Benoit Labelle

Have you ever tasted a legendary wine — one of those names that make enthusiasts dream, like a Château d’Yquem? The kind of bottle you open with a mix of excitement and reverence. At the first sip, the verdict is often the same: it’s good — sometimes even exceptional. But very quickly, a question arises: what justifies such a high price? Why do some bottles cost a few dozen dollars, while others reach several hundred, even several thousand? Is taste alone enough to explain such a gap?

Becoming a winemaker rarely starts with a business plan or a neatly organized Excel spreadsheet. More often, it begins with a slowly growing idea, a glass of wine in hand, a landscape that feels a little too dreamlike… and a slightly unreasonable thought: “What if I made my own wine?”

Merlot is one of the most beloved red grape varieties in the world of wine. Supple, smooth, and fruit-forward, it charms from the very first sip. As the second most widely planted grape variety globally, it is the foundation of prestigious wines, from Bordeaux appellations to the legendary Château Petrus.  Although Merlot originated in Bordeaux, it has spread to many wine-producing countries. In Québec, however, it remains a true rarity.