New VDP Classification System in Germany

[Christian_G.E_Schiller]

I released today an article about the new VDP classification system in Germany, introduced by the VDP, the 200 or so elite German winemakers.

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.

I have tried to summarize the main elements to remember of the new VDP classification below. What do you think? Anything missing?

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).

[David_Bu3ker]

Gun…meet foot…again.

So have they set the finished wine sweetness levels for the pradikats yet?

[J_a_y_H_a_c_k]

Well, it took me 44 years to understand the old system, from my first bottle of Liebfraumilch in college to the Zilliken GG (see note thread elsewhere this forum) last week. If they think I’m going to learn a new system, forget it. I’ll buy California wine where the labels mean something.

[StevenB]

Christian, thanks for the summary. I’ve added some comments below. After thinking about it, I feel like this is all fine in theory, but the denominations of VDP members in the 2012 vintage show that everyone still cooks its own soup. It may take years to have a halfway consistent denomination practice in the VDP. And until that is the case, they’ll probably have revised it again.

@Christian G.E. Schiller

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.

Well, this is only partly correct. Also the 1971 law was based on a “terroir principle” in that it allowed the vineyard to be printed on the labels as long as those vineyards are enrolled in the “vineyard roll”. What’s new is that the VDP attempts to differentiate sites by quality into “Große Lagen” (equal to Grand Cru in Burgundy), “Erste Lagen” (equal to Premier Cru in Burgundy) and other vineyards which do not get printed on the labels. And some chapters of the VDP such as Mosel, Mittelrhein and Rheinhessen decided not to use the four-tier structure (generic, village, premier cru, grand cru), but only a three-tier structure (generic, village, grand cru).

@Christian G.E. Schiller

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.

Correct for Spätlese and Auslese Trocken. But for Kabinett trocken, there are several exceptions. Some examples: Knipsers Laumersheimer Kapellenberg Riesling Kabinett trocken or Schloss Vollrads Riesling Kabinett trocken, both still used in the 2012 vintage. And there are lots of other examples for such exceptions.

@Christian G.E. Schiller

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.

Well, “bone dry”… As before, the threshold is 9 g/l residual sugar, which - as I believe - has now also been adopted by the VDP Rheingau (was 12 g/l residual sugar before). That’s “legally dry”, nothing more, nothing less.

@Christian G.E. Schiller

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).

Yes, and to add to it, in principle, the VDP has also resolved on the “Einwein” principle, meaning that you can only produce one dry wine naming the vineyard from that same vineyard. As an example, Schäfer-Fröhlich used to have “Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Riesling Großes Gewächs” and “Monzinger Frühlingsplätzchen Qba trocken”, the first being the Großes Gewächs and the second being the “second wine” from the same vineyard. This should, in principle, no longer be permissible according to the VDP. But apparently, some VDP-members still practice it (e.g. Emrich-Schönleber, also with the 2012 vintage).

Here are some examples of confusing 2012 Riesling denominations from VDP members I’ve seen:

• Bassermann Jordan categorizes its village wines as “VDP Erste Lage” because the wines come from one single vineyard: http://www.bassermann-jordan.de/de/weine/klassifizierte-lage/weine-single/article/riesling-kabinett-trocken-2.html
• Karl Schaefer bottles two dry Rieslings from the Wachenheimer Fuchsmantel, the “regular” one + the “Quetschenbaum”
• Acham Magin doesn’t use the village denomination, but fantasy denominations and prints the Prädikat on the label. Examples: “Sommertraum Riesling Spätlese trocken” and “Eruption Riesling Spätlese trocken” (the latter being an inofficial “second wine” from the Forster Pechstein).
• The same at Pfeffingen with the “Terra Rossa”, being the “second wine” of the Ungsteiner Weilberg GG, only from a different parcel of the vineyard.
• Schäfer Fröhlich now has village Rieslings such as “Bockenauer Riesling”, but also dry Rieslings in the same price class named after their soils, e.g. “Vom Vulkangestein”

I can’t help myself. With all the exceptions and fantasy names used by the VDP members, I find it more confusing than before .

[Bill_H_o_o_p_e_r]

Hi Christian,

A few thoughts:

@Christian G.E. Schiller

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).

This is not correct. Under German wine law, any wine that wants to receive an Amtliche Prüfungsnummer (AP-Nr), must conform to minimum must-weight standards as indicated by the Prädikat, VDP or not. Though there are no upper Oechsle limits on Prädikat –in theory, the tasting judges could decide to penalize a wine for having too much weight, but the Amt has pretty low standards and I can assure you that it doesn’t happen.

