When Vincent Noël set out to become an artisanal vinegar-maker, he travelled throughout Europe — to Poland, Scandinavia, Italy and France — to see how it was done.
What he discovered left him disappointed.
« Most of the vinegars we found was made from white vinegar, flavoured with fruit juices or essences, » said Noël.
« It was almost impossible to find products that were made directly from the fruit, and according to ancient methods. »
Today, Noël and his wife France Gagnon are doing their part to bring the craft of vinegar-making back from the brink, employing methods that are nearly extinct worldwide.
Their farm, Du Capitaine Ferme et Vinaigrerie, on Île d’Orléans, just east of Quebec City, is North America’s largest organic producer of cassis — or blackcurrants, in English.
