ACCORDS, A WINE BAR IN OLD MONTREAL

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Accords is a French noun that means, literally, agreements. And true to its name, that’s what Accords Wine Bar in Old Montréal sets out to do: to find the perfect pairing for each dish on its concise menu…

Thankfully, the whole process of choosing wines for your meal is dealt with lightly and with plenty of good humour. All the tapas-sized dishes have cheeky names (yuppy duck tartare, anyone?) and the menu suggests not only an accord (pairing) but also a désaccord (an off-the-wall, unusual pairing that might seem, initially, to disagree with the food).

One might feel very adventurous when visiting Accords and try having their smoked ribs of bison with a white table wine from Domaine de la Rectorie, in France, for example, although I seriously recommend sticking with the more conventional pairing of a Vacqueyras red, also from France.

I, for one, stuck with the proposed “accords”. My duck tartare with fig and tiny nuggets of foie gras went nicely enough with the recommended Mordon 2009, from the Domaine Chamonard. As the night was windy and chilly, I chose something rich and comforting for next course (a great excuse to stay on the red wine!). Out of the kitchen came three big-bellied pasta pillows filled with pulled braised oxtail covered in a sticky, beefy sauce. The second wine pairing was also successful, but hey, how can one go wrong with a 1999 Pessac-Léognan?

The non-initiated and wine buffs alike are advised by the young-and-cute sommelier Philip Morriset (who worked for years at the excellent Club Chasse et Pêche, in the same neighbourhood) and can choose from a vast selection of wines-by-the-glass.

In colder months, diners are seated between wine cabinets and a stone wall, but as soon as the Montreal spring permits they open their beautiful terrasse. As owners Guy A. Lepage (of Québec television fame), Chantal Fontaine and Jean-Pierre Des Rosiers say, “we’ve given ourselves the restaurant that we’d like to go to as customers”.

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THE DETAILS

Accords, 212 Notre-Dame West, (514) 282-2020

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