@Christian G.E. Schiller

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

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.

This is also not completely correct. They are Legally Trocken (g/l Total acidity + 2 = maximum residual sugar in g/l up to 9, plus 1 g/l tolerance. If a wine has 5 g/l TA, it can have a maximum 8g/l RS and still be labelled Trocken). ‘Fully Fermented’ or ‘Bone-dry’ implies zero g/l sugar, while legally dry (up to 10g/l) is a bit different.

How is it all shaking out? It is true that the VDP has relegated the Prädikats to usage only on sweet wines, but I have seen a few 2012 Kabinett and Spätlese Trocken wines from VDP members –they have citied a waiting period to wean the customers off the old system and Koehler-Ruprecht has firmly stated that they won’t change their labels. But for the most part members are following the rules and you will see many of your favorite wines undergo a label change in 2012. Most of the Qualitätswein feinherb or sweet wines will now be Prädikatswein, and the Kabinett or Spätlese Trocken from unclassified (not Erste Lage or Große Lage) vineyard X will now be labeled Qualitätswein.

Some producers have gotten creative: Bassermann-Jordan has gone to a capsule-color system to denote their internal quality classification, while their labels are completely correct by VDP standards. I tasted a ‘UK’ (Ungeheuer Kabinett) from von Winning/Deinhard a few weeks ago. Plenty of soil, and fantasy, and soil-fantasy labels.

Cheers,
Bill

[David_Bu3ker]

So instead of just grabbing my favored kabinett halbtrockens or kabinett feinherb I will have to decipher fantasy names or new nomenclature. That is such great, consumer friendly progress! Does the VDP brain trust completely consist of people who hate their customers, or is this some strange form of German love?

[Peter_Kleban]

Christian, IMHO this system is much too confusing. The main problem is that the same words are used to describe different things, depending on whether the wine is VDP or not. The customer has to be a terminology expert to remember the difference–or even realize that there is one.

Why create headaches? It’s already bad enough between German and Austrian wines, which use the same words in different ways.

[Isaac_James_Baker]

@David M. Bueker

So instead of just grabbing my favored kabinett halbtrockens or kabinett feinherb I will have to decipher fantasy names or new nomenclature. That is such great, consumer friendly progress! Does the VDP brain trust completely consist of people who hate their customers, or is this some strange form of German love?

Deciphering German wine is a perpetual two steps forward, one step back kind of process. Fortunately, German rieslings deliver and keep me coming back, but this shit ain’t easy!

Just to clarify, these changes are for VDP members only? Also, are they binding or can individual VDP members tweak language in minor ways?

Interesting post… looking forward to more comments. Cheers.

[Peter_Gatti]

Jesus God! I’ve been selling estate German wine since '79, and every time the Germans revamp the praedikat regulations, they screw it up worse than before, even with the avowed intent of regularisation and simplification. Just shoot me. Or better yet, have the rules committee (*) shoot themselves!

(*) Any entity with more than one head and no brain.

[StevenB]

As the others in this thread, I have difficulties understanding the new VDP classification. In addition, In my view it has several elemental flaws which will not make it work as it was intended by the VDP. The classiciation is obviously based on the classification system in Burgundy. However, in my humble opinion there are such elemental difficulties between a region (Burgundy) and an entire country with several regions (Germany) that the transition of the Burgundian system does not properly work.

1. Burgundy is based on mostly two grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In Germany, as “fine” grapes you have mostly Riesling and Pinot Noir, but also Silvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Lemberger (these are the ones open to a “Großes Gewächs” labelling) + the “aromatic” varieties such Scheurebe, Rieslaner, Muskateller, Gewürztraminer or Sauvignon Blanc + further grapes with some significance (Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Portugieser). This makes a “one size fits all” solution more difficult than in Burgundy.

2. Riesling is a different grape than Chardonnay. Chardonnay in Burgundy is for the most part (exception e.g. Chablis) made in the same basic style: fully fermented, malolactic fermentation, aged in wooden barrels. Riesling is a grape that allows so many more variations in lightness and sweetness, especially in a country such as Germany with its different climates. With or without botrytis, light dry (Kabinett trocken), medium bodied dry, full bodied dry (Großes Gewächs), off dry wines where the fermentation was stopped, off dry wines which were fermented until the fermentation stopped, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Auslese gold capsule, BA, TBA, Eiswein. The variations are endless. Also this makes a “one size fits all” solution more difficult than in Burgundy.

3. Soils all over Germany are more varied than in Burgundy. In Burgundy, for the most part it’s limestone with different variations to it. In Germany, you have different soils in most regions: red, grey, blue slate, