Exploring Quebec’s Cider Route: Top Cideries in Montérégie

Located just outside the urban splendour of Montreal, the quaint countryside of Montérégie is the perfect location for a rustic retreat, complete with rolling hills, crystal clear streams – and of course – fields upon fields of apple orchards. 

Eleven world-class cideries are concentrated in the Montérégie region and you can visit them all on Quebec’s famous Cider Route. It also happens to be perfect for those eager to travel the top Quebec cycling routes.

If you’re keen to visit the heart of Quebec’s vibrant apple cider scene, here are the top cideries to stop by for a glass or two.

Cidrerie Michel Jodoin

Sample some of the best ice cider near Montreal at Cidrerie Michel Jodoin. One of the first licensed cideries in Quebec, brewer Michel Jodoin converted his family’s 100-year-old apple orchard into a brewery after studying sparkling wine in Champagne, France.

As such, Jodoin specializes in producing a variety of sweet, floral rosés and some of the best, crisp ice ciders near Montreal. A particular standout, the ciderie’s Glace Rosé is a unique ice cider made from tarte Geneva apples that are cryo-concentrated in January, meaning they are fermented in stainless steel tanks with the ice particles mixing with the apples’ juices to produce a sweet, candied taste.

You can sample the ciderie’s special, cryo-concentrated ice ciders and oak aged spirits at a free tasting. The premises also have a private hiking and snowshoeing trail along Mont Rougemont.

Coteau Rougemont

Nestled on the side of Mont Rougemont, Coteau Rougemont is an award-winning vineyard and ciderie housed within a gorgeous, terraced estate. Be sure to sample their Cidre de Glace Grande Réserve, an iced cider made from four kinds of apples that won gold at the Canada International Wine Championship and Coupe des Nations in 2016.

Their unique Bulles Bleuet sparkling cider combines apples with raspberries and blueberries, perfect for aperitifs and hors d’oeuvres.

Not only can you sample some for yourself on the estate’s lavish terrace lounge, but they also offer charcuterie and cheese plates that you can take on a picnic in the orchard.

Cidrerie du Minot

Famous for its Mystique Rosé, Cidrerie du Minot is one of the most popular stops on the Cider Route Quebec, and for good reason. With gorgeous grounds and a classical stone cellar where they age their ciders in oaken barrels, Cidrerie du Minot offers a touch of Tuscany in middle of the Montérégie countryside.

One of the oldest cider houses in the region, you can see a variety of artifacts from throughout the history of the Quebec apple cider industry, including a 200-year-old apple press passed down through the owner’s family for four generations.

Domaine Cartier-Potelle

Established in 2011, Domaine Cartier-Potelle is a sprawling estate with over 14,000 apple trees and 15,000 grapevines spread across the southern slopes of Mont Rougement. You can sit down for a tasting of their ciders and wines alongside cheese and grapes at their Cider Bar, or pick up a picnic basket and go find a sunny spot in the orchards to enjoy.

The ciderie’s prized ice cider, Réserve du Domaine, is the winner of multiple awards, including gold medals at Prix du Public Desjardins three years in a row. Made with the area’s famous cryoextraction method, the apples are picked in the fall and aged in oak barrels for 18 months for a powerful taste that teeters the line between sweet and sour.

Ferme Black Creek

One of the newest stops on the Quebec Cider Route, Ferme Black Creek produced its first batch of cider in 2015, but has already made a name for itself with its unique brand of English-style Quebec apple cider. Whereas most cideries on the route specialize in sweet ice ciders and rosés, Ferme Black Creek’s English-style cider use apples rich in tannin for a darker, richer flavour.

If dark cider isn’t to your taste, you can try out the farm’s newest creation: a new alcoholic beverage made entirely from maple syrup called Back 40. According to owner Denis Rousseau, the drink is similar to beer, but lighter and more refreshing without being oversweet.

Go on a Rustic Adventure on the Cider Route in Quebec

Whether you’re driving or want to explore one of the most rustic of Quebec cycling routes, each of the 11 locations on the Cider Route will delight both your eyes and your taste buds. Beyond sampling delectable examples of sparkling ice cider near Montreal, you’ll also be able to sample of Quebec’s finest cuisine.

Some excellent restaurants on the Cider Route along Montérégie, Quebec include Le Coureur des Bois Bistro Gourmand – winner of the 2018 Wine Spectator Grand Award – and La Rabouillère, a unique farm-to-table dining experience with its own breeding farm attached.

Of course, many of the cideries on the route produce apple products besides cider, such as jams, pies, and other sweet treats. 

After journeying across the cider route, be sure to set aside a couple of days to check out Montreal, Canada’s capital of cool.

Special thanks to the staff at the Comfort Inn South Shore in Boucherville, QC for their suggestions.