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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

Lucien Muzard

Burgundy - Côte de Beaune, France

In the region of Santenay, the Muzard name is highly visible, as much for the breadth of the family’s vineyards (which includes five premier cru sites in the appellation), as for their leadership and quality of their wines. The Muzard brothers share a vision for producing wholesome wines; and they also understand the work required to make those wines. In 2009, they proudly converted their entire vineyard holdings to organics. Whether in the vines or in the cellar, they work seriously and energetically. Their wines always show bright, attractive fruit in youth, and they have the structure needed for serious aging as well. Their wines have stuffing found all too rarely in modern-day Santenay.

Website

Equis

Rhône, France

There are few names as synonymous with excellence in the Northern Rhône as Graillot. The Crozes-Hermitage wines from Alain Graillot are among the most revered expressions of Syrah in the region. Since his father’s retirement, Maxime Graillot has taken up reigns at the family domaine, but has also blazed his own trail with Equis and Domaine des Lises. He purchased parcels in Crozes-Hermitage adjacent to the family domaine, and also has parcels in St-Joseph and Cornas. Farming organically in the vineyard and minimally in the cellar, the Syrah wines from Maxime Graillot are brimming with life, plush fruit, effortlessness and charm.

Website

Sandro Fay

Lombardia, Italy

Sandro Fay was established in 1971 in the village of San Giacomo di Teglio in Valtellina in the north part of Lombardy, and today the estate covers 14 hectares in the sub-zone of Valgella in the eastern part of Valtellina. The region of Valtellina is know for high-altitude, alpine expressions of Nebbiolo, which is known locally as Chiavennasca. The Fay vineyards sit between 300 and 900m above sea level on steep hillside slopes on mostly silty-sandy soils. Today, Sandro's daughter Elena and son Marco have joined the estate, and in a short period of time, the wines of Sandro Fay have become standouts in the appellation.

Website

Gerovassiliou

Epanomi, Greece

Ktima Gerovassiliou was established in 1981 and is located approximately 25 km southwest from Thessaloniki. Today, 48 hectares are planted with Assyrtiko, Malagousia, Chardonnay, Viognier and Sauvignon Blanc. The red varieties are Syrah, Merlot, Grenache Rouge, Limnio, Mavroudi and Mavrotragano and other local Greek red varietals. The area’s climate is characterized as Mediterranean with a mild winter and a warm to cool summer that is cooled by the sea breeze.

Website

Foxglove

Paso Robles, United States

Foxglove wines are produced by twin brothers Bob and Jim Varner, the winemakers of the highly acclaimed Varner Wines, who make outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. For the Foxglove project, the brothers get to have fun by adding to their line up some quintessential, yet contemporary, expressions of California Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel from Paso Robles, as well as a great value Pinot Noir from the Central Coast. In a wine region that has historically been known to favour big, smoky, oaky wines, the brothers are breaking the mold a little bit by fermenting and ageing their wines in over 90% stainless steel. Their goal is to highlight all the dark fruit and herbal characteristics without the expensive and time-consuming process of oak ageing.

Website

Ontario wine lists

Licensee - Price List

Consumer - Price List