Dear Dad,
I heard a joke you’ll like today. As a mathematician, I’m sure you’ll appreciate it.
So Descartes was at a dinner party and the host was offering drinks to all the guests.
Host: “Would you like a drink, Descartes?”
Descartes: “I think not,” Descartes replied, and then he disappeared.
Isn’t that a beautiful joke? Now I know you don’t drink a lot, dad, but you’ve offered to share a beer with me before, and I would have maybe said yes if you’d offered to share a bottle of wine. But half a bottle is probably too much for you since you’re not as big a wine fan as I am anyway. So instead, I’d like to invite you to La Grande Dégustation. It’s like “La Grande Séduction” but with better tasting medicine and fewer doctors since red wine is good for the heart and all.
I’ll even give you a choice of days – October 27th, 28th, or 29th. The trick is you’ve got to come to Montreal for it. And you should probably pay the $15 entry fee and the first few tasting coupons for both of us because after the first pour I’ll shmooze our way to a few extra tastes, which will about make us even, I reckon.
And besides, the country of honour this year is France, and Montreal is closer than France. Don’t worry about the carbon footprint of all those bottles that even hyper-local, sustainable, preachy restaurants sell seemingly by the case.
And if you don’t want wine that’s okay too because there’ll be lots of whiskies too. Probably even better than the ones given to you as gifts that sit in your liquor cabinet all year and only get used when I come home at Christmas and make syrup-soaked cookies.
This is not the Salon des Vins et Fromages du Quebec happening this weekend. And it’s not the Private Import Wine Salon happening the week after. Montreal really doesn’t lack for wine events, does it, dad? I suppose you could come for any of them, but La Grande Dégustation is all new and shiny. It’s just turning zero. Some people like babies (and some people don’t), and I definitely like them more when there’s alcohol involved. Maybe I shouldn’t be writing that in a letter to you, dad?
Well, hope to see you soon!
Love,
Amie
Where: Palais de Congrès, metro Place d’Armes
When: Thurs, Oct. 27 4pm – 9pm; Fri, Oct. 28 noon – 9pm; Sat, Oct. 29 noon – 9pm
How Much: $15 admission, plus tasting coupons
Salon des Vins et Fromages du Quebec
Where: Complexe Desjardins, metro Place d’Armes or Place-des-Arts
When: Fri, Oct. 21 11am-9pm; Sat, Oct 22 11am-8pm; Sun, Oct. 23 11am-5pm
How Much: Option A – 12 $ (taxes incluses), including entrance and 15 tasting coupons or Option B – $20 for entrance and 30 tasting coupons
Where: Marché Bonsecours, metro Champs-de-Mars
When: Sun, Nov. 6 noon – 7pm; Mon, Nov. 7 4pm – 7pm
How Much: $15 general public, $5 restaurant/wine industry professionals
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