns supreme when it comes to wine sales in Québec, followed by Italy, who between them account for 54% of all wine sales. What is surprising though is that in this region, which definitely seems to have a penchant for old world wines, the United States is in third place and is apparently gaining market share each year.

It currently accounts for just over 7% according to SAQ figures. best 2012 wines to ageCanadian wines are only in 7th place, accounting for less than 5% of wine sales.good wine to buy in france The climate of Québec — especially the extremely long, cold winters — makes grape growing difficult. how much wine to buy for party of 60As such most vitis vinifera species (all the grape varieties that we know and love belong to this family) will not survive. best wine to drink after workHence, the tendency has been to plant what are called hybrids - hardier species that have been cultivated by crossing non-vinifera species of vitis such as vitis rupestris or riparia.buy glass wine bottles

There are two issues here. new age wine for saleFirstly, most consumers are not familiar with the grape names such as Seyval Blanc, Marechal Foch or Cayuga. Vidal, which makes fantastic ice-wine, is probably the most widely known. Secondly, the wines from these varieties can tend to have what has been termed a 'foxy' smell - slightly damp and funky. That said, I have tasted many splendid wines from non-vinifera varieties, as they are also widely planted all along the eastern United States. The main Québec wines that I encountered during our trip were ice-cider, ice-wine and simple off-dry fruity wines. Domaine Pinnacle's ice cider was one highlight of the trip, and easily the most easy to find. One daring restaurant actually offered a Québec Seyval Blanc from L"Orpailleur by the glass - dry with racy acidity, flavors of Granny Smith apple and pear and a strong boxwood note. Not at all foxy!Alas, the only ice-wine / dessert wines available to me were either from Ontario or British Columbia.

This begs the question, are most local wines only available directly from the wineries? Possibly, as they are typically small volume producers, and I imagine supplying the SAQ means you must meet certain volume criteria. Ontario and the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia are the two most important wine regions in Canada, producing many excellent wines. I wonder why these regions were not better represented, especially in restaurants, where sommeliers can better guide consumers who wish to try Canadian wines? Perhaps some of our readers might have some insights? Mary Gorman-McAdams, DWS, is a New York based wine educator, freelance writer and consultant. She holds the Diploma in Wine & Spirits from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), and is a candidate in the Master of Wine Program. Related: Sweet Wines That Are Cool With Ice CreamQUEBEC is a city of delightfully stark, yet virtually seamless contrasts; centuries-old fortification walls lead to chic open-kitchen restaurants, and cobblestone streets give way to bike paths and innovative art institutions.

The enchanting Francophone capital of Quebec province, and one of the oldest cities in North America, Quebec City received a major face lift before its 400th anniversary in 2008. Perhaps more significant than the new boutique hotels, revitalized parks and gleaming cultural centers was the overdue attention the city finally received, which continues to propel it forward. Quebec City, a historic, cultural and culinary center beside the St. Lawrence River, has emerged from the long shadow cast by its ever popular neighbor, Montreal.Friday3 p.m.1) CLASSICS, DONE RIGHTWhen it comes to cuisine, Quebec City might as well be Paris West, with its no-holds-barred amalgam of traditional French, native Québécois and innovative farm-to-table offerings. Best to start with the basics. On a narrow winding street in Old Quebec, Café Chez Temporel (25, rue Couillard; 418-694-1813) is a deliciously classic French cafe, with windows made for people-watching. The 36-year-old spot plays a gentle mix of folk and French music — a lovely soundtrack for eating the perfect croissant (2 Canadian dollars, about the same in U.S. dollars) or a slice of quiche Lorraine with a salad (8.75 dollars) and a café au lait (2.75 dollars) among the locals.4 p.m.2) SCALE THE WALLSFeel history with your feet as you wander Old Quebec

, a Unesco World Heritage Site with car-free streets, towering monuments and 17th-century homes. You can detour through the opulent lobby and cliffside boardwalk of the hotel Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, but for a truly peerless perspective on the city’s history and geography, you must do a little scrambling. Head up the staircase at the corner of Rue St.-Louis and Côte de la Citadelle and climb onto the wide, grassy fortification wall that rings the old city. Walk north on the wall (one of the most intact defensive city walls in North America) among the cannons and the sunbathing, dog-walking, hand-holding residents. Hop off at Rue St.-Jean.6:30 p.m.3) CHOCOLATE, BOOKS & BEERWith its colorful brick buildings and fashionable boutiques, bars and restaurants, the hilly Rue St.-Jean, beyond the old city, sheds its tourist tone and becomes the chic St.-Jean-Baptiste neighborhood. ) for a cocoa history primer and savor a buttery-smooth chocolate filled with pecans and salted caramel. ), a bookstore-cum-coffee-shop and beer bar.

