VQA Ontario

Niagara PeninsulaLake Erie North Shore Prince Edward County

Ontario’s appellation system

Sets and enforces standards, including labelling standards, for wines made from Ontario grapes

Administered by VQA Ontario under the VQA Act and regulations

Purpose is to verify origin and provide a quality assurance mechanism easily identifiable by consumers

VQAO is a consumer protection agency not a marketing collective

VQA Regulations

Protects certain terms by restricting their use

Label integrity for consumersProtects/enhances reputation of regions

and industry-at-largeLevel playing field for wineries

Winery Obligations

Making good quality winesKnowing and following the

regulationsInternal process controlRecord keepingFees

Regulated termsWhat terms do we regulate?

- Niagara Peninsula Prince Edward County

- Lake Erie North Shore Ontario

- Sub-appellation terms Blanc De Noirs

- Meritage Late Harvest Wine

- Select/ Special Select Late Harvest Wine

- Vin Du Cure Icewine

- Icewine Dosage Dosage of Icewine

- Sparkling Icewine Estate Bottled

- Vineyard Botrytized

- Botrytis Affected (B.A.) Totally Botrytized

- Totally Botrytis Affected (T.B.A)

What does this mean in practice?• No use without approval, no variations, passing off

Labelling Rules

Scope of regulations

The “labelling” rules apply to all use of descriptors in association with the wine

This includes your shelf talker, neck tag, signage, advertising and website descriptions – that refer to a specific wine

Allows a general “we sell Icewine here” sticker at your cash but definitely not an Icewine sign in front of a display shelf with only table wines on it

Mandatory ContentFederal information:

alc./vol. - net contents - wine - Product of Canada - legal name, address of dealer – allergens (sulphites)

VQA information: Name of appellation Vintage (except Sparkling, Fortified) Others depend on wine category

Optional Content (category dependent)

Grape varietiesWine category (Late Harvest, Meritage,

Blanc de Noirs, Nouveau)Proprietary Name (your brand)Estate BottledVineyard NameMethod of Production (Mandatory for

Sparkling)

Principal Display Panel and Single Field of Vision Appellation must appear on principal display

panel at least 2 mm OR 3.2 mm if you leave the VQA logo off

Other info can appear anywhere (except top/bottom of container)

Federal rules require alc/vol, wine, product of Canada and net contents all in a “single field of vision”

VQA decides which panel is the PDP, the winery cannot choose to make the back label the PDP

Labelling - Origin The appellation on the front label must appear as:

VQA appellation name VQA

(same font, colour, typeface) No unregulated claim of origin can be made (e.g. you can’t

create your own appellation) No appellation terms can be used in back label copy or

elsewhere unless the wine qualifies NOT AT ALL - no matter what the context

No reference to location of winery using appellation name unless wine qualifies – postal address only in the form of an address

Component appellations can be described if exact percentage content is included – eg. 55% Lake Erie North Shore, 45% Prince Edward County

Labelling - OriginContent rules for appellation declaration:

Ontario (100% Ontario) Viticultural areas – Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie

North Shore, Prince Edward County (85% from stated area, rest from anywhere in Ontario)

Niagara on the Lake, Niagara Escarpment (85% from stated area, rest from Niagara)

Sub-appellations (100%) Vineyard designation (100%) Estate Bottled (100% grown, made, bottled)

Labelling - originCertain wines are not entitled to any

origin claim except Ontario Wines made from grapes grown outside of defined

viticultural areas Wines containing hybrid grapes (Vidal Icewine

exception) Charmat or Cuve Close sparkling wines Wines that do not meet required Brix

Do not refer to appellations on the labels of these wines

Do not use brand names that contain restricted terms

Varietal wines If a grape variety is mentioned anywhere on

the label, it is considered a varietal wineVarieties must be listed in order of

descending content If it does not meet single, dual, triple or multi

rules, percentages are required Acceptable variety names are specified

No abbreviations, number descriptors Descriptors generally allowed if they are

not confusing (oaked, reserve etc)

IcewineIcewine must appear on the labelVinifera or Vidal onlyCannot blend Vidal into vinifera unless

declared (eg. must be > 15% and labelled as a varietal wine)

Cannot mention Icewine on label of table wines if it used as a blending component

More rulesVariations of estate bottled are now

permitted but must be truthful and abide by same rules as estate bottled (“produced and bottled by”)

No closure can refer to VQAStatements made must be accurate

Harvest brix, RS, percentages Plan for this if you use generic back labels

The VQA logoOptional Gold on black only, minimum15 mm Secondary applications can be as small

as 10 mmOn any label, neck or shoulderSmaller size (10 mm) permitted for

bottles 250 mL and less

The Approval Process

Wine Approvals

3 components: blind taste test, laboratory analysis and packaging review

Approx 1800 applications annually, overall success rate approximately 95%

Process Approvals – online application, samples to LCBO, payment

to VQAO, 2 – 3 weeks turnaround Wine is approved only when entire process is complete

and you see a checkmark under final status (Don’t release or sell if it is not approved)

