For more on Weingut Weil, see:
Visiting Wilhelm Weil at his Weingut Robert Weil in Kiedrich, Germany
Tasting with Wilhelm Weil the 2010 Weingut Weil Wines in Kiedrich, Germany
Although many people think that there is only one wine classification system in Germany – the classification system of the Law of 1971 – this is not correct. True, the classification system of the Law of 1971 with its pyramid of ripeness of the grapes at harvest (Qualitaetswein, Kabinett, Spaetlese, Auslese …) at the center is the standard classification system in Germany and the vast majority of winemakers in Germany use this approach. A large number of winemakers, however, have moved away from the standard, in particular the producers of premium and ultra-premium wines. Importantly, the powerful group of German elite winemakers – the VDP (Verband Deutscher Praedikatswein Produzenten) – has conceived its own classification system and is developing it further.
The latest modifications are those that came into effect with the vintage of 2012. This posting provides an overview of the VDP classification system, including the recent refinements and modifications.
At the Center of the VDP Classification: Burgundian Approach with the Terroir Principle
In sharp contrast with the standard classification system of the Law of 1971, the VDP classification system is based on the terroir principle. The pyramid of ripeness of the grapes at harvest has moved to the backburner in the VDP system. Indeed, for dry wines the pyramid of ripeness of the grapes at harvest has been completely eliminated in the VDP classification system.
Following Bourgogne, the terroir principle has taken center stage. And here, the VDP has moved from a 3 tiers quality ladder to a 4 tiers quality ladder in its recent modifications, effective with the 2012 harvest.
Before outlining the main elements of the VDP classification system, I briefly describe the recent modifications.
For more on Ernst Loosen, see:
Riesling, Pinot Noir and Indian Cuisine: A tête-à-tête Dinner with Winemaker Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at Rasika in Washington DC, USA
Ernst Loosen and Dr. L. Riesling - His Hugely Popular Entry-level Wine Sold Throughout the World
A Riesling Guru and a Killer Guitarist cum Cult Winemaker: Ernst Loosen and Jay Somers and their J. Christopher Winery in Newberg, Oregon
Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009
The Doctor Made a House Call - A Tasting with Ernst Loosen, Weingut Dr. Loosen, at MacArthur Beverages in Washington DC, USA
The Refinements Effective Vintage 2012
The two main refinements of the recent modifications are: the move from a 3 tier to a 4 tier system and the renaming of the top tier vineyards.
First: From 3 Tier to 4 Tier System
The VDP has added an additional layer to its classification system, which consists now of the following 4 layers. (In brackets, the equivalent quality classes in the classification system of the Bourgogne):
• VDP.Grosse Lage (Grand Cru in Burgundy)
• VDP.Erste Lage (Premier Cru in Burgundy)
• VDP.Ortswein (Village level in Burgundy)
• VDP.Gutswein (Bourgogne régional in Burgundy)
Note that for some legal reasons, the VDP has started to use the terms Grosse Lage, Erste Lage, Ortswein and Gutswein with the pre-fix VDP.
Second: Renaming the Absolutely Finest Vineyards from Erste Lage into Grosse Lage
The top-level category of vineyards has been renamed. These vineyards used to be called Erste Lage (Premier Cru). The absolutely finest vineyards are called from the vintahe 2012 on Grosse Lage (Grand Gru).
Third: Introduction of a Second Vineyard Category, which is called Erste Lage (Premier Cru)
The VDP has introduced a second vineyard category for the very good classified sites, which are not a Grosse Lage and will call them Erste Lage (Premier Cru).
The VDP Classification System
The VDP classification system with its 4 quality classes can be summarized as follows.
First: VDP.Grosse Lage - The Peak of the Pyramid
VDP.Grosse Lage is the peak of the terroir-based pyramid, equivalent to Grand Cru in the Bourgogne. This are the very best vineyards of Germany.
Maximum yield is at 50hl/ha. The grapes have to be harvested by hand while the sugar content of the grapes at harvest has to be at least at Spätlese level. The grapes can be fermented in a dry, fruity sweet and noble sweet style.
A dry wine from a VDP.Grosse Lage is designated VDP.Grosses Gewaechs and labeled Qualitätswein trocken. A Grosses Gewaechs wine is from 2012 on the ultra premium dry wine made from a Grosse Lage vineyard.
Example: 2012 Weingut Weil, Kiedricher Graefenberg, Riesling, Grosses Gewaechs
A fruity or noble sweet wine from a VDP.Grosse Lage is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein or Trockenbeerenauslese.
Generally, the Prädikats are to be used exclusively for wines with residual sweetness, “thereby enabling the Prädikats to resume their traditional meaning”, as stated by the VDP. The Prädikats have lost their critical importance that they have in the traditional classification system of 1971. In the VDP classification system, they have become an indication for a sweetness range.
Example: 2012 Weingut Weil, Kiedricher Graefenberg, Riesling, Spaetlese
Second: VDP.Erste Lage - First Class
VDP.Erste Lage designates first-class vineyards with distinctive characteristics, equivalent to Premier Cru in the Bourgogne. Erste Lage vineyards provide optimal growing conditions, as evidenced over a long period of time.
They are planted with traditional varieties. Maximum yield is at 60hl/ha. The grapes have to be harvested by hand while the sugar content of the grapes at harvest has to be at least at Spätlese level.
A dry wine from a VDP.Erste Lage is labeled Qualitätswein trocken. Note that there is no “VDP.Erstes Gewaechs” designation.
Example: 2012 Weingut Weil, Kiedricher Turmberg, Riesling trocken
A fruity or noble sweet wine from a VDP.Erste Lage is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein or Trockenbeerenauslese.
Example: 2012 Weingut Weil, Kiedricher Turmberg, Riesling, Spaetlese
Third: VDP.Ortswein - Sourced from Superior Soils
A VDP.Ortswein originates from a village's best vineyards that are planted with grape varieties typical of their region, equivalent to a village wine in the Bourgogne. Maximum yield is at 75hl/ha.
A dry VDP.Ortswein is labeled Qualitätswein trocken.
Example: 2012 Weingut Weil, Kiedrich, Riesling trocken
A VDP.Ortswein with residual sweetness is labeled with one of the traditional Prädikats.
Example: 2012 Weingut Weil, Kiedrich, Riesling, Spaetlese
Fourth: VDP.Gutswein – Entry Level
VDP.Gutsweine are the entry-level wines in the VDP's hierarchy.
Generall, the Prädikats are to be used exclusively for wines with residual sweetness. Gutsweine, however, are excluded from this general rule as it applies only to the top 3 quality categories. Thus, we might see Gutswein Kabinett trocken and Gutswein Spaetlese trocken in the shelves.
Example: 2012 Weingut Weil, Riesling trocken
Key Elements of the VDP Classification System to Remember
First: Use of the Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese only for Fruity-Sweet Wines
As a major innovation, the VDP members have dropped the traditional Prädikats for dry wine. Only wines that have a noticeable level of sweetness carry the traditional Prädikats like Kabinett, Spaetlese or Auslese. Thus, if you see Spaetlese on the label of a VDP member wine, you can be sure that it is a fruity sweet Spaetlese. The label with “Spaetlese trocken” does not exist anymore among the VDP members.
Second: The Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese no longer Indicator of Ripeness at Harvest, but Indicator for Sweetness of the Finished Wines
In the 1971 Classification, the Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese are an indicator of ripeness at harvest. Thus, for instance, you can have a fruity sweet Spaetlese and a dry Spaetlese. In the VDP classification, the Prädikats Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese are an indicator of sweetness of the finished wine (and not of the ripeness at harvest).
Third: All Dry Wines up to the Highest Quality Level are Labeled Qualitaetswein trocken
All dry wines up to the highest quality level – the Grosses Gewaechs wines from a Grosse Lage vineyard – are labeled Qualitaetswein (QbA) trocken. A wine made from grapes harvested at Spaetlese level and fully fermented to complete dryness, for example, are marketed as QbA wine. And the level of quality would be indicated by the terroir concept (Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Grosse Lage).
This of course does not make it easier for wine consumers to read and understand German wine labels, because the Qualitaetswein denomination has a completely different meaning in the standard classification system. There, it indicates that this wine is an entry-level wine of basic quality. In the VDP classification, Qualitaetswein does not mean anything, as in the VDP system even the ultra-premium dry wines are labeled as a QbA.
Fourth: Grosses Gewaechs – Ultra-premium Dry Wine
The dry counterpart of the fruity-sweet Spaetlese and Auslese wines of the VDP are the bone dry Grosses Gewaechs wines. These are ‘Grand Cru” wines made from grapes from a Grosse Lage vineyard, harvested at Spaetlese or Auslese level in terms of sugar content and fully fermented so that they become bone-dry. The Grosse Gewaechs label is thought to resemble the Grand Cru designation in neighboring France. Here and there, these wines are bone-dry.
Fifth: No Single Vineyard Wines below Grosse Lage and Erste Lage
In the VDP classification, only Grosse Lage and Erste Lage vineyards appear on the label. If a wine comes from a vineyard that is not in the exclusive circle of Grosse and Erste Lage, the label will not carry any vineyard name. Instead, it will be either a village wine (with just the village and the name of the winery on the label) or an Estate wine (with just the name of the winery on the label).
The VDP
The VDP is the world’s oldest association of wine estates in the world. In fact, it is the only one of its kind worldwide. No other country has a national organization of the top wine makers of the entire country.
In 1910, four regional wine-growers’ associations joined forces to form the Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer (i.e. estates that sold their “natural” [unchaptalized] wines at auction). These organizations – from the Rheingau and Rheinhessen, founded in 1897 and 1900, respectively, and their counterparts in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer and Pfalz regions, both founded in 1908 – were the forerunners of today’s VDP. At this time, fine German wines enjoyed a heyday. They were among the most expensive wines, on the tables of imperial houses as well as leading hotels and restaurants.
Throughout the past century, the quality-driven goals and strict standards of the VDP have played no small part in shaping the viticultural and winemaking practices in Germany. With their stringent statutes and their establishment of a German vineyard classification, the 200 members of the VDP have served as role models and justifiably can be viewed as the vanguard of the nation’s producers of top-quality wines.
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