O. Reg. 85/25: RULES OF VINTNERS QUALITY ALLIANCE ONTARIO RELATING TO TERMS FOR VQA WINE"

O. Reg. 85/25: RULES OF VINTNERS QUALITY ALLIANCE ONTARIO RELATING TO TERMS FOR VQA WINE, VINTNERS QUALITY ALLIANCE ACT, 1999

ontario regulation 85/25

made under the

Vintners Quality Alliance Act, 1999

Made: May 22, 2025
Approved: May 27, 2025
Filed: May 30, 2025
Published on e-Laws: May 30, 2025
Published in The Ontario Gazette: June 14, 2025

Amending O. Reg. 406/00

(RULES OF VINTNERS QUALITY ALLIANCE ONTARIO RELATING TO TERMS FOR VQA WINE)

1. Section 3 of Ontario Regulation 406/00 is amended by adding the following subsection:

(1.1) For the purposes of Table 2 and Appendix B,

(a) the term “Cabernet” may be used as a synonym for Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon, or any blend of the two;

(b) “Cabernet” shall be considered as a single-varietal component when determining the minimum content for the other varieties in a dual-varietal or triple-varietal;

(c) the terms “Muscat” and “Moscato” may be used as a synonym for all or any combination of Muscat grape varieties of the species vitis vinifera;

(d) “Muscat” and “Moscato” shall be considered as a single-varietal component when determining the minimum content for the other varieties in a dual-varietal or triple-varietal; and

(e) the reference to Riesling x Traminer in item 62 of Table 1 of Appendix B is to the specific grape variety Riesling x Traminer 25/4.

2. (1) Sub-table 2 to Table 2 of the Regulation is amended by striking out “listed in item 1 of Appendix B” wherever it appears and substituting in each case “listed in Table 1 of Appendix B”.

(2) Sub-table 3 to Table 2 of the Regulation is revoked and the following substituted:

3. Varietal Wine

Column 1 Label Declarations	Column 2 Viticultural and Oenological Requirements	Column 3 Required Information (Principal display panel)	Column 4 Required Information (Any surface of the container, except the top or bottom)	Column 5 Conditions (including optional Nomenclature)
1. Single-Varietal Wine	The wine shall be a varietal wine whose varietal content is primarily one grape variety and where at least 85% of the total wine by volume at a temperature of 20°C is derived from the single grape variety named on the label. The amount of sweet reserve used in making the wine shall be included in the calculation when determining the varietal content of a varietal wine.	VQA — Geographical indication — VQA	Vintage year (vintage year optional for table wines labelled exclusively with the Ontario geographical indication) Grape variety	Only a grape variety listed in Table 1 or Table 2 of Appendix B may be indicated on the label. In the case of a single-varietal wine, if a grape variety listed in Table 1 of Appendix B is the grape variety indicated on the label, the wine must not contain any wine produced from hybrid grape varieties. In the case of a dual-varietal, triple-varietal or multi-varietal wine, if only grape varieties listed in Table 1 of Appendix B are indicated on the label, the wine must not contain any wine produced from hybrid variety grapes. For greater certainty, wine produced from hybrid grape varieties listed in Table 3 of Appendix B may only be used in wines for which a grape variety listed in Table 2 of Appendix B is indicated on the label and only up to the maximum percentage of undeclared wine, that being 15% for a single-varietal wine, 10% for a dual-varietal wine or 5% for a triple-varietal or multi-varietal wine. For greater certainty, wine produced from hybrid grapes listed in Table 2 of Appendix B that is labelled as varietal wine may contain wine produced from vitis vinifera grapes listed in Table 1. A numerical description contained in the name of a grape variety shall not be used on the label. In the case of a dual-varietal, multi-varietal or triple varietal wine, the declared variety or varieties of grapes shall be listed on the label in descending order of quantity, in identical type and identically displayed. Nothing shall be appended to a varietal name or names that may confuse or mislead the consumer as to the name of a grape variety. The term Musqué shall not be used except in the context of the varietal name Chardonnay Musqué. The term Fumé shall not be used except in the context of the synonym Fumé Blanc used for the varietal name Sauvignon Blanc. A proprietary name may appear on the label in conjunction with a named grape variety or varieties. Varietal wines containing hybrid grapes shall only be entitled to a provincial designation.
2. Dual-Varietal Wine	The wine shall be a varietal wine whose varietal content is primarily two grape varieties where at least 90% of the total wine by volume at a temperature of 20°C is derived from the two grape varieties named on the label and at least 15% of the total wine by volume at a temperature of 20°C is derived from the second of the two grape varieties named on the label. The amount of sweet reserve used in making the wine shall be included in the calculation when determining the varietal content of a varietal wine.	VQA — Geographical indication — VQA	Vintage year (vintage year optional for table wines labelled exclusively with the Ontario geographical indication) Grape varieties	The same conditions indicated in Column 5 of Item 1.
3. Triple-Varietal Wine	The wine shall be a varietal wine whose varietal content is primarily three grape varieties where at least 95% of the total wine by volume at a temperature of 20°C is derived from the three grape varieties named on the label, at least 15% of the total wine by volume at a temperature of 20°C is derived from the second of the three grape varieties named on the label and at least 10% of the total wine by volume is derived from the third of the three grape varieties named on the label. The amount of sweet reserve used in making the wine shall be included in the calculation when determining the varietal content of a varietal wine.	VQA — Geographical indication — VQA	Vintage year (vintage year optional for table wines labelled exclusively with the Ontario geographical indication) Grape varieties	The same conditions indicated in Column 5 of Item 1.
4. Multi-Varietal Wine	The wine shall be a varietal wine whose varietal content is primarily four or more grape varieties where at least 95% of the total wine by volume at a temperature of 20°C is derived from the four or more grape varieties named on the label. The amount of sweet reserve used in making the wine shall be included in the calculation when determining the varietal content of a varietal wine.	VQA — Geographical indication — VQA	Vintage year (vintage year optional for table wines labelled exclusively with the Ontario geographical indication) Grape varieties	The same conditions indicated in Column 5 of Item 1.

