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Ontario

The Quest of Authenticity

Photo : Matt Morris

HUMANITY AND AUTHENTICITY

 

A wine promotional agency established in Quebec in 1997, Le Maître de Chai represents more than 200 wineries, serving both the Quebec and Ontario markets since 2015.

 

Over the past two decades, we have put together an enviable portfolio of world-class wineries and winemakers who are considered the elite in their respective regions.

 

To our clients, be it individual wine lovers or restaurants, we are proud to offer truly exceptional wines. To the wineries we represent, we take equal pride in our ability to communicate their stories. Wether these wine are sold on private ordering, directly through the LCBO stores, or both, we will find the ideal route to bring these wines to market.

 

To excel in this business, one must have, before anything else, a passion for not only wine, but also the people who are behind every bottle. It’s these enduring personal relationships we cultivate with our winemakers, restaurateurs and individual clients that is the ultimate reward.– Francis Martin, owner of Le Maitre de Chai

 

Our story began at the end of the 1980’s, when Gilles Martin and Josée Levert, founders of Le Maitre de Chai, traveled all over France searching for wines to stock their personal cellar. Along the way, they discovered not only great wines, but met truly memorable winemakers. Wether or not they realized it at the time, they were laying the foundation of not only a wine agency, but a philosophy of how to run a wine agency. We operate on the same principle today- that wine is ultimately about people.

 

Among the pioneers of selling wines on private import in Quebec, Gilles and Josée carefully expanded their portfolio by knocking on the doors of the world’s most respected wineries, adding one new client at a time. This passion for wine and desire to represent only the best was passed on their son Francis, who has been running Le Maitre de Chai since 2010.
Le Maitre de Chai is one of the most respected wine agencies in Quebec, and now we have set up shop in Ontario. But as we have grown over the years, we have never wavered from our founding principle: to seek out authentic and exceptional wines at all price levels and to transmit the passion and stories of those who make them.

Producers

Yannick Amirault

Loire, France

Yannick established his domaine in 1977 with a plot of 3.9 hectares of vines in St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Today, Yannick's son Benoit, who is the 4th generation to continue the family's legacy of viticulture and winemaking, has joined his father at the domaine. The estate spans 20 hectares with parcels in Bourgueil and neighbouring St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil including in some of the top lieux-dits in the appellations, such as Le Grand Clos and Les Malgagnes in Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, respectively. Their vineyards are farmed organically, and in the cellar, their minimalist approach produces expressions of Cabernet Franc that are deeply soulful and true to place.

Website

Roland Lavantureux

Burgundy - Yonne, France

Upon completion of his wine education in Beaune, Roland Lavantureux established his winery 1978 in the village of Lignorelles in the Chablis appellations. In a short period of time, Domaine Lavantureux has become one of the region’s most celebrated and respected producers. In 2010, Roland’s two sons, Arnaud and David, took over the domaine. Together they farm 20 hectares of prime vineyards on kimmeridgian soils across the Chablis appellation, including key premier and grand cru sites such as Vau de Vey and Vaudésir, respectively. Their vineyards are farmed sustainably paying close attention to the natural biodiversity of the surrounding area. In the cellar, the vision of the estate is to produce intensely mineral wines that are reflective of the specific vineyard site.

Website

Sottimano

Piedmont, Italy

The man in charge of the estate is Andrea Sottimano, who recently took over from his father Rino, who founded the estate. The family owns parcels in five crus and produce four distinctive Barbarescos, each vinified identically and aged in French barriques. As with crus in Burgundy, tasting is the best way to understand the nuances of each of these extraordinary terroirs. Fausoni is always the most floral, elegant, as well as being the most accessible in youth. Currà and Cottà, which surround the family residence and winemaking facility, are wines of great density and structure, wines built for the long haul. Pajoré combines the best of both, showing power yet with great finesse. The vineyard of the cru Basarin, which was purchased in 2002, is principally younger vines whose grapes are destined for the family’s “Langhe Nebbiolo.” As with tradition in Piedmont, Sottimano also make a Dolcetto and a Barbera d’Alba. The portfolio finishes with a tasty curiosity as Andrea decided to make a Brachetto, which is vinified dry, called “Maté.”

Website

Mikro Ktima Titos

Pangeon, Greece

Established in 1972, Mikro Ktima Titos was founded by Titos Eftychidis who planted his original 4-hectare vineyard at the foot of Mount Paiko in the region of Goumenissa in Central Macedonia, Greece. Following Titos’s death, his wife entrusted the estate to his long-time friends Vangelis Gerovassiliou and Vassilis Tsaktsarlis, so that his legacy and his passion for the region of Goumenissa could be preserved. Today, the winery is comprised of 27 hectares of organically farmed vineyards planted with the classic varieties of the region, namely Xinomavro and Negoska. With only 200 hectares under vine, Goumenissa was established in 1979 and remains one of the smallest demarcated regions in Greece and is best known for its expressive, elegant Xinomavro-based red wines.

Website

Ktima Mikra Thira

Santorini, Greece

Established in 2018 by powerhouse winemaking trio Vangelis Gerovassiliou, Vassilis Tsaktsarlis, and Ioanna Vamvakouri, Mikra Thira (translating to 'small Santorini') is the first winery to be built on the near uninhabited island of Therasia that was once part of Santorini until a volcanic eruption in the 1600s separated the two land masses. Making wine from 100% estate fruit, Mikra Thira's wines are a micro expression of Santorini, with only 32 hectares of the Santorini PDOs 1200 hectares of vines planted here. The estate produces 3 white wines from Assyrtiko under the PDO Santorini including their domaine wine, Nykteri and Terrasea.

Website

Ontario wine lists

Licensee - Price List

Consumer - Price List