Vintners Quality Alliance

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Vintners Quality Alliance, or VQA, is a complex regulatory and appellation system which guarantees the quality and source of Canadian wines made under that system. British Columbia VQA wine is produced from 100 percent British Columbia grapes, and Ontario VQA wine is produced from 100 percent Ontario grapes.

Not all Canadian wine is “VQA”. Some Canadian wineries use a very high proportion of foreign wine, to produce a product which is labelled with terminology such as “Product of Canada”, “Cellared in Canada”, or “Vinted in Canada”. In British Columbia, this wine is made from 100 percent foreign content. In Ontario, the percentage of foreign content in these wines has risen to 99 percent. Although the law still requires that they be made with 30 percent Ontario content, that law was relaxed due to shortfalls of Ontario grapes, and has not yet been enforced despite better availability of local grapes.

Many of the wine industry's smaller players, and respected wine writers in Canada and abroad, are very concerned about these practices. Recently in both B.C. and Ontario, we have seen the development of new organizations such as the Association of B.C. Winegrowers and the Ontario Wine Producers Association. They represent the interests of smaller independent wineries which are committed to the production of VQA wines.

The VQA system also allows for sub-appellations, by which the grapes for wines are sourced from extremely specific geographical locations with different soil and climate. This is in accordance with the concept of terroir. Wine quality and prices may increase with increasing specificity of origin of the grapes.

Contents

[edit] Requirements

In addition to the requirements regarding sources of grapes, VQA wines may be made from vinifera varieties and those hybrid varieties which have been approved by the Vintners Quality Alliance. They should be made with relatively low agricultural yields (which increases quality), meet specific sugar or brix levels at harvest, and use only specific additives during wine production.

To receive the VQA designation, wine must undergo testing by the Vintners Quality Alliance in British Columbia or Ontario. Qualifying wines usually have the VQA symbol on the neck capsule or label.

[edit] Appellations

[edit] British Columbia appellations and sub-appellations

  • British Columbia appellation - Wine is made from grapes from anywhere in British Columbia.

[edit] Ontario appellations and sub-appellations

  • Ontario appellation - Wine is made from grapes from anywhere in Ontario.
    • Sub-appellation - Lake Erie North Shore
    • Sub-appellation - Pelee Island
    • Sub-appellation - Niagara Peninsula
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Niagara River
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Niagara Lakeshore
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Four Mile Creek
      • Sub-sub-appellation - St. David’s Bench
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Niagara-on-the-Lake
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Creek Shores
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Lincoln Lakeshore
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Short Hills Bench
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Twenty Mile Bench
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Beamsville Bench
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Niagara Escarpment
      • Sub-sub-appellation - Vinemount Ridge

Although that area does not yet have official status, many wineries have been opening in Ontario's Prince Edward County. Many consider it to be an area which will play an important role in Ontario's wine industry.

[edit] Organizations

[edit] Regulatory

  • British Columbia Wine Institute (the regulatory role is being transferred to the new British Columbia Wine Authority, which will be a government body).
  • Vintners Quality Alliance Ontario www.vqaontario.com, a self-regulating industry organization.

[edit] Marketing

  • British Columbia Wine Institute (an industry organization).
  • Wine Council of Ontario (an industry organization).

[edit] Other organizations

  • B.C. Grape Marketing Board and B.C. Grape Growers Association (represent growers and negotiate the prices of grapes).
  • Association of B.C. Winegrowers (represents the interests of smaller wineries).
  • Grape Growers of Ontario (represent growers and negotiate the prices of grapes).
  • Ontario Wine Producers Association (represents the interests of smaller wineries).

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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