Take your pick: adrenaline packed or slow and contemplative?
Published on Jun 27, 2022
It was in 2005 that Guillaume Leroux, Julien Vaillancourt and Alexis Perron launched the Val Caudalies vineyard. Fifteen years later, a well-renowned vineyard, led by three guys who are still as passionate as ever, is what we discover in Dunham, on the Route des Vins de Brome-Missisquoi.
It was with the naivety of three 25-year-olds that these long-time friends launched their business in a still young wine industry and in a region of the Eastern Townships full of potential. If at first they all did a little bit of everything and took on different responsibilities, over time they naturally each discovered their strong suits and interests. Guillaume manages the boutique, the staff and the business development aspects. Julien is the vintner, responsible for the entire wine production sector, whereas Alexis is in charge of marketing, distribution and project development. “Val Caudalies is our common project. From the start, its strength resides in our friendship which has persisted through both the best and more difficult of times,” explains Guillaume.
To launch the business, Val Caudalies, in its early days, began producing a first dry white wine using the Vidal grape variety. “We’re even able to produce a small quantity of ice cider, with the apples from the already existing orchard here,” says Guillaume.
This allowed them to open a shop in the vineyard in 2007, thus launching the Val Caudalies agrotourism adventure as it is known today. Guillaume points out, “Our priority is to ensure a welcoming atmosphere and an on-site experience worthy of our products.” This is why they offer a commented tasting on the terrace overlooking the grape vines. For each product, an employee takes the time to present its characteristics and particularities, then leaves plenty of time for customers to taste it. Also, to add to the visitor’s experience, several kilometres of trails are accessible, allowing visitors to walk through the rows of vines and the wooded areas of the vineyard.
According to Guillaume, the experience starts and ends with the bottle. Therefore it’s important for them to offer a fine quality product, consistent and true to their high standards. Today Val Caudalies offers a full range of products: orange, white, rosé, red fortified red wines, ice cider, late harvests, apple and grape musts… A couple of years ago, in collaboration with the bar Le Lab de Montréal, they even launched the first Québec vermouth!
From the very beginning, the owners have been driven by their will to share their products, their creativity and their pride. In fact, the thing they’re the proudest of is that they’ve been able to maintain their strong friendship over the years. Starting out with just the three partners in their mid-twenties, Val Caudalies now has about fifteen employees and welcomes more than 45,000 visitors per year with whom they share all their know-how and passion.
To experience Val Caudalies, head out to the vineyard this summer!
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