Cellared in Canada
Encyclopedia
Cellared in Canada is a term used to designate Canadian wine
that is produced with varying quantities of Canadian and foreign bulk wine
. These wines are often sold in government-run liquor stores in sections designated as "Canadian wine". In British Columbia
, Cellared in Canada wine may be produced from 100 percent foreign content with grapes grown from Washington State, California, South Africa, Argentina and Chile. In Ontario
, Cellared in Canada wine is allowed to be produced from a blend of no more than 60 percent foreign-sourced content. Within the 40 percent Ontario content, dilution with water is allowed. The only indication of origin is found on the back of the bottle, with a term such as "Cellared in Canada from international and domestic wines". Other permitted terms are "Product of Canada" and "Vinted in Canada". By 2014, the current plan is to allow Ontario "Cellared in Canada" to be produced from 100 percent foreign content, as in British Columbia.
pre-fermented grape
must
from grapes grown in other countries to produce wines under their own wine label
. These wines are then designated as being made or "cellared
" in Canada, even though they may not be made from any Canadian-grown grapes. The advantage to the producer is potentially lower production costs for imported grapes compared with locally grown Canadian grapes. Large wine-producing estates such as Peller Estates, Mission Hill Winery
and Jackson-Triggs
(owned by Vincor International Ltd) have made widespread use of this designation, producing low-priced wines that are often cheaper at the liquor store than local wines.
and replace them with Vitis vinifera
, which is more suitable for winemaking. The Canadian government granted permission to wine producers to import from foreign grape sources while they waited for the new V. vinifera plantings to mature and develop. Even as viticulture in Canada continued to expand, with more available sources of local grapes, the practice was permitted as a buffer against the financial impact of inclement weather that could devastate the local crop and cause shortages. Today the practice is used by wineries for economic reasons.
(VQA) in province-run liquor stores. As of August 2009, the province stores of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario
(LCBO) featured less than 2.5% Canadian wine produced by VQA members with the vast majority of its wines produced under the "Cellared in Canada" designation with up to 75% foreign grapes.
Wine producers who use the "Cellared in Canada" designation claim that it is a vital business component that allows them to compete in the "under $10" price category. An executive at Vincor International Inc., which is owned by Constellation Brands and produces wine in Canada under labels such as Jackson Triggs, says the "Cellared in Canada" practice is a necessity due to the country having too many grapes planted (producing a wine lake
effect), with growers charging prices too high to be competitive in the market.
Canadian wine
Canadian wine is produced in mainly southern British Columbia and southern Ontario. There is also a growing number of small scale producers of grapes and wine in southern Quebec and Nova Scotia. The two largest wine-producing regions in Canada are the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia and the...
that is produced with varying quantities of Canadian and foreign bulk wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
. These wines are often sold in government-run liquor stores in sections designated as "Canadian wine". In British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Cellared in Canada wine may be produced from 100 percent foreign content with grapes grown from Washington State, California, South Africa, Argentina and Chile. In Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Cellared in Canada wine is allowed to be produced from a blend of no more than 60 percent foreign-sourced content. Within the 40 percent Ontario content, dilution with water is allowed. The only indication of origin is found on the back of the bottle, with a term such as "Cellared in Canada from international and domestic wines". Other permitted terms are "Product of Canada" and "Vinted in Canada". By 2014, the current plan is to allow Ontario "Cellared in Canada" to be produced from 100 percent foreign content, as in British Columbia.
Practice
Under the "Cellared in Canada" label, Canadian wine producers can importImport
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
pre-fermented grape
Grape
A grape is a non-climacteric fruit, specifically a berry, that grows on the perennial and deciduous woody vines of the genus Vitis. Grapes can be eaten raw or they can be used for making jam, juice, jelly, vinegar, wine, grape seed extracts, raisins, molasses and grape seed oil. Grapes are also...
must
Must
Must is freshly pressed fruit juice that contains the skins, seeds, and stems of the fruit. The solid portion of the must is called pomace; it typically makes up 7%–23% of the total weight of the must. Making must is the first step in winemaking...
from grapes grown in other countries to produce wines under their own wine label
Wine label
Wine labels are important sources of information for consumers since they tell the type and origin of the wine. The label is often the only resource a buyer has for evaluating the wine before purchasing it...