(3) Sub-tables 4 and 5 to Table 2 of the Regulation are amended by,

(a) striking out “listed in item 1 of Appendix B” wherever it appears and substituting in each case “listed in Table 1 of Appendix B”;

(b) striking out “listed in item 1 and subitem 2 i of Appendix B” wherever it appears and substituting in each case “listed in Table 1 and Table 2 of Appendix B”; and

(c) striking out “listed in subitem 2 i of Appendix B” wherever it appears and substituting in each case “listed in Table 2 of Appendix B”.

3. (1) Table 1 of Appendix A to the Regulation is amended by striking out “20. Other varieties” in Column 1 of the Table and substituting “20. Other vitis vinifera varieties”.

(2) Table 1 of Appendix A to the Regulation is amended by adding the following row:

21. Other hybrid varieties

18.0º Brix

n/a

4. Appendix B to the Regulation is revoked and the following substituted:

APPENDIX B
AUTHORIZED GRAPE VARIETIES

Table 1
Varieties of Vitis vinifera

Item	Column 1 Prime Name	Column 2 Synonyms
1.	Alicante Bouschet	None
2.	Aligoté	None
3.	Aglianico	None
4.	Auxerrois	Pinot Auxerrois
5.	Bacchus	None
6.	Barbera	None
7.	Blauburger	None
8.	Cabernet Franc	Cabernet
9.	Cabernet Sauvignon	Cabernet
10.	Chardonnay	None
11.	Chardonnay Musqué	Chardonnay
12.	Chasselas	Chasselas Doré
13.	Chenin Blanc	None
14.	Colombard	French Colombard
15.	Corvina	None
16.	Dolcetto	None
17.	Dornfelder	None
18.	Ehrenfelser	None
19.	Faberrebe	None
20.	Furmint	None
21.	Gamay Noir	Gamay
22.	Gamay de Chaudenay	None
23.	Gewürztraminer	Traminer
24.	Glera	None
25.	Goldburger	None
26.	Grüner Veltliner	Veltliner
27.	Kerner	Trollinger x Riesling
28.	Lemberger	Limberger, Blaufrankish
29.	Madeleine Angevine	None
30.	Madeleine Sylvaner	None
31.	Malbec	None
32.	Malvasia	Malvasia Bianca
33.	Marsanne	None
34.	Matsvani	None
35.	Melon de Bourgogne	Melon
36.	Merlot	None
37.	Molinara	None
38.	Morio Muscat	Muscat, Moscato
39.	Moscato Giallo	Gold Muscat
40.	Mourvedre	None
41.	Muscat Blanc	Muskateller, Gelber Muskateller, Muscat, Moscato
42.	Muscat D’Alsace	None
43.	Muscadelle	None
44.	Muscat Ottonel	Muscat, Moscato
45.	Müller-Thurgau	Riesling x Sylvaner
46.	Nebbiolo	None
47.	Optima	None
48.	Oraniensteiner	None
49.	Ortega	None
50.	Pecorino	None
51.	Perle of Csaba	Pearl of Csaba
52.	Petit Verdot	None
53.	Petite Arvine	Arvina
54.	Petite Sirah	None
55.	Pinotage	None
56.	Pinot Blanc	Weissburgunder, Pinot Bianco
57.	Pinot Gris	Pinot Grigio
58.	Pinot Meunier	Meunier
59.	Pinot Noir	Spätburgunder
60.	Reichensteiner	None
61.	Riesling	None
62.	Riesling x Traminer	None
63.	Rkatsiteli	None
64.	Rondinella	None
65.	Rotberger	None
66.	Roussanne	None
67.	Samtrot	None
68.	Sangiovese	None
69.	Saperavi	None
70.	Sauvignon Blanc	Fumé Blanc
71.	Sauvignon Gris	None
72.	Sauvignon Vert	Tocai Friulano
73.	Savagnin	None
74.	Scheurebe	None
75.	Schönburger	None
76.	Sémillon	None
77.	Sereksia Chornaya	None
78.	Siegerrebe	None
79.	St. Laurent	None
80.	Sylvaner	Silvaner
81.	Syrah	Shiraz
82.	Tannat	None
83.	Tempranillo	None
84.	Touriga Nacional	None
85.	Traminer	None
86.	Trebbiano	None
87.	Viognier	None
88.	Welschriesling	Riesling Italico
89.	Zinfandel	Primitivo
90.	Zweigelt	Zweigeltrebe, Rotburger

Table 2
Varieties Produced by Inter-Specific Crossbreeding that may be indicated on the label of varietal wines

Item	Column 1 Prime Name	Column 2 Synonym
1.	Baco Noir	Baco
2.	Bianca	None
3.	Cabernet Foch	None
4.	Cabernet Jura	None
5.	Cabernet Volos	None
6.	Chambourcin	None
7.	Chancellor	Chancellor Noir
8.	Couderc Muscat	Muscat du Moulin, Couderc
9.	Crimson Pearl	None
10.	Frontenac Blanc	None
11.	Frontenac Gris	None
12.	Frontenac Noir	Frontenac
13.	Hibernal	None
14.	Itasca	None
15.	L’Acadie Blanc	None
16.	Lucie Kuhlmann	None
17.	Maréchal Foch	Foch
18.	Marquette	None
19.	Merlot Kanthus	None
20.	Muscat Osceolo	Osceola Muscat
21.	Petite Pearl	None
22.	Regent	None
23.	Rondo	None
24.	Seyval Blanc	Seyval
25.	Sauvignon Rytos	None
26.	Soreli	None
27.	Traminette	None
28.	Vidal Blanc	Vidal
29.	Villard Noir	None

Table 3
Varieties Produced by Inter-Specific Crossbreeding: Hybrid varieties that may be used with varietal wines but may not be indicated on the label

Item	Column 1 Prime Name	Column 2 Synonyms
1.	Aurore	Aurora
2.	Castel	None
3.	Chelois	None
4.	De Chaunac	None
5.	Léon Millot	Millot
6.	Pollux	None
7.	Rosette	Seibel 1000
8.	Siegfriedrebe	Siegfried Rebe, Siegfried
9.	Verdelet	None
10.	Vignoles	Ravat
11.	GM 311-58	None
12.	GM 318-57	None
13.	JS23.416	None
14.	SV23.512	None

Commencement

5. This Regulation comes into force on the day it is filed.

Made by:
Pris par :

Vintners Quality Alliance Ontario:
Vintners Quality Alliance Ontario :

Derek Cartlidge

President and Chair

Brian Schmidt

Director and Past Chair

Date made: May 22, 2025
Pris le : 22 mai 2025

I approve this Regulation.
J’approuve le présent règlement.

Le ministre des Services au public et aux entreprises et de l'Approvisionnement,

Stephen Crawford

Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery and Procurement

Date approved: May 27, 2025
Approuvé le : 27 mai 2025