Finally, quench your thirst on the art-filled terrace at Bar Le Sacrilège (447, rue St.-Jean; 418-649-1985; lesacrilege.net), with 13 local beers and one cider on tap. ), even as plates of crème brûlée au foie gras and Catalan-style duck confit made their way out of the kitchen in this small five-year-old restaurant. The seasonal small-plates menu changes four times a year, depending on the selection of organic and natural wines in stock. Dinner for two, including wine, is about 120 dollars. ), a restaurant and bar outfitted like a retro university student’s apartment. The vintage furniture is for sale and the kitchen is open, with a decades-old stove and a pair of microwaves churning out Québécois comfort food like croque monsieur and casseroles. Dinner for two, with local beer, is about 30 dollars, live D.J., hip crowd, Nintendo and other diversions included. 11 p.m.5) QUÉBÉCOIS CABARETFor an artistically inspired night out, there’s Le Cercle (228, rue St.-Joseph Est; 418-948-8648; le-cercle.ca), a sleek industrial-modern space born of a 2009 merger between a wine bar and an adjacent performance venue.

It offers live indie, rock, dance and folk music, and films, comedy shows and theater. (Admission ranges from free to 25 dollars.) The spot also features local art and video projections, a 2,000-bottle wine cellar and a kitchen, ideal for late-night snacking, that serves dishes like chilled smoked mussels. Saturday 11 a.m.6) INDIE REVIVALStart your day in the St.-Roch neighborhood, where urban decay has yielded to a gentrifying blend of government investment and pioneering artists and entrepreneurs. Grab a bite at Bistrot Le Clocher Penché (203 rue St.-Joseph Est, 418-640-0597, clocherpenche.ca), a bistro whose name is an homage to “the leaning steeple” across the street. The blood sausage, soft-boiled egg and poached pear over a puff pastry (17 dollars, coffee and yogurt parfait included) is excellent. Then wander into the nearby Boutique Lucia F (422, rue Caron; 418-648-9785), a vintage clothing shop, with nary an item over 100 dollars. Just down the Rue St.-Joseph is Morgan Bridge (367, rue du Pont; 418-529-1682, morganbridge.ca), a gallery of Quebec City and Montreal street and comic art that sells locally made T-shirts, music and books.

), in the St.-Roch neighborhood, is one of the best and most beloved among a growing number of microbreweries in the city, with a recently expanded outdoor patio. The cooperative brews 30 to 50 beers a year, ranging from a tasty India Pale Ale to sangria-, chardonnay — and tea-flavored varieties. For the full experience, order a 16-dollar carousel with five ounces of each of the eight different beers on tap. 8 p.m.8) A HOT TICKETBistro B (1144 Avenue Cartier; 418-614-5444; bistrob.ca), the elegantly modern yet cheerfully communal new restaurant from François Blais — the rock-star chef who opened Panache, one of the city’s most renowned dining spots — has superb food, design and service. The menu changes daily, but you can’t go wrong ordering the tartare du jour and the duck breast, which on a recent night was served in a white wine sauce with a butternut squash purée and purple broccoli. For dessert, try the cheesecake, heavy in chocolate, with an accent of raspberry sorbet.

Dinner for two, with wine, is roughly 130 dollars. 10:30 p.m.9) SEE THE SCENEOn the nearby Grande Allée, a stretch of nightclubs exerts a fierce gravitational pull for exotic cars, celebrity clientele and acrobatic dancers dangling from ceilings. , free to $5). ) for late-night poutine (French fries drowned in gravy and cheese curds) like any good Québécois clubgoer should. Sunday9:30 a.m.10) TO MARKET, TO MARKETAntiques, art and trinkets. That’s the Rue St.-Paul, in the Old Port neighborhood. ), French for “Cute Machine.” The design shop sells handmade pieces, like a lamp made from an antique tricycle (620 dollars). ), a sprawling market where chefs and tourists browse stands of local seafood, meats, cheeses, produce and pastries. 12 p.m.11) ALONG THE COASTQuebec is perhaps best experienced on two wheels. Cruise the paths along the river to the Baie de Beauport, a recreational park with kayaks, pedal boats and sailboat rentals. From there, continue on to the Parc Linéaire, a network of cycling and walking paths that follow the St. Charles tributary of the St. Lawrence River, past gardens and kite-flying children — a perfect end to the day.