How it all started
In 1999, Denis Perrault, a local dairy farmer started a grape growing operation on the family farm in Navan, Ontario. He originally planted 1 acre of vines consisting of approximately 10 varieties of hybrid grapes in consultation with a vine expert from the University of Guelph. In the spring of 2005, an additional 5 acres of vines were planted, which provides the winery with approximately 20,000 bottles each year. From that day the dream of a vineyard in Ottawa was realized! Domaine Perrault was incorporated in 2005 and is owned and operated by Denis, his wife Lyse, and their two daughters. In Fall of 2020, Graham took over as Winemaker at Domaine Perrault.
The Emblem
The eagle is the symbol of the Perrault family emblem. The original crest engraved on the coat of arms of the Perrault ancestors was a bald eagle, the body was silver and the background was black. ​ Today, the Domaine Perrault crest was slightly modified to a gold silhouette of the eagle providing the symbol with a modern look. For the Perrault family, the bald eagle signifies "champion" and "leader" because eagles just like leaders do not flock.
The Winery
Graham Fish joined our team in 2019 offering years of experience in the service industry as a manager and mixologist at a Wine Bar and Cocktail Lounge. He began, here at Domaine Perrault, helping serve and bartend weddings on weekends but his passion for wine was evident from the start. He is certified through WSET and has a sommelier designation in spirits and liquors. Having a great understanding of palate and aroma notes he has analyzed over 2,500 wines and is happy to chat wine anytime. ​ Since the 2020 vintage Graham has been expanding on his skills, passion and philosophy when it comes to winemaking. In between the 2021 and 2022 vintage’s Graham took online courses through Brock University’s Cold Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute program to expand his winemaking knowledge. ​ Graham’s focus lately at Domaine Perrault has been to create dry wines that focus on varietal form and vintage to create wines that are subtly unique in their complexity year to year but maintain the highest quality. Graham has also begun to create low-intervention wines that focus on the grape’s evolution free from modern winemaking techniques allowing the wines to create complexity through its own evolution.