Véronique Rivest is one of the most respected sommeliers in Canada and abroad. Since her very first restaurant job at the age of sixteen, she developped a true passion for wine, food and service. She now counts over thirty years experience in the hospitality and retail industries, as well as in education and consulting.

Véronique won Canada’s Best Sommelier competition in 2006 and in 2012. She won the Wine Woman Award 2007 in Paris and Best Sommelier of the Americas in 2012. After placing twice in the Top Twelve in 2007 and 2010, she became the first woman to make the podium by taking 2^nd place at the World’s Best Sommelier competition, in Tokyo in March 2013.

Regardless of her accomplishments, Véronique remains genuine and approachable with an infectious enthusiasm about sharing the great pleasures of wine. A talented speaker and writer, she is the wine columnist for La Presse newspaper, writes for numerous magazines, appears on many television and radio shows, and gives lectures around the world.

Since 2017, she is also Air Canada’s official sommelier, selecting wines for all of the airlines business class flights.

SOIF Bar à Vin

In 2014, Véronique Rivest opens SOIF wine bar in Gatineau, a place to share and learn around wine. SOIF was named among the Ten Best New Restaurants in Canada in 2015.

Le Vieux Pin

Équinoxe: equal day, equal night. Equal heat of the day, equal cool of the night. Equal new world, equal old world.

The 2015 Equinoxe Syrah is comprised of fruit grown in a couple of sub appellations in the South Okanagan Valley: The Black Sage Bench and Osoyoos East Bench. A traditionally made Syrah in the sense that the sum is considered greater than the parts (lieux-dits trumping single cru ala Chez Jamet, JL Chave, Clape). The resulting effort is a very complex wine with a dark garnet colour that perfectly and effortlessly combines elements of both the old world and the new world styles.

This monumental wine is at the same time feminine and masculine. It has grace and power, spice and florals, game and savoury notes. Yin and yang come together to showcase a perfectly balanced Syrah. 2015 vintage in particular warrants extended cellar ageing thanks to very low yields and the
quality of tannins in 2015. Drink your 2013 and 2016 before 2014 and 2015.

Grape Variety: 100% Syrah
Region: Black Sage Bench and Osoyoos East Bench
Vineyard: Crowly, Le Grand Pin, Stagg's
Soil Type: Varied
Age of Vines: Between 9 to 14 years old
Yield: Average of 2.7 tons/acre
Production Size: 334 cases
Clarification: Unfined, lightly filtered
Aging: 19 months in 100% French oak barrels and puncheons, 51% new
Alcohol: 14.3%

Benjamin Bridge, Brut NV

In the glass, a pale golden colour with a straw hue. On the nose, the wine displays suggestions of smoke and lemon rind with strong sea minerals undertones. The palate is luscious, but with good intensity and vibrancy. Hints of green apples and dried cranberries are magnified by the wine’s bright structure, unfolding in a lengthy mineral finish.

Varietal composition: 55% L’Acadie, 45% Chardonnay
Alcohol: 12%
TA: 8.5 g/L
pH: 3.1
R/S: 4 g/L
Brix (avg. at harvest): 18º
Recommended drinking: 2020-2027

Westcott Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir Vinemount Ridge 2016

Recent players in the Ontarian wine business, the couple behind Wescott Estate was inspired by well-established estates such as Malivoire and Clos Jordanne before embarking in turn on this great adventure. Here is a Pinot featuring a nose of definite elegance and displaying a certain depth. Scents of black cherry and raspberry, as well as marked yet well-integrated wood, create a versatile wine that will pair well with both grilled mustard-and herbs veal chop or a beef tartare.

Country: Canada
Region: Ontario, Niagara Peninsula
Designation of origin: Vinemount Ridge
Regulated Designation: Vintners quality alliance (VQA)
Grape variety: Pinot noir 100 %
Degree of alcohol:13.5 %
Sugar content: 1.4 g/L
Color: Red
Size: 750 ml
Producer: Westcott Vineyards