Approval will not be processed without fee and label, mock ups and/or proofs are acceptable

If the labels are changed post approval, it is the wineries responsibility to ensure they comply

No need for two approvals for same wine with two labels (all labels should be uploaded)

Virtual wineries need to be registered with VQAO as an operating name (they are your responsibility under your manuf. licence and your VQA membership)

VQA Services - Wine Approvals System“WAS”

Filters – normally check all

Use filters and rows per page to manage what is displayed to you

Start a new application

Wine Approval Application - adding varietal components

Entering the components of your final blend

Confirm total quantity is correct

Wine Approval Application Upload your labels

PDF or JPEG formats acceptable

Get the proofs electronically from your designer/printer

Store them on your computer. Follow the easy wizard instructions.

Because of the volume – we do not upload labels for you. If you can email them to us then you have an electronic version to upload!

You can upload your labels later if they are not ready when you make the application.

Wine Approval Application Submitted – waiting on shipment

Information is in the system

LCBO is waiting for samples to arrive

This is the wine ID

Wine Approval In progress

Tasting is completed and passed

Lab analysis is completed and passed

Wine is not approved

Did you upload your label?

Did VQAO receive your payment?

Label review is pending

More information about your application

Taste and lab results added when completed

Label review usually last to be completed just before approval result finalized

Can edit only up to shipment received date

(call VQAO if changes needed after)

Forms&Reports:

•Reprint shipping form/invoice

•Cert of analysis once approved

•Cert of origin

Application in progress- check tasting result

If the wine did not pass, the reason for failure will be stated here.

Application in progress- check lab result

Typically only 3 tests are reported – alcohol, Free SO2, RS

If the wine did not pass, the failing analyte will be reported.

Small variances are granted eg.

52 ppm FSO2 will show as an X but the overall status will pass

Application - label review result

Federal violations are noted but do not cause a failure.

Routine conditions are noted but do not cause a failure

•No scale (font size not verified)

•VQA logo not submitted or shown in a black and white scan

THESE STILL NEED TO BE COMPLIANT on the final label.

This label failed.

In this case this is the reason.

Application almost complete

Not yet approved

Usually because

payment not received

If all 3 stages complete and not approved

– please call us

Wine is now approved

The winery (primary contact) will get an email notification telling you to logon and view completed application results

It is the same email pass or fail so don’t assume the wine is approved

Don’t forget to look at the label review page to see if there are any comments

Pre approval label reviewVQAO will review labels before the wine

is submitted as advice onlyLabels will not be “approved” before

wine is approved since this is contingent upon the label matching the wine, the alcohol, sweetness descriptors being correct, etc.

Common approval delays and label problemsNo labels have been uploaded or fee is not paid Samples sent to LCBO are not properly labelled

and have been sent to another departmentLabel does not match application or wine eg.

Alcohol inaccurate Appellation on label different than on application Varieties not in descending order Back label text refers to different appellation or to a

foreign appellation

Tips for approvals Make sure applications include:

Uploaded labels Payment Complete and correct information

“Rush” service can be arranged ($) Plan with VQAO in advance if there is time pressure

(such as Nouveau) or a large number of samples Tastings are twice weekly, none in December or on

statutory holidays (dates posted on VQA Services) Lab lineup is set weekly (no later than Wed pm) so

have your samples delivered by noon Wednesday If your wine arrives Thursday it will not have lab

results until two weeks following

Other things to knowApplications are purged after 12 months

if not completedApprovals expire after 12 months if not

bottledIndependent brix test and SETGO slip

required for all content in VQA winesTransfer rules for finished wine that is

purchasedLate Harvest registration by Nov 15Lapsed Memberships

Questions? Call usIf in doubt - call or email the VQAO

officeDo not rely on designers or others in

industry – they may be mistaken or the rules may have changed

Best practice – don’t print your labels before approval

Read over the VQA regulations (reg. 406) www.vqaontario.ca

Failure to Comply

Inspection and Compliance VQA Ontario is required to enforce

compliance with ActCompliance issues typically related to

label issues, selling without approvalInfractions noted through inspections

conducted by VQAO, through audit or by complaint

VQAO has police powers - right to enter, right to collect and compel information

PenaltiesApproval suspension/revocationProduct removal from all channels

(LCBO acts on our removal orders – this can be very expensive)

Compliance ordersCharges (fines up to $100,000 per

count)Membership suspension/revocationIt is far cheaper to comply

Avoid Violations

Don’t sell before approval -check the websiteCheck advertising, website, store signage

using VQA terms to make sure they are compliant and not misleading

File your reports and be prepared for your audit

Use a checklist to check label complianceRead the comments offered on labels – check

the website!

Where to look it up

Website www.vqaontario.ca/regulations/standards

Contact us

416-367-2002Barbara.dodds@vqaontario.caSusan.piovesan@vqaontario.ca Laurie.macdonald@vqaontario.ca