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unacceptable levels of H2S, volatile acidity, brett, ‘making the best wine possible’ given any set of
etc.” parameters – vineyard, varietal, vintage conditions,
price point, style, etc., and it necessarily includes
To play devil’s advocate, I could counter that preventing and managing faults.”
what is “unacceptable” to one taster may not be
to another. One of my favourite wines, Lebanon’s Given, ongoing training for winemakers at all
Château Musar, wouldn’t be what it is without levels is no doubt part of the key to producing
levels of VA and brettanomyces that may seem off high-quality, defect-free wines, the other major
the charts to some. In any case, the real question component is regular, ongoing tasting - and not
might be: “If VQA is all about geographic origin, only of a winemaker’s own wines. I was surprised
why is there a tasting panel at all? Surely we’re not many years ago as I toured Niagara wineries to
yet at the point where an Ontario wine’s origin can hear how few of the local winemakers actually
actually be confirmed by tasting it.” Well, the short tasted wines of their competition - both interna-
answer is because, at this stage, an expert tasting tional ones and those made by the winery across
panel is still necessary. the street. Some winemakers, at times, seemed
to have gotten so familiar with their own “style”
In my experience with (and I’ll come clean and say that they failed to realize that this “style” included
I’ve had some), the VQA/OWAA tasting panel offers some obvious technical defects. In any case, regular
winemakers something rather unique and, ulti- and varied tasting is probably the most enjoyable
mately, helpful: the opportunity to have wines pre- “homework” most could think of engaging in.
screened by an objective panel (I should note that
all wines are tasted blind - the tasters know the As Ontario’s (and Canada’s) vinous landscape
vintage, the varietal(s) if applicable, and style the continues to broaden, the Vintners Quality Alliance
wine is claiming to be…and that’s mostly it) before Act,1999 will no doubt continue to be modified
they get to the consumer. If there is a problem, the to reflect changes within the industry. Macdonald
winemaker is informed and has the opportunity points out that since 2000, there have been a total
to correct it (assuming it can be) and resubmit the of 35 changes to the regulations, adding grape vari-
wine for re-evaluation. eties, raising minimum brix, allowing new closures,
and so on. The last change, made in 2017, was the
While the VQA designation is not an indication addition of the “skin-fermented white” category.
to consumers that a wine is somehow superior This sort of flexibility ensures that innovation and
to one without, it does pretty much guarantee its creativity can thrive, with the Act lending a degree
geographic lineage and that it’s defect-free. But of guidance to winemakers, while ensuring geo-
shouldn’t winemakers be able to determine that graphical authenticity and, ultimately, consumer
their wines are of sound quality (like most places confidence and international respect.
in the world) without some paternal body pointing
out when the kid hasn’t lived up to expectations?

Macdonald reports that since 2000, failures have
declined by10 per cent to a range of about two per
cent over the past five years. She also notes that
some failures are not the fault (or the sole fault) of
the winemaker. Still, technical and microbiological
issues make up the bulk of the reasons for failures.

“We facilitate ‘Winemakers Forums’ to encourage
winemakers to share their experiences, challeng-
es and best practices - suspended for COVID of
course,” she informs. “This is intended to support

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