Cable Wine Systems (www.CableWineSystems.com), creators of the most versatile and sophisticated wine racking system on the market, is weighing in on British Columbia’s wineries arguing for more accurate labelling of bottles.
The issue of accurate wine labelling has been an ongoing problem for wineries from the British Columbia region. Wines produced in other countries are allowed to use misleading labels on their bottles. According to one winery owner, other countries are using phrases on their labels like “Bottled in British Columbia,” or “Cellared in Canada,” even though the actual wine is not from Canada at all. And with British Columbia trying to maintain its wine culture and products on an international stage, these incorrect labels take away from the branding. (Source: Drewa, A., “BC wineries look for clarity in wine labelling,” Global News web site, January 18, 2016; http://globalnews.ca/news/2461964/b-c-wineries-look-for-clarity-in-wine-labelling/.)
“What this does is undermine the work that British Columbian wineries put into developing their brand,” says Janice Bednarz, general manager of Cable Wine Systems. “The B.C. label means a lot. It refers to a standard set by the province in establishing its wine culture.”
That standard is marked by British Columbia’s Vintner’s Quality Assurance (VQA), which is a label given to wines made from nothing but British Columbian grapes. Bottles with that marking go through quality testing to ensure they meet taste standards. Other wines labelled “Product of British Columbia” don’t go through the same testing nor do they have to meet the same standards. This is where the confusion comes in for wine drinkers.
“Even blended wines can say ‘Blended in B.C.’ and get placed in the British Columbia section of the liquor store,” Bednarz adds. “And because there is nothing else to indicate which country the wine is actually from, consumers are left to assume that bottle is actually from British Columbia.”
The problem is that the Canadian Food and Inspection Agency is letting wine producers continue to mislabel wines. Wine producers are only required to state that their bottles are blends of both international and domestic wines instead of stating which country that wine comes from.
“You’ll have to be a true wine connoisseur to be able to see past the labelling and understand what’s really going on,” Bednarz continues. “But for casual wine drinkers looking to enjoy a fine glass of wine every now and again, this is misleading.”
Cable Wine Systems understands everything about quality and setting standards. Their wine racking systems are flexible and able to hold different bottle sizes, and they also feature customizable designs that can meet the owner’s preference. More information can be found on www.CableWineSystems.com.