To be considered an Ontario wine

[rgruby]

That is not a typo. Here's a link to the story in the Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...99037&t=TS_Home

I'm not sure what to think. I don't buy all that much Ontario wine, and it appears that the VQA wines are still required to be 100% Ont. grapes. But still ...

Have at it.

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[Vinfidel]

That is not a typo. Here's a link to the story in the Toronto Star: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentSe...99037&t=TS_Home

I'm not sure what to think. I don't buy all that much Ontario wine, and it appears that the VQA wines are still required to be 100% Ont. grapes. But still ...

Have at it.

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

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its a protectionist measure due to the crop damage.

[jayt90]

[

its a protectionist measure due to the crop damage.

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Protecting what?

In normal years, the amount of Ontario grapes need only be 30%. If I buy non-VQA Ontario wines I am never sure of the bulk wine or grapes used.

If the Ontario government allows the standard to be degraded this year, can we sure that in some future vintage they will not allow foreign grapes into the VQA premium wines?

Since VQA is not well understood by many consumers, there may be a tendency not to buy this vintage, rather than take a chance.

[Vinfidel]

protecting the wineries since there is not enough crop to make wines

if they dont use forgein grapes then no wine, no wine nothing to sell = bankrupt

i dont know why you are talking about VQA in this context - VQA wines need to have ontario grapes. this is a measure to allow the wineries to make some money to carry them until the next year.

VQA is a brand; it doesnt have to mean anything more than that to a consumer. it does not mean that there is good wine in the bottle. far from it if you taste most ontario wine.

these wines will not have vqa on them, they will be put in the ontario areas of the LCBO

ontario wines need to be better to compete on the global market. if we talk about wines other than the famous ice wines, there is a lot of room for imporvement.

Edited September 25, 2005 by Vinfidel (log)

[jayt90]

protecting the wineries since there is not enough crop to make wines

if they dont use forgein grapes then no wine, no wine nothing to sell = bankrupt

i dont know why you are talking about VQA in this context - VQA wines need to have ontario grapes. this is a measure to allow the wineries to make some money to carry them until the next year.

VQA is a brand; it doesnt have to mean anything more than that to a consumer. it does not mean that there is good wine in the bottle. far from it if you taste most ontario wine.

these wines will not have vqa on them, they will be put in the ontario areas of the LCBO

ontario wines need to be better to compete on the global market. if we talk about wines other than the famous ice wines, there is a lot of room for imporvement.

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The wineries have survived with political lobbying and government help long before the 30%-or-less rule was allowed, or before there was no Ontario markup in their own stores, which have multiplied dramatically over the years. (Not long ago the wineries could have one wine store per winery, but now they can go into many new locations.)

If Ontario wines have to improve to compete on the global market, they won't gain much repute with 99% foreign content. I am simply pointing out that the adulteration of regular shelf Ont. Wines puts VQA standards in jeopardy, in the future, because the wineries with both interests at hand will lobby the government for whatever handouts they need at that time.

[rgruby]

Are there any other countries that allow such a substantial proportion of grapes from other jurisdictions in "their" wines?

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

[jayt90]

Are there any other countries that allow such a substantial proportion of grapes from other jurisdictions in "their" wines?

Germany allows cheap Euro wine in "table Wine" blends, such as Liebfraumilch and Black Tower.

Only Ontario allows 30-99% foreign wine into the everyday "Ontario" wine.

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby

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[rgruby]

The thing that I've learned from this is that nobody outside of Ont gives a flying leap about Ont wines.

I expected folks from other jurisdictions to jump in and castigate us(and in my opinion they rightly should) , but no one seems to even think its worth bothering.

Outside of ice wine do Ontario wines have any (and I mean any) penetration into foreign markets - the Us, UK etc?

Cheers,

Geoff Ruby