Why this matters
VQA Ontario (under the Vintners Quality Alliance Act, 1999) and the BC Wine Authority enforce origin, vintage and varietal rules independently. Ontario requires 100% Ontario-grown grapes for any VQA wine; BC VQA likewise requires 100% BC fruit. Both schemes also run blind tasting panels before approval. Cepaos compiles the application package and tracks the panel outcome.
Prerequisites
- Winery licence number with VQA Ontario or BC Wine Authority in Settings > Compliance > CA.
- Vineyard blocks tagged with the recognised appellation or sub-appellation (Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore, Okanagan Valley, etc.).
- Lab results from a recognised laboratory uploaded to the wine record.
1. Open the VQA dashboard
From the sidebar, go to Compliance > VQA. Select the wine you wish to submit.
2. Verify appellation claim
Cepaos enforces:
| Rule | Ontario | BC |
|---|---|---|
| 100% provincial fruit | Yes | Yes |
| Sub-appellation (e.g. Beamsville Bench / Naramata Bench) | 85% from sub-appellation | 95% from sub-appellation |
| Vintage | 85% from declared year | 95% from declared year |
| Varietal | 85% from declared cultivar | 95% from declared cultivar |
3. Compile lab analysis
Upload alcohol, residual sugar, total acidity, volatile acidity and free SO2 results. Cepaos checks values against the VQA reference ranges.
4. Submit for panel review
Click Submit for VQA review. The package is exported as a PDF + CSV ready for the relevant authority's portal. Cepaos tracks the panel outcome (Approved, Conditional, Declined) and reasons.
5. Lock the approved label
Approved wines move into the VQA Approved register. Any subsequent reblend creates a new application.
FAQ
Can I claim VQA Ontario and Lake Erie North Shore on the same label?
Yes, provided the wine meets both thresholds and the panel approves.
Does VQA cover sparkling and icewine separately?
Yes. Cepaos handles the special rules for icewine (harvest temperature, must weight) and Charmat / traditional method sparkling.