A one of a kind wine & history festival? Sounds great doesn’t it? That’s just what the Festival Vins et Histoire de Terrebonne offers every year in a small yet charming town bearing the same name which is located only 30 minutes away from Montreal.

I had the opportunity of attending the 18^th edition this year. It is an annual gathering of wine enthusiasts, importers, distribution agencies and over 1000 products brought in from around the world!  The setting is the spectacular Île-des-Moulins, a historic site that dates back to the 1700’s.

Honestly I had never been there before, so I asked my best friend, who happens to be a connoisseur of the liquid of the Gods, to come with me and she agreed without hesitation!

We arrived in the picturesque Vieux-Terrebonne (Old part of the city).

Now according to the number of vehicles, we knew they were all going to the same place we were!

We walked towards the entrance to buy our tickets

and we received in return a bracelet along with a real glass and a few coupons to exchange for a sample.

It was then time to start our wine tour!

We decided to go around each exhibitor’s stand to learn about their products and keep a mental note for the second round!

It was pretty colorful at first sight and eye-catching if you ask me 🙂

The day was sunny and very hot, so we were thirsty but we moved from one stand to another.

One thing I must mention is the coupon system. Each one of the bottles had a number assigned to them. It simply meant how many coupons you needed in order to taste a sample.

Big wine producer countries such as: France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand were prominent.

Bottles chilling

Bubbly anyone?

How awesome are these bottles?

However we were happy to see local producers

as well as companies emerging from wine country in California!

Striking a pose at the Barefoot Wine Stand

The crowd grew bigger and bigger, hence we did not get the chance to talk a lot with the representatives in order to get more information or a bit of history of the winemaking other than the description on the bottle! I truly wish they had more material available.

The great variety was extensive and quite impressive; it sure made us even thirstier!

I was particularly drawn to this stand! It was finally time for me to drink, so I went for R.H Phillips 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon from California!

What was my first impression you may ask? Well, after smelling it first, then swirling the glass and taking a sip, It is bold, fruity, easy on the palate and so good! I definitely loved it and need to buy a bottle next time I see it in stores 🙂

One cannot fully appreciate a drink without food, so we went to get something to eat. Fortunately there were a few options available. Annie went for a healthy lunch while I ordered a German Bratwurst sandwich!

We looked for a spot to sit down and relax and found just the right place 🙂

I can’t even begin to describe how lovely it is! How on earth did I miss this area in the past?

Raising my glass

After having a great conversation, savoring our food & wine, we decided to leave the site and go for a walk.

We crossed over to Île St-Jean from where you can admire Île-des-Moulins. What  spectacular views you are treated to along the way!

It is actually possible to get your feet wet in the Rivière des Mille-Îles which rushes through. Believe it or not some people were swimming and refreshing themselves on that hot summer day!

The park is so serene, just the right place to relax, unwind and let go!

You know I am always looking out for the best photography spots and was so happy to have found it 😉

I felt as if I went back in time even if it was momentarily 🙂

Sadly all good things come to an end, we had to make our way back home but we were pretty happy about the time we spent in this beautiful location and especially for being able to catch up with each other’s lives!

It will be remembered as one of the most beautiful summer days of 2014.

Now I’m turning it over to you.

Tell me,

 

Have you ever traveled to attend a wine festival?

If so where was it?

If not, would you like to go to one & where?

I can’t wait to hear more about it!

Until next time,

All the best,

K