Vintners Quality Alliance

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), Italy (DOC), and Germany (QmP).

British Columbia VQA wine is produced from 100 percent British Columbia grapes under an audit system which is now administered by the British Columbia Wine Authority. Ontario VQA wine is produced from 100 percent Ontario grapes under an audit system administered by the Vintners Quality Alliance - Ontario.

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. Wine prices may increase with increasing specificity of origin of the grapes.

In addition, there are other classifications of wine in Canada. British Columbia has a category known as "Wines of Distinction" which must also be 100 percent of British Columbia origin. Cellared in Canada is a completely separate category.

Requirements

In addition to the requirements regarding sources of grapes, VQA wines may be made from vinifera varieties 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 highly-regarded Icewines. 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. There is no standard location on the bottle for the VQA logo.

Appellations

Ontario appellations and sub-appellations

Total production for Ontario appellation wines is approximately 20,000 tonnes.

Regional Appellations:
- Regional Appellation - Lake Erie North Shore
- Regional Appellation - Pelee Island
- Regional Appellation - Prince Edward County
- Regional Appellation - Niagara Peninsula (includes all appellations below, Canada's largest)
  - Collective sub-appellation - Niagara Escarpment (includes the 3 sub-appellations below)
    - Sub-appellation - Short Hills Bench
    - Sub-appellation - Twenty Mile Bench
    - Sub-appellation - Beamsville Bench
  - Collective sub-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

British Columbia appellations

(total production for 2006 20,000+ tons) For complete appellation descriptions and map go to the British Columbia Wine Institute

- Regional Appellation - Okanagan Valley
- Regional Appellation - Similkameen Valley
- Regional Appellation - Fraser Valley
- Regional Appellation - Vancouver Island
- Regional Appellation - Gulf Islands

There are no sub-appellations in the province of British Columbia.

Organizations

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.ca, is a regulatory agency of the Province of Ontario that administers the Ontario VQA Act.

Marketing & Advocacy

Other organizations

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 Association

References

External links