The foodie traveller in Canada: glass of tomato wine anyone?

The idea of tomato wine may not sound appealing, but many a sommelier has taken Canada’s Omerto Sec for a crisp sauvignon blanc.

In picturesque countryside near Quebec City, Pascale Miche runs Omerto, the world’s only commercial producer of aperitif tomato wine.

Rather than the green and purple grapes you’ll find on a typical vineyard, fruits of blushy pink and scarlet cover the landscape.

Originally from Belgium, Miche inherited his vin de tomate recipe from his grandfather, who, in an effort to avoid waste during the first world war, turned his excess tomatoes into wine.

Miche experimented with dozens of heirloom varieties and settled on two blends, sec (the one that tastes like sauvignon blanc and is perfect as an aperitif) and moelleux (like a white port, with a hint of cherry tomato, great with seafood), each using six types of tomato. The process is the same as with wine: the fruit is crushed, fermented with yeast, and bottled.

Because tomatoes lack tannins, Omerto wines have the soft, golden hue of traditional whites, with flavours that imitate them as well. You can visit for a tour and tasting – or order online for a dinner party tipple with a difference.
• domainevb.ca

Lindsay Anderson is co-creator of FEAST: an Edible Road Trip