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VQA
DCHP-2 (Nov 2016)
n. — abbreviation, especially Ontario, Agriculture, often in compounds, as in VQA wine
abbreviation for Vintners Quality Alliance, a regulatory body overseeing quality standards in Canadian wine production.
Type: 1. Origin — In the late 1980s, a group of vintners formed VQA (see the 1988 quote). The government of Ontario passed the VQA Act in 1999, which aims to ensure that strict quality standards are met in wine production and that products are labelled by the exact geographical location of origin of VQA wines (see E-Laws Ontario reference). The term is predominant in Canada (see Chart 1). Currently (in 2016), VQA operates in Ontario; in British Columbia it operates as the British Columbia Wine Institute. VQA wines are available nationally and internationally. As shown in Chart 2, VQA is overwhelmingly used in Ontario, although British Columbia comes in second with about 18 index points. Non-VQA wines can be blends from any location within or beyond Canada (see the first 1998 quotation).
See also COD-2, s.v. "VQA", which is marked "Cdn".
See also COD-2, s.v. "VQA", which is marked "Cdn".
See: icewine
Quotations
1988
If wines made in Ontario comply with the new regulations set out by the Vintners Quality Alliance, they will bear the VQA medallion and the appellation "Ontario" on the label.
1989
FOOD: You are the chairman and founder of the Vintners Quality Alliance, better known as VQA. What is that?
ZIRALDO: VQA is simply an appelation of origin which joins the Canadian wine industry with other wine-producing areas in the rest of the world.
It enables consumers to identify Ontario wines based on the origin of the grapes from which they are produced.
France introduced its Appellation d'Origine Controlle in 1935, the Italians introduced their DOC in 1963, the German QMP system was finalized in 1971, and the US system in 1978. The Canadian wine industry needs this.
FOOD: Is this going to give us useful information, or just confuse the issue?
ZIRALDO: The VQA has two distinct designations -- provincial and geographical. Both will appear on the label. All wines bearing that label must be made from 100 per cent Ontario-grown grapes of approved classic European varieties and preferred hybrids.
1989
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario will have a hand in administering the DVA standards which will regulate grape varieties, growing areas and varietal percentages. The Vintners' Quality Alliance, the body which introduced the DVA standards, hopes to expand the program to British Columbia and Nova Scotia, which, according to the VQA, are the other wine-growing provinces in Canada. Somebody ought to break the news to them that there are sizable vineyards in Quebec.
1991
THE B.C. wine industry took a giant step forward last fall when it announced the formation of the B.C. Wine Institute. The institute, under powers authorized by provincial legislation, will be directly responsible for establishing standards for wine produced here.
The plan is for the BCWI to introduce, maintain and control wine standards under the trademark of VQA - Vintners Quality Alliance.
In the words of Nick Clark, the institute's chief executive officer: "The VQA seal to appear on all bottles meeting the standards is an assurance of excellence, a promise of quality to the consumer made by the wineries of British Columbia."
1998
The VQA varietal wines are relatively expensive, and Ontario still doesn't produce enough varietal grapes to get anywhere near volume requirements.
Except for the VQA labels, Canadian wineries present blends of Canadian and imported grapes which let them "deliver prices where most of our consumers still reside."
1998
Toodle-oo, fortified port. The National Post has learned that, in the latest step toward creating a national standard for Canadian wines, Ontario's minister of consumer and commercial relations, Dave Tsubouchi, will announce today he is enshrining the standards of VQA, the Vitner's Quality Alliance, in provincial legislation.
2007
Liberal backbencher Kim Craitor introduced a private member's bill Tuesday that would allow convenience stores to sell Ontario VQA wine and beer produced in local micro-breweries.
References
- COD-2
- E-Laws Ontario • VQA Act
Images
Chart 1: Internet Domain Search, 19 Oct. 2012
