INDUSTRY
VQA WINES
VQA wines proudly reflect their origin, resulting in distinct wines that provide a sense of place.
VQA wines proudly reflect their origin, resulting in distinct wines that provide a sense of place. Similar to France’s AOC and Italy’s DOC, the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA)™ system has been established in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia to designate Viticultural Areas, regional appellations and sub-appellations, as well as to evaluate eligible wines. The Ontario Wine Appellation Authority and the British Columbia Wine Authority are the provincial governments’ official regulators, authorized to respectively oversee and enforce Ontario’s VQA and British Columbia’s BC VQA regulations and standards. Laboratory testing and tasting by an independent expert panel, as well as comprehensive label reviews, ensure precise adherence to rigorous winemaking standards and label integrity. Wines that are approved by the regulating authority must clearly state the appellation of origin on the label, providing consumer assurance of a wine’s origin, as well as quality production, varietal content and vintage date.
The registered trademarks “VQA” “Vintners Quality Alliance” and “Icewine” were legally transferred from VQA Canada to Wine Growers Canada, effective March 31, 2014. Currently, Ontario and British Columbia are the only two regions in Canada that currently produce wines that adhere to the VQA standard, where the VQA standard is provincially legislated, regulated, monitored and enforced.
Dedicated to producing wines that typify grape varietal character and appellation of origin, VQA winemakers represent 100% Canadian wines of origin with a promise of quality and authenticity and an expression of regional terroir. Through origin verification, extensive laboratory testing and tasting by an independent expert panel, as well as comprehensive label reviews, VQA wines ensure precise adherence to rigorous winemaking standards and label integrity that consumers can trust.
Learn more about the VQA standard and its enforcement by contacting these organizations:
Ontario
Ontario Wine Appellation Authority
5775 Yonge St., Suite 1220
Toronto, ON M2M 4J1
tel: (416) 367-2002
fax: (416) 367-4044
email: info@vqaontario.ca
British Columbia
British Columbia Wine Authority
#3, 7519 Prairie Valley Road
Summerland, BC V0H 1Z4
tel: (250) 494-8896
fax: (250) 492-2992
email: info@bcvqa.ca
100% Canadian Regional Wines
These 100% Canadian wine products are fermented, processed, blended and finished exclusively from grapes grown in Canada which meet the high standards and quality which are instilled in rules and regulations such as the Nova Scotia Wine Standards, British Columbia Wines of Distinction and Vin Certifié du Québec. These 100% Canadian regional wines are artfully vinified and barrel aged using approved varietals which best express the true character of regional terroir and micro-climate.
