*Through research for factors such as soil texture, sun exposure and available water supply, Rheingau vineyard sites are analyued. Only the special and best sites or parts of single sites are classified by the name “VDP.Grosse Lage” and "VDP.Erste LAGE".
To meet these quality designations, by specific vineyard factors in addition to strictly reduced yields requirements, the wines have to pass a sensory test by a professional jury.
The refined VDP.CLASSIFICATION is not part of the official German wine law but rather an in-house statute of Gemany’s Prädikat wine estates (VDP) in which the quality of a wine is defined according to “terroir,” i.e., origin and quality are inherently linked. Wineries must follow specific standards shich are morge strringent than the official German wine law. Although the classification is only binding for VDP member estates, it is seminal for quality-oriented German viticulture as a whole.
The goal of the VDP.CLASSIFICATION is to assess the quality potential of Germany’s very best vineyard sites; secure the future of Germany’s unique viticultural landscape; restore esteem for Germany’s outstanding dry wines; and underscore the traditional connotation of the Prädikats as attributes reserved for wines with natural, ripe sweetness.
The refined, four-tier VDP.CLASSIFICATION is the key to terroir-driven viticulture in Germany in used to classify our wines.
VDP.GUTSWEIN - Good from the ground up
VDP.GUTSWEINE, or regional wines, originate from an estate’s holdings within a region. They are entry-level house wines that meet the general quality standards prescribed by the VDP and provide a good introduction to the VDP’s hierarchy that inherently links wine quality with origin.
Grape Varieties
Riesling und Pinot Noir
Yields
Reduced yields of 75/hl/ha
Harvest method and ripeness level
Grapes are harvested selectively, by hand. The harvest fruit must be physiologically fully ripe.
Vinification
The wines are produced exclusively by traditional winemaking techniques.
Identification marks
A VDP.GUTSWEIN bears the name of the wine estate, the region, and the grape variety on the label. The use of the designation VDP.GUTSWEIN on the label or capsule is optional.
Provided they qualify for specific Prädikat, the traditional Prädikats Kabinett and Spätlese are permitted for all styles of wine, from dry to sweet, while the Prädikats Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein or Trockenbeerenauslese are reserved exclusively for lusciously sweet wines.
