Vintners Quality Alliance, or VQA, is a regulatory and appellation system which guarantees the high quality and authenticity of origin for Canadian wines made under that system in British Columbia and Ontario. It is similar to regulatory systems in France (AOC), Spain (DO), Italy (DOC), and Germany (QmP). The VQA system 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.[1]
In addition, there are other classifications of wine in Canada. British Columbia has a category known as "Wines of Distinction", Nova Scotia has "Wines of Nova Scotia" and Quebec has "Vins du Québec". All must be 100 percent made from grapes grown in British Columbia, Nova Scotia or Quebec, respectively. Cellared in Canada is a completely separate category.[2]
An Ontario vineyard in the Niagara Peninsula regional appellation.
In addition to the requirements regarding sources of grapes, VQA wines may be made from Vitis viniferagrape variety and approved hybrid varieties. In British Columbia, VQA wines are made primarily with vinifera grapes, while Ontario uses a range of vinifera varieties and notably permits the use of Vidal, particularly in the production of some of Canada's icewines.[3]
VQA wines may be made with grapes from relatively small agricultural yields per vine (which increases quality), they meet specific sugar or brix levels at harvest, and the use of additives is regulated. There are also standards regulating the use of certain types of packaging and closures. To receive the VQA designation, wine must undergo testing by the regulating bodies. The VQA logo does not have a standard location on the bottle, and for some VQA wines the producer has chosen not to display the logo at all. If a consumer wishes to purchase wine from 100% Canadian grapes, extra care must be taken to ensure that the wine is what they believe it to be, and not an "International Canadian blend" (formerly known as "Cellared in Canada").
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, which is a regulatory agency of the Province of Ontario that administers the Ontario VQA Act.
Canadian wine from British Columbia.
Marketing & Advocacyedit
British Columbia Wine Institute
Wine Council of Ontario
Winery Association of Nova Scotia
Vignerons independants du Quebec
Other organizationsedit
B.C. Grape Growers Association (represent independent growers).
^"BCWA | Wine Regions of BC". Retrieved 2022-10-20.
External linksedit
VQA Ontario
British Columbia Wine Institute
Wines of Nova Scotia
January 01, 1970
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Vintners Quality Alliance or VQA is a regulatory and appellation system which guarantees the high quality and authenticity of origin for Canadian wines made under that system in British Columbia and Ontario It is similar to regulatory systems in France AOC Spain DO Italy DOC and Germany QmP The VQA system 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 1 The VQA label on a bottle of Canadian icewine In addition there are other classifications of wine in Canada British Columbia has a category known as Wines of Distinction Nova Scotia has Wines of Nova Scotia and Quebec has Vins du Quebec All must be 100 percent made from grapes grown in British Columbia Nova Scotia or Quebec respectively Cellared in Canada is a completely separate category 2 Contents 1 Requirements 2 Appellations 2 1 Ontario appellations and sub appellations 4 2 2 British Columbia geographical indications appellations 5 3 Organizations 3 1 Regulatory 3 2 Marketing amp Advocacy 3 3 Other organizations 4 References 5 External linksRequirements edit nbsp An Ontario vineyard in the Niagara Peninsula regional appellation In addition to the requirements regarding sources of grapes VQA wines may be made from Vitis vinifera grape variety and approved hybrid varieties In British Columbia VQA wines are made primarily with vinifera grapes while Ontario uses a range of vinifera varieties and notably permits the use of Vidal particularly in the production of some of Canada s icewines 3 VQA wines may be made with grapes from relatively small agricultural yields per vine which increases quality they meet specific sugar or brix levels at harvest and the use of additives is regulated There are also standards regulating the use of certain types of packaging and closures To receive the VQA designation wine must undergo testing by the regulating bodies The VQA logo does not have a standard location on the bottle and for some VQA wines the producer has chosen not to display the logo at all If a consumer wishes to purchase wine from 100 Canadian grapes extra care must be taken to ensure that the wine is what they believe it to be and not an International Canadian blend formerly known as Cellared in Canada Appellations editOntario appellations and sub appellations 4 edit Total production for Ontario appellation wines is approximately 20 000 tonnes Appellation Niagara Peninsula includes all appellations below Canada s largest Regional appellation Niagara Escarpment includes the 3 sub appellations below Sub appellation Short Hills Bench Sub appellation Twenty Mile Bench Sub appellation Beamsville Bench Regional appellation Niagara on the Lake includes the 4 sub appellations immediately below Sub appellation Niagara River Sub appellation Niagara Lakeshore Sub appellation Four Mile Creek Sub appellation St David s Bench Sub appellation Vinemount Ridge Sub appellation Creek Shores Sub appellation Lincoln Lakeshore Appellation Lake Erie North Shore Sub appellation South Islands Appellation Prince Edward County In addition the Ontario Wine Appellation Authority recognizes the following emerging regions which are not yet recognized as official appellations Norfolk and Haldimand Counties Central Ontario and Georgian Bay Huron Shores Eastern Ontario nbsp Vineyard in the Okanagan regional appellation of British Columbia British Columbia geographical indications appellations 5 edit total production for 2012 27 000 tons GI Fraser Valley GI Gulf Islands GI Kootenays GI Lillooet GI Okanagan Valley Sub GI East Kelowna Slopes Sub GI Golden Mile Bench Sub GI Golden Mile Slopes Sub GI Lake Country Sub GI Okanagan Falls Sub GI Naramata Bench Sub GI Skaha Bench Sub GI South Kelowna Slopes Sub GI Summerland Bench Sub GI Summerland Lakefront Sub GI Summerland Valleys GI Shuswap GI Similkameen Valley GI Thompson Valley GI Vancouver Island Sub GI Cowichan ValleyOrganizations editRegulatory edit 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 which is a regulatory agency of the Province of Ontario that administers the Ontario VQA Act nbsp Canadian wine from British Columbia Marketing amp Advocacy edit British Columbia Wine Institute Wine Council of Ontario Winery Association of Nova Scotia Vignerons independants du Quebec Other organizations edit B C Grape Growers Association represent independent growers Association of B C Winegrowers represents smaller and fruit wineries Grape Growers of Ontario represent growers and negotiate the prices of grapes Ontario Wine Producers AssociationReferences edit J Robinson ed The Oxford Companion to Wine Third Edition pg 759 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0 19 860990 6 G Hamiliton Sale of cheap imports as B C wines called scandalous permanent dead link National Post Vancouver Sun September 20th 2009 J Gordon ed Opus Vino pg 126 130 DK Publishing New York 2010 ISBN 978 0 7566 6751 1 Ontario Appellations Ontario Wine Appellation Authority Retrieved 2022 10 20 BCWA Wine Regions of BC Retrieved 2022 10 20 External links editVQA Ontario British Columbia Wine Institute Wines of Ontario Wines of Nova Scotia Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vintners Quality Alliance amp oldid 1175315291, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
