I'm pretty sure that VQA mostly means that you've gone through an expensive and exasperating certification program. One of my favorite local wineries is Silver Sage at Oliver, who aren't VQA, and make wonderful wine.
-k
Among other things, VQA means they are made using grapes 100% grown by that winery. There aren’t enough grapes grown in the Okanagan to satisfy demand so many wineries produce non VQA wines using imported grapes as well as VQA wines.Silver Sage certainly does make VQA wines.