If you’ve been meaning to restock the wine rack before the holidays, this is your week. La Grande Dégustation de Montréal, the city’s big annual wine, spirits and beer tasting, returns to the Grand Quai of the Port of Montréal from Thursday to Saturday for its 16th edition. With more than 1,700 products from around the world and producers on hand to talk you through them, it can be overwhelming. Here’s how it works, what it costs and a few tips to plan a great visit.
La Grande Dégustation 2026: dates and hours
According to the organizers’ practical info page:
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.: industry professionals and media only
- Thursday, Nov. 5, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.: Soirée SAQ Inspire, a preview evening
- Friday, Nov. 6, 2 to 9 p.m.: general public
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 1 to 9 p.m.: general public
The venue is the Grand Quai, 200 rue de la Commune Ouest. The closest metro stations are Square-Victoria and Place-d’Armes, about an eight- to 10-minute walk away. Parking at the Grand Quai is limited, and frankly, you shouldn’t be driving home anyway.
Who is it for? Pretty much anyone curious about what’s in their glass. Organizers pitch it as a chance to meet the agencies and producers in person and get advice on the spot, and to discover private imports you won’t see on most shelves. Beginners get to taste widely without buying full bottles, and seasoned collectors get face time with the people who make the wine. Tourisme Montréal also lists it among the month’s highlights in its November guide.
How tickets and tastings work
General admission is $23 plus taxes for one day on Friday or Saturday, and each ticket automatically includes 10 tasting coupons worth $10. Tastings are paid in coupons, at $1 each, and prices vary with the product. Pours are one ounce for wine, half an ounce for spirits and two to three ounces for cocktails.
On arrival you get a tasting glass (return it before you leave) and a chip wristband loaded with your coupons. You can top it up on site or online through the event’s cashless account, which is also where you’ll find the refund process for unused coupons after the event. Tickets are sold on the official ticketing page. One practical note: strollers aren’t allowed on site for safety reasons.
Wine regions in the spotlight
This year the event features dedicated spaces for several wine regions, so you can taste your way across a map: Burgundy, Chablis, Côtes du Rhône, Rioja, IGP Pays d’Oc, Prosecco DOCG (paired with Montasio DOP cheese), Bordeaux and Greece. The full exhibitor list is online if you want to target specific agencies or producers.
Workshops: book early
For a deeper dive, 45-minute master-class workshops run on Friday and Saturday on the second floor of the Grand Quai, each with four to six products. They cost $16 plus taxes each (or 18 coupons on site). Several sessions on the workshop program were already sold out as of Oct. 29, including a Friday session on Japanese sake led by sake master Benoit Champagne, so don’t wait.
Buying what you like
You can’t walk out with bottles under your arm, but you can buy. Download the SAQ mobile app before you go, scan the bottles you love, add them to your favourites or cart, and complete your purchase at the end of the event. It’s a great way to grab private imports sold by the unit that are hard to find otherwise, just in time for holiday gifts.
Tips for a great tasting
- Have a plan. Pick two or three regions or styles to explore rather than trying to taste everything.
- Spit or sip small. The spittoons are there for a reason, and pros use them.
- Eat first and keep eating. Arrive with a solid meal behind you.
- Drink water between tastings, and take notes or photos of labels.
- Take the metro, a cab or a designated driver home.
Make a night of it
The Old Port is full of good tables, but if you want to stretch your foodie week, MTLàTABLE runs until Nov. 15; our MTLàTABLE 2026 guide has the details. For a classic bistro dinner afterward, try our steak frites picks, or graze at one of the city’s food halls. La Grande Dégustation was also on our November festivals calendar, and you’ll find more ideas in our Things to Do section. Santé!
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Photo: Jeangagnon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources: La Grande Dégustation de Montréal, Practical info, Workshops, Tickets, Exhibitors, Tourisme Montréal
