Montreal Cavistes Expand After Quebec Law Change; Gard Region Boosts Wine Tourism

In Montreal, Quebec's 2020 law 72 permits restaurants, cafés and bars to sell wine bottles for take‑away with the purchase of a simple food item. This regulation has spurred a wave of “cavistes,” venues that stock rare and small‑batch wines, often accompanied by accompaniments such as rillettes, focaccia or pastries. The new model has turned many establishments into informal wine shops, offering locals and visitors curated selections and a social space for wine enthusiasts.

In the Gard region of southern France, cooperative winemaker Olivier Robby leads guided tours at the Collines du Bourdic cellar. The cooperative spans about 1,600 ha of vineyards across fifteen communes, processes roughly 14,000 t of grapes each year, and produces around 110,000 hl of wine. Visitors learn about the cooperative’s structure, see the winemaking process, and receive updates on the upcoming vendange, expected to begin around 10 August as climate conditions shift earlier in the season.