Copyright © 2005 Grape Growers of Ontario.
All rights reserved.

Do you know what you're drinking?

When you pick up a bottle of Ontario wine, do you know what’s in it? There are three categories of Ontario wines based on content and the Grape Growers of Ontario want you to know what’s in that bottle.

VQA

Contents: Made with 100% Ontario-grown grapes.
VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) is a symbol of quality and designation of origin for Ontario wines produced in four Viticultural Areas: Niagara Peninsula, Pelee Island, Lake Erie North Shore and Prince Edward County.

The QC (Quality Certified) symbol on Fruit Wines of Ontario bottles means you are buying wine made with 100% Ontario-grown fruit. QC is modelled on the same quality standards as VQA.

Product of Canada

Contents: Made with a minimum of 75% Canadian-grown grapes.
May contain up to 25% imported wine.*

Cellared by ABC Winery

Contents: Made with a minimum of 30% Ontario-grown grapes.
May contain up to 70% imported wine.*

Grape Growers of Ontario represent 530 proud grape growers who grow the right stuff. 100% Ontario grapes for 100% Ontario VQA wines.  Are you buying the right stuff?

* Only Wineries established before 1993 are allowed to blend imported wine.

How did we get here?

Until 1972, Ontario wine was produced from 100% Ontario-grown grapes.

In 1972, the wine content regulations were changed to allow wineries to import the equivalent of 10% of their domestic purchases, and blend up to 25% imported product in any one bottle of wine. This was done to improve the industry, which was then mainly labrusca-based.

In 1980, the wine content regulations were changed to allow wineries to blend up to 30% imported product in any one bottle of wine. This amount was not tied to a percentage of domestic crop purchase, as before. This was done to supplement a perceived shortage of premium grapes.

In 1989, the North American Free Trade Agreement came into effect, and the wine content act was changed to allow a minimum of 30% Ontario-grown product from the previous minimum of 70% domestic product. Why was this done? Under the grape adjustment program, grape growers pulled out 8,200 acres of grapes (about half the wine grapes planted) so they could replace them with higher quality viniferas demanded by wineries. The wineries, at that time, insisted there were not enough domestic grapes planted to fulfill market requirements, and they needed imports to satisfy those demands and make enough wine for consumers. This act was supposed to sunset on December 31, 2000.

Also in 1989, VQA was formed as a voluntary association to create an appellation system for Ontario wines and establish minimum quality standards. VQA wines, unlike other Ontario wines, had to contain 100% Ontario-grown product – this requirement stands today.

In 1993, the wine content act was changed to allow a minimum of 10% Ontario-grown product and up to 90% imported product. Why was this done? A severe crop failure in Ontario, due to bad weather, reduced the availability of grapes. This change was only to take affect for one year.

In 1994, the wine content act was changed to allow a minimum of 25% Ontario-grown product in wine.

In January 2001, the wine content act was changed to allow a minimum of 30% Ontario-grown product and a maximum of 70% imported product in the “Cellared in” or “Cellared by” category.

Today, there is no crop shortage to justify allowing so much foreign content in our wine. In fact, grape growers are facing potential crop surpluses and depressed prices because the current wine content act is hurting our industry. We want consumers to understand what they are buying, and support wineries that produce 100% Ontario wines.