Domaine de la Vallée du Bras’s president, Pascal Miche,
proudly introduces Omerto, a tomato wine prepared according to an old family recipe secretly coveted across four generations. On the five hectare countryside property in Baie-Saint-Paul, Charlevoix, production has soared from 20 or 30 bottles to over 50,000 per year.
The sublime nectar’s name pays tribute to Omer Miche, Pascal’s great grandfather who lived in Belgium, and created his very first tomato wine in 1938. That year, Omer’s tomato crops were so exceptional that he had the wonderful idea of transforming the fruit into wine. He then honed his production methods until he obtained a vintage that was exquisite, with 16% alcohol. The Miche family prepared this recipe in their wine cellar, savouring it with friends on holidays.
Made in Québec. sought after worldwide.
When Pascal Miche arrived in Québec in 1998, he set to work, fine tuning and making his product known. Ten years later, his tomato wine is on the market.
Omerto is now prepared with a careful blend of tomatoes brimming with flavour. The varieties used are specifically adapted to Baie-Saint-Paul’s climate, which lends this grand cru its totally unique flavour..
Omerto is the very first tomato aperitif/digestif ever sold on global markets. Since August 2016, it can be found at la Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ) or purchased online and delivered to your door.
It all began in 1938
Pascal Miche’s great grandfather, Omer, was considered an alchimist. He transformed everything he touched. His great grandmother was an excellent cook and herbalist who served the day’s nobility (princes and barons) in Europe, during their social gatherings. In 1938, his wife’s tomato crop was so prolific that Omer had the excellent idea of transforming it into an alcoholic beverage.
The first vintage to be enjoyed was 20 years in the making and if tasters grimaced, Omer never became disheartened. Trial and error finally led to the more refined mouthfeel he was seeking.
A secret recipe known by only one person
Raised by his great grandparents until the age of 12, Pascal remembers observing the process year after year. Noting Omer’s self-taught ways and observing his quest for the recipe that still remains secret today, Pascal studied oenology and sommellerie, determined to carry on the family tradition.
Discovering Quebec tomatoes
Pascal Miche honoured his ancestors’ legacy by enhancing their recipe which was originally prepared with only one variety of tomato. Among Québec’s 16 heirloom varieties, eventually only rustic, sweet, early-summer varieties were selected. Two products were soon created combining 6 types of heirloom tomatoes: Omerto sec with a lovely strong, peppery flavour and then Omerto moelleux with its fruity, floral notes.
A fusion between alchemy and cuisine
After graduation, Pascal Miche combined his great grandfather’s passion for alchemy with his great grandmother’s love of fine cuisine: he studied charcuterie-making and enrolled to become a qualified restaurateur.
Two very distinctive yet complementary project spheres emerged. Savouring Omerto ‒ truly refreshing when served between 40 and 60, and Cooking with Omerto adds a rich, deep home comfort feel to select recipes where the complexity of the tomato wine’s flavours are released.
Where to buy our products?
SAQ
(Ask for it at your local store)
Product number:
- sec : 12981483
- moelleux : 12981512
Quebec City:Selection of wines and ciders from here
(Old-Port Market)
Distribution Canada
Telephone : 418 435-6872
Baie-Saint-Paul
Visit the Omerto Boutique
June 15 to October 11:
7 days a week, from 10 AM to 5 PM
October 12 to June 14:
By appointment only
Contact us
328, Rang St-Antoine Nord
Baie-Saint-Paul (Quebec) Canada
G3Z 2C3
T : 418 435-6872
Fax : 888 453-5956
omerto@domainevb.ca
This post is also available in: French