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    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

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    Content

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    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office

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      Food & Drink

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer

      Keaton Ritchie of Flor Vin was on the banks of the Loire last week. Today he's hauling bottles through the slush.

      ByRachel Cheng

      March 25, 2026 · 4 min read

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer
      Keaton Ritchie at Polari, the wine bar he co-owns with his partners Émile Foucher and Asa Perlman. | Photography by Rachel Cheng / @rachelhollycheng

      The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend. Support us today.

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Bar WILLSLawrencelarrysPolari

      Just a week ago, Keaton Ritchie was on the banks of the Layon, a tributary of the Loire River in France. It was February and the weather was damp but mild, and he was tasting pet nat with a winemaker before having lunch. The view was idyllic, looking out over to a neighbouring farm where sheep mow the grass between rows of grapes. 

      But today, Keaton is in Montreal, where it’s -20°C, and he’s hauling a dozen bottles through the slush to bring to a tasting with Alexandra Jean-Claude, the bar manager at WILLS. While the weather is dismal, Keaton’s face lights up as he recounts how sun has hit grapevines in France, Spain or Germany, creating juice that ferments to encapsulate time and place.

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      Food & Drink

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer

      Keaton Ritchie of Flor Vin was on the banks of the Loire last week. Today he's hauling bottles through the slush.

      ByRachel Cheng

      March 25, 2026 · 4 min read

      A Day in the Life of a Montreal Wine Importer
      Keaton Ritchie at Polari, the wine bar he co-owns with his partners Émile Foucher and Asa Perlman. | Photography by Rachel Cheng / @rachelhollycheng

      The Main is reader-supported. Subscriptions are what keep us independent. Five dollars a month — the restaurants, the guides, the weekly bulletin, and what to do each weekend. Support us today.

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Bar WILLSLawrencelarrysPolari

      Just a week ago, Keaton Ritchie was on the banks of the Layon, a tributary of the Loire River in France. It was February and the weather was damp but mild, and he was tasting pet nat with a winemaker before having lunch. The view was idyllic, looking out over to a neighbouring farm where sheep mow the grass between rows of grapes. 

      But today, Keaton is in Montreal, where it’s -20°C, and he’s hauling a dozen bottles through the slush to bring to a tasting with Alexandra Jean-Claude, the bar manager at WILLS. While the weather is dismal, Keaton’s face lights up as he recounts how sun has hit grapevines in France, Spain or Germany, creating juice that ferments to encapsulate time and place.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

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      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

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