It’s true that we can’t wait to see each other again, to meet for real and to drink together, to talk about tastes and colors and to share our passions. It is true that we have weathered the brunt of the storm … but there is still a long way to go before reliving La Grande Dégustation on site and in person.
So, While waiting for La Grande Dégustation, this 11th 2021 edition is once again opening its virtual doors. Either we are still at home, or we are still in front of our screens! However, whatever we may say, computer technology has served us well. We have often succeeded in putting the machine at the service of humans. And that’s how we continue this year.
While waiting for La Grande Dégustation, we continued to anticipate with an equally unique formula. We have taken the measure of the changes of this extraordinary year. In the face of adversity, we did as you all did: we made do with it and we reinvented ourselves. Workers in the wine and spirits industry have shown flexibility. To stay upright, they innovated and they adapted to the tone of the market.
This year has forced our entire industry to change. Some have remained with their heads in the handlebars to get by at all costs, some have turned their heels towards retraining, others have redesigned the contours of their profession. In any case, we have all taken a mandatory step back and the change has taken place. Consumption patterns have changed. More buyers are committed to matching their values with their purchases. They want to know the history of the products and support the people behind the bottle.
As for the producers, in a single year, between pandemic, climatic hazards and changes in consumption patterns, they have overcome many hardships. The price of hard work, in the sweat of their brow, to provide quality products that match their ethics. This is why we are proud to be their faithful ambassadors, even more so, in times when the challenges ahead have bent more than one. There are nearly 200 winegrowers; distillers, brewers who are taking the wine and spirits industry to the top.
As we have seen, the desire to celebrate has remained very much alive! Outside, on picnic tablecloths, on terraces, in restaurants … the dates over a drink have not said their last words.
While waiting for La Grande Dégustation, A3 Quebec continues to provide Quebecers with the experience of taste, food and wine pairings, sharing and encounters between enthusiasts.
Of course and above all, take care of yourself and your loved ones!
Roch Bissonnette, Chairman of the Board of Directors of A3 Quebec
