“Wine of the province of Quebec”: the public consultation on the draft designation continues

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QMI agency

Monday, 17 July, 2017 15:39

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Monday, 17 July, 2017 15:39

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MONTREAL – The public consultation on the draft of the Association des vignerons du Québec to establish a protected geographical indication (PGI) “Quebec Wine” is still in progress.

The consultation period of 60 days, which began on 12 June, and continues until 10 August inclusive. It is conducted by the Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants (CARTV). Any interested person may give his opinion until the deadline about the project.

“This consultation aims to validate the consensus reached between the actors involved in the process”, explained the CARTV in a press release Monday.

“The producers have shown us the seriousness of their approach in the development of the sector since the 1980s in promoting the grape varieties and methods of cultivation [more] suited to conditions in quebec”, stressed Pascale Tremblay, president and ceo of the CARTV.

According to Yvan Quirion, president of the Association des vignerons du Québec, “in a context of growth of the market, the PGI is a promotion tool that provides the ability to better communicate to consumers what makes the specificity of the wines of Quebec and the know-how of the wine growers”.

The project is detailed in a specification submitted by the Association of winemakers at the Conseil des appellations réservées et des termes valorisants available on the website of the organization. It provides in particular for the delimitation of the territory of quebec where will be grown the grapes and where will be produced the wines that can bear the name. It also includes requirements in production, bottling, labelling and choice of grape varieties, among others.

After the public consultation, other steps, including the establishment of a certification program and a plan of control of the products, are planned prior to the CARTV shall recommend to the government the recognition of the appellation and that it is approved by the latter.

The current process excludes ice wine, which has already obtained its name “ice Wine of Quebec” to the end of 2014, even as the ice cider, which has also obtained its name “ice Cider in Quebec” to the end of 2014.