General FAQs

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ are wine and spirits tasting courses and workshops offered in Montréal and several cities across Québec.

Presented by the SAQ and the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ), these workshops combine wine and spirits discovery and food and wine pairing in a welcoming, educational, and accessible setting.

Led by wine and spirits experts and professional chefs, they provide the opportunity to develop wine tasting skills, make more informed wine selections, and master food and wine pairings—all while enjoying an immersive, sensory experience.

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ are offered in Montréal and in several other cities, including Brossard, Laval, Sherbrooke, Québec City, Gatineau, and Joliette.

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ are designed for all levels:

Curious beginners looking to discover wine and spirits
Enthusiasts who want to deepen their knowledge
Food lovers passionate about gastronomy and food and wine pairings

No prior wine knowledge is required to participate in our courses and workshops.

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ offer wine and spirits courses and workshops in Montréal and several cities across Québec:

Wine courses: learn the fundamentals of wine tasting and explore wines by region, grape variety, or theme.
Spirits courses: discover their history, production methods, and distinctive characteristics through guided tastings.
Tasting workshops: develop food and wine pairing skills. Watch our chefs prepare recipes and enjoy them as small plates, paired with wines selected by our experts.
Cooking workshops: develop food and wine pairing skills. Prepare recipes with the guidance of our chefs, then enjoy them paired with wines selected by our experts.

Content varies with the seasonal program, offering a fresh, current experience rooted in gastronomic trends.

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ stand out for:

A high-level, hands-on learning experience, led by professional chefs and wine experts from the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ)
Practical food and wine pairing skills, combining the pleasure of tasting with the art of entertaining
A welcoming, accessible approach, suitable for all experience levels, from beginners to enthusiasts
A unique professional setting at the ITHQ, a leading institution for sommelier training and gastronomy in Québec

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ wine and spirits workshops are held primarily in Montréal, at the ITHQ, in a professional setting dedicated to gastronomy and wine education.

Workshops are also offered in several cities across Québec, including Brossard, Laval, Sherbrooke, Québec City, Gatineau, and Joliette.

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ typically last 1.5 to 3 hours for introductory courses and can extend up to 6 to 9 hours for more in-depth training.

Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ typically range from $68 to $218, depending on the type of experience selected.

Prices vary based on several factors, including workshop duration, format (wine course, tasting workshop, or cooking workshop), and the number of wines or spirits included in the tasting.

Only the Wine 101 course is offered in English, and it is available exclusively in Montreal and Laval. All other Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ courses and workshops are offered in French. You can view them here (in French only).

No, no prior wine knowledge is required to join Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ wine workshops.

Our courses and tasting workshops are designed to be accessible to everyone, with a welcoming, hands-on learning approach. Our instructors adapt to each participant’s level to ensure an engaging and enriching experience for all.

Yes, the minimum age to attend Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ is 18 years old, in accordance with Québec’s alcohol consumption laws.

Participants who appear to be under 25 may be asked to present valid photo ID.

No, it is not required to complete Wine 101 before enrolling in other Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ wine courses.

That said, Wine 101 is an excellent introduction to build foundational wine knowledge, including essential vocabulary and tasting skills, helping you get the most out of more advanced courses such as Vins 201 Cépages, Vins de France or Vins d’Italie (in French only).

Yes, all Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ wine and spirits workshops include tastings.

Wine and spirits courses:

You will taste 4 to 18 products, depending on the course selected.
These courses follow a more theory-based approach, where tastings are designed not only to discover wines, but also to learn how to analyze and appreciate them.

Tasting and cooking workshops:

You will enjoy 6 products paired with small plates, in a more experiential, pleasure-focused format.
You will also receive expert guidance on creating successful food and wine pairings.

Prefer to limit your alcohol consumption? Spittoons are available at all times.

Yes, advance booking is required to attend Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ wine and spirits workshops.

As many courses and workshops sell out quickly, we recommend booking early to secure your spot, especially during peak and holiday seasons.

If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please inform us in advance.

While we cannot guarantee substitutions, we will do our best to accommodate your needs whenever possible.

Wine and spirits courses: we recommend eating before your course to help reduce the effects of alcohol.
Tasting and cooking workshops: the dishes served during the workshop are equivalent to a full meal, so it is not necessary to eat beforehand.

Yes, Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ are ideal for groups and corporate events in Montréal, whether for business or private occasions.

They offer a unique, engaging, and educational experience centered around wine, spirits, and gastronomy, perfect for:

Corporate activities and team building
Private events and celebrations
Outings with friends or family

To learn more, visit the Groups and businesses page.

Yes, you can offer an Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ course or workshop as a gift, an ideal gift idea for wine and food lovers in Montréal and across Québec.

You have two options:

Register someone for a specific course or workshop date using their email address
Purchase a gift certificate or gift course, redeemable at a date of their choice

Customer service for Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ is available Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET).

You can contact us by email or phone:

514-282-5115 (option 1)
1-800-361-5111 (toll-free), extension 4224

Online courses FAQs

Log in to your customer account using the email address of the person registered as your username.
If necessary, you can create or reset your password by clicking on “Forgot Password”. 
Once you are logged in, click on the “My Space” icon at the top left of your screen to view all the activities for which you are registered.

Log in to your customer account using the email address of the person registered as your username.
If necessary, you can create or reset your password by clicking on “Forgot Password”. 
Once you are logged in, click on the “My Space” icon at the top left of your screen to view all the activities for which you are registered.

A reminder email will be sent to the registrant 7-10 days prior to the workshop. They will find all the information needed to be well prepared (access to the videos and the Zoom link, preparation of the bottles before the tasting, etc.). 
Please note that the person to whom you have given the workshop as a gift will have to use their email address (not yours) to log in to their client account and access the videos.

No Zoom link will be sent to you by email: you must log in to your account to access it.   
To log in, use the email address of the person registered as your username.
If necessary, you can create or reset your password by clicking on “Forgot Password”. 
Once you are logged in, click on the “My Space” icon at the top left of your screen to view all the activities for which you are registered.

Once you have clicked on the activity in question, click on the “Launch” button and the Zoom application will automatically open.

From a computer:

See “Where can I find the Zoom link?” above.
By clicking on the “Launch” button, the Zoom application will open automatically.

From a mobile device:

If you plan to view the videos from a mobile device (smartphone or tablet), you must download the Zoom app before logging in.
The Zoom app can be downloaded for free from your device’s app store (App Store for Apple products or Google Play for Android and Google products).   
If you need to, watch this tutorial on YouTube.

Important notice – Apple products and Safari web browser 

Please make sure that the “Block pop-ups” option is disabled on your device or browser.  

On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch: go to Settings > Safari and disable the “Block pop-ups” option. 
On your Mac: go to Safari > Preferences, then click on “Websites”. The “Websites” tab includes options to block some or all pop-ups.

Be sure to let the video play until the very end.
If the next capsule is still not available, contact us. A member of our team will be happy to assist you and can, if necessary, manually unlock the next capsule for you.

The list of products to be purchased can be found on your online workshop page on the Ateliers SAQ par ITHQ website:

Can’t find certain products in your area? Contact us: we will be happy to recommend a replacement product (Québec residents only). 

Any questions?

514-282-5111, ext. 4224,
or toll-free 1-800-361-5111, ext. 4224

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