Saint-André-d’Argenteuil provides fertile ground for local vineyard

Since 1995, Paul Hébert and his wife Carole Valiquette have been growing their dream of establishing a vineyard and bottling all-natural, blackcurrant-based wines under the label of 'Aux Cassis d'Argenteuil.'

On first taste, Hébert recounts that he hated the blackcurrant berries that his father raised in their family garden in Montreal; the taste was sharp and tangy and not at all to the liking of young Hébert. Things changed when, years later, Hébert discovered the rich and fruity taste of blackcurrant wine.

Searching for the perfect location to realize his dream of opening a vineyard, Hébert says he and his wife instantly fell in love with the 30-acre farm they discovered in Saint-André-d'Argenteuil, Quebec.

"My father inspired me," recalled Hébert. "When I was young he would make wine from the fruit in his garden and I fell in love with the aroma.  My father always dreamed of leaving the city and having a farm and he shared that dream with me."

Continuing to work in information technology while renovating his bi-centennial home, Hébert and his wife thus began the arduous seven-year process of curing their first batch of wine.

The first two years were spent planting buckwheat and preparing the land for the berry plants, which took another five years to mature.

"We're farming very much like in the olden times," he said. "We use nothing chemical on the plants. We mix our own compost and only put it on the plants that need it. We're doing organic without the certification and we are researching the methods to become certified.

"From beginning to end, the bottle of wine is produced here."

Aux Cassis d'Argenteuil currently produces three wines: the Rubis, which uses a blackcurrant- based alcohol, the Rastel, which is a blackcurrant-based fortified beverage, and the Reflet d'Automne, which is a crème de cassis.

Hébert and his wife are also planning to expand into jams, jellies and chutneys and will soon be expanding their field of berries to increase wine output.

The 6,300 berry plants on the farm were chosen for their resistance to sickness and mould as well as the rich wine they produce. Birds can be a problem, but Hébert says that the berries remain hidden enough in their leaves that they are not overly damaged.

Once the berries are picked they are brought to the nearby fermentation room, where they are crushed and fermented for four to five months before being bottled and labelled.

"To do this is a form of artistry," said the winemaker. "When I bought all of the equipment with my wife, we came into the shop and just stared at the shining vats. We had developed our product and what was left was to bottle, package and market it. My wife focuses on the presentation of the bottles and we also produce gift packages."

The giant fermentation vat holds as many as 6,000 bottles of wine, which are sold in a trendy country boutique above the fermentation room, as well as at local markets and festivals.

In order to promote Aux Cassis d'Argenteuil wines, Hébert travels to 15 to 20 festivals each year and also welcomes buses and groups to the farm, where they tour the facilities and sample the wine.

"Marketing is a very big part of the product if you want your business to be healthy," he said. "We are slowly but steadily expanding our client base. The people in Argenteuil are happy to have this product produced locally and we are happy to welcome them."

Aux Cassis d'Argenteuil is located at 210 Route des Seigneurs (exit 258 on Highway 50). For more information or to arrange a visit, call 450-562-0897 or email info@cassisargenteuil.com