. These wines are then designated as being made or "cellared
Winemaking
Winemaking, or vinification, is the production of wine, starting with selection of the grapes or other produce and ending with bottling the finished wine. Although most wine is made from grapes, it may also be made from other fruit or non-toxic plant material...
" in Canada, even though they may not be made from any Canadian-grown grapes. The advantage to the producer is potentially lower production costs for imported grapes compared with locally grown Canadian grapes. Large wine-producing estates such as Peller Estates, Mission Hill Winery
Mission Hill Winery
Mission Hill Winery is a Canadian wine grower and producer. It is based in West Kelowna, British Columbia, in the Okanagan Valley wine region.-History:...
and Jackson-Triggs
Jackson-Triggs
Jackson-Triggs is a Canadian winery with vineyards in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia and the Niagara Peninsula, Ontario.In 1993 Donald Triggs and Allan Jackson founded Mississauga-based company Vincor Canada which began to produce Jackson-Triggs wine...
(owned by Vincor International Ltd) have made widespread use of this designation, producing low-priced wines that are often cheaper at the liquor store than local wines.
History
The "Cellared in Canada" practice originated in the early years of the Canadian wine industry in the 1980s. During this period grape growers received incentives to pull out existing plantings of Vitis labruscaVitis labrusca
Vitis labrusca is a species of grapevines belonging to the Vitis genus in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The vines are native to the eastern United States and are the source of many grape cultivars, including Catawba and Concord grapes, and many hybrid grape varieties such as Agawam,...
and replace them with Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera
Vitis vinifera is a species of Vitis, native to the Mediterranean region, central Europe, and southwestern Asia, from Morocco and Portugal north to southern Germany and east to northern Iran....
, which is more suitable for winemaking. The Canadian government granted permission to wine producers to import from foreign grape sources while they waited for the new V. vinifera plantings to mature and develop. Even as viticulture in Canada continued to expand, with more available sources of local grapes, the practice was permitted as a buffer against the financial impact of inclement weather that could devastate the local crop and cause shortages. Today the practice is used by wineries for economic reasons.
Criticism
In late 2009, local and international criticism of the "Cellared in Canada" practice emerged. Grape growers in Ontario began protesting the practice as a threat to their livelihood, claiming that thousands of tons of Canadian grapes were left rotting on the vine because producers were using imported grapes to make wine labeled as "Canadian". Wine producers who do not use the "Cellared in Canada" designation criticized the practice as tarnishing the reputation of Canadian wines and misleading consumers. Producers and growers in Canada have petitioned the government for several changes, such as making the origin of grapes for "Cellared in Canada" wine clearer on the wine label and increasing the visibility of 100% Canadian wines produced by members of the Vintners Quality AllianceVintners Quality Alliance
Vintners Quality Alliance, or VQA, is a regulatory and appellation system which guarantees the high quality and authenticity of origin for Canadian wines made under that system in British Columbia and Ontario. It is similar to regulatory systems in France , Italy , and Germany...
(VQA) in province-run liquor stores. As of August 2009, the province stores of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario
Liquor Control Board of Ontario
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is a provincial Crown corporation in Ontario, Canada established in 1927 by Lieutenant Governor William Donald Ross, on the advice of his Premier, Howard Ferguson, to sell liquor, wine, and beer through a chain of retail stores...
(LCBO) featured less than 2.5% Canadian wine produced by VQA members with the vast majority of its wines produced under the "Cellared in Canada" designation with up to 75% foreign grapes.
Wine lake
The wine lake refers to the continuing supply surplus of wine produced in the European Union. A major contributor to that glut is the Languedoc-Roussillon, which produces over one-third of the grapes grown in France. In 2007 it was reported that for the previous several vintages, European...
effect), with growers charging prices too high to be competitive in the market.