[Growwine] VQA

Wed Mar 19 21:16:29 EDT 2008

BERT’S TWO CENTS WORTH

VQA and QC (Quality Certified) indicate a level of quality. With QC wines they only indicate a level of quality as taste tested by the LCBO. In a perfect grape wine world, it would be the same. That is an expert grape wine tasting panel would blindly test grape wines to see if they meet a certain wine grape taste standard. This need not be rocket science.

If this was followed, certain grape wine varieties would literally float to the top and be considered by most consumers as the cream of the grape varieties. All judgement would be based on the quality of the wine.

The strongest talking point is that all VQA and QC wine is 100% Canadian. QC in Ontario is 100% Ontario. In most cases all QC wine comes from the same farm as ferments and sells it. 

We all know the comparison that a bottle of VQA or QC wine returns $4.29 to the Canadian economy whereas imported wine returns $0.56 to the Canadian economy.

VQA and QC wine is as LOCAL, GREEN and LOCALLY BRANDED as it gets. When will the decision makers get it?

If you have an opportunity to read the Spring 2008 edition of Canadian Grapes to Wine, please turn to page 31 as there is an article on Fruit Wines and issues facing that industry in Ontario. Thank you for your time.

Cheers,

Bert Andrews

Andrews' Scenic Acres

# 9365, 10 Sideroad

Milton, ON

L9T 2X9

Cell: 905-691-2672

Farm: 905-878-5807

Fax: 905-878-4997

farm at andrewsscenicacres.com

www.andrewsscenicacres.com <http://www.andrewsscenicacres.com/> 

www.scotchblockwinery.com <http://www.scotchblockwinery.com/> 

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From: growwine-bounces at littlefatwino.com [mailto:growwine-bounces at littlefatwino.com] On Behalf Of melissa lounsbury
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 10:42 AM
To: growwine at littlefatwino.com
Subject: Re: [Growwine] VQA

You are right Paul.This is what I have said all along , an if you talk to the winery owners on the side this is why they glad for this puts a edge up on you before you start.Even the political people will say how they where lobbed to support this venture.How are things on the west coast paul.Iam glad that katelin Blush won a bronze . Have a good day. Maurice. 

----- Original Message ----
From: Paul Troop <paul at vivezza.com>
To: growwine at littlefatwino.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 19, 2008 12:13:54 AM
Subject: Re: [Growwine] VQA

The whole VQA story seems to be a case of some commodity wineries successfully lobbying the governments, first of Ontario and recently of BC, to entrench their (VQA owners) model of marketing through provincial legislation. While it is possible to support the VQA list at one level, steps need to be taking to protect the futuristic efforts of Artisan wineries in any jurisdiction --- regardless of what varieties they grow and make wine from.  

As a group, the Artisan wineries are going to need to challenge these rules as I suspect they will not withstand a court challenge.  

Talking about this in these forums is a good thing in a way, but action is required to ensure a bright future for those that are committed to the newer varieties that are coming from the progressive breeding programs around the world. 

Paul

On 18-Mar-08, at 7:28 PM, mauro at ridgepointwines.com wrote:

I am not sure why is there is so much focus on VQA.  I have said it so many times. Prove your case with wine in the bottle. Win awards locally anad interenationally and then make your case to have the variety labelled as an approved variety.

>From a financial impact, VQA only matters if you plan to move a significant amount of wine through restaurants. 

If even your not making much money at the restaurant level you hope it drives people to the winery where your margins are best.

I successfully had the VQA rules changed to include Nebbiolo as an approved variety.

Most of the people outside of the Ontario DVa needs to focus on making good wine regardless of variety and stop viewing Niagara as the competition. Our competition is the rest of world, Australia, Chile Argentina and not ourselves.

Everyday, I have to face being compared to hot climate growing areas and to countries who pay next to nothing for labour.

Quoting Paul Bulas  :

Thanks for the informative reply Terry.  Perhaps she skipped the Minnesota varieties because of the "international recognition" aspect.  I don't doubt that by offering Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernets, Pinot Noir, etc., Ontario can "speak the language" of the international wine scene; but at the same time I don't think that this alone should define the scope of the goal: namely, to build an indigenous wine culture in our continent akin to that which the Old World has historically had, albeit with grape varieties that actually work in our climatic conditions -- i.e. hardy and not requiring excessive chemical inputs.

It seems to me that VQA is more business-oriented than viticulture-oriented, just going by the lack of interest thus far in the grapes that could conceivably form the backbone of that wider wine culture.

----- Original Message ----
From: Terry Rayner 
To: growwine at littlefatwino.com
Sent: Tuesday, March 18, 2008 6:40:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Growwine] VQA

Good Luck on this front Paul. I tried to "talk" to Laurie MacDonald (Execuitve Director, VQA Ontario) about sustainable viticulture about a year ago and here's a few  of her comments.

"While there are some advantages available to VQA wines, these are at the discretion of government and not part of the appellation system that VQA Ontario operates. "  

With regard to the grape varieties, the focus on vinifera is due to a number of factors including viability, international recognition, quality and the perception of what is acceptable globally as wine grapes for appellation wines.  Interspecific hybrids, particularly those with vitis labrusca parentage have been avoided because of character issues and their past reputation in Ontario wines.    

There is a process for changing the regulations, including adding new grape varieties to the approved list.   The change is proposed by a member winery, and evaluated against three criteria â€“ does it improve or maintain quality?, does it improve or maintain the credibility of VQA wines and the perception of quality?, and is it consistent with VQA Ontarioâ€™s mission and strategic goals?  If the proposed change fulfills these criteria, it is assessed by a technical committee and goes to a consultation process.  In previous discussions about hybrid varieties, the majority of industry stakeholders have indicated that VQA should continue to encourage a vinifera based appellation system.   They include a number of wineries that produce grapes outside of DVAs, in central and eastern Ontario.   

A few of the varieties you mention are currently permitted for blending into some VQA wines â€“ Geisenheim, De Chaunac, Leon Millot and Vignoles.  These could be used in proportions up to 15%.   For the others, they would have to be produced as non-VQA wines."

I did ask about many of the newer varieties coming out of Minnesota and she completely ignored that part of the conversation instead pointing to the limitations on the likes of Giesenheim, De Chaunac, Leon Millot and Vignoles.

Terry

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Mauro Scarsellone
Ridgepoint Wines
3900 Cherry Avenue
Vineland, ON
L0R 2C0

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