CGCN Interim Verification Program

Look for this badge at your favourite Canadian Nursery to see if they are a Participant in CGCN's Interim Verification Program.

Only the nurseries listed below are CGCN-RCCV Verified. Claims made elsewhere are not valid.

Current participants in the Interim Program include:

  • Upper Canada Growers has Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marquette, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Syrah, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Baco Noir available under CGCN's Interim program. Please contact them for more details and ordering.

  • Viticulture A&M has Crimson Pearl, Frontenac Blanc, Frontenac Gris, Marquette, Osceola Muscat, and Petite Pearl available under CGCN's Interim program. Please contact them for more details and ordering.

  • Canadian Fruit Tree Nursery Co-operative has Cabernet Franc and Merlot available under CGCN's Interim program. Please contact them for more details and ordering.

*Please check back regularly, as CGCN will be posting vines that are available under the program on our website as testing is completed. As of August 2019, testing is underway.

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CGCN has developed an the Interim Verification Program to aid nurseries in producing saleable grapevines with a low risk of virus infection of Leafroll 1, Leafroll 3, Red Blotch and Pinot Gris Virus through virus testing of the existing propagative blocks and removal of infected plants and associated plants with high risk of infection.

This is meant to be a temporary measure, until quantities of plants produced under the Long-Term CGCN-RCCV Certification Standard for the production of grapevines from Generations 1-4, become available. Nurseries will be able to make the claim "propagation material tested and found clean of Leafroll1, Leafroll 3, RedBlotch, and Pinot Gris Virus" on resulting material from this program. 


As of September 2, 2019, Custom Propagation for Grape Growers/Wineries under the Interim Verification Program is available.

The Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN-RCCV) has received funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) program to test vines used for propagation for Grapevine Leafroll associated Virus 1 (GLaV1), GLaV3, Red Blotch Virus (GRBV) and Pinot Gris Virus (GPGV). The funding will reduce the cost of testing by approximately fifty percent. Plants that test negative for the four viruses will allow CGCN-RCCV to verify the scion/rootstock wood used from these plants in plant propagation have passed the interim grapevine testing standard. We are opening the program to Canadian grape growers and/or wineries who would be interested in partnering with a nursery for custom propagation of grapevines.

Custom Propagation in this instance is defined as a grape grower and/or winery enlisting the services of a nursery to propagate a specific number of grapevines from a specific section of their own vineyard (propagation block) and then purchasing the resulting grapevines for their own uses. 

How this works:

  • The nursery and grape grower and/or winery both need to have a signed contract with CGCN-RCCV
  • There would need to be a proven relationship for propagation between the grape grower/winery and nursery
  • The grape grower/winery agrees to pay for the testing, collection and mapping of the propagation block as well as travel. Testing can be done on leaf or cane samples
  • The grape grower/winery will follow the same Code of Practice as the nurseries. Removal of infected vines is optional unless the grower/winery wants to use the same plants for propagation for more than one year
  • CGCN-RCCV would need to be provided an audit trail that the grapevines where propagated and sold to the grape grower and/or winery
  • The nursery would need to remit the $0.10 vine levy to CGCN-RCCV on each vine sold
  • The grape grower and/or winery would not have to continue testing at the audit level if they choose to not take budwood the following year. If they do choose to take budwood, audit testing is required.

Custom Propagation for Grape Growers/Wineries under the Interim Verification Program is now available on a limited, first-come-first served basis. Please contact Project Manager Ethan Churchill via email at ethan@cgcn-rccv.ca or phone 905-688-0990 ext 222 to sign up. 

Download the Custom Propagation Program Information Sheet


Interim Verification Standard 

VERSION: 1.4 - Updated May 30, 2023

SUBJECT: This program contains the requirements for the production of Vitis spp. nursery stock (grapevines) for domestic use, including ornamental species. This program uses a systems approach to aid nurseries in producing saleable grapevines with a low risk of virus infection of Leafroll1, Leafroll 3, Red Blotch and Pinot Gris Virus through virus testing of the propagative blocks and removal of infected plants and associated plants with high risk of infection in order to produce tested grapevines for specific viruses. Nurseries will be able to make the claim "propagation material tested and found clean of Leafroll1, Leafroll 3, RedBlotch, and Pinot Gris Virus" on resulting material.

Download Interim Verification Program Standards

Download the Interim Verification Program Information Sheet

From Our Team

  • CGCN certification will make a long-term contribution to the continuous pursuit of excellence of the Canadian wine sector by ensuring that the best quality, disease free propagating material is available to the grape industry.
    Hans Buchler, Chair of CGCN
Questions? Feel free to contact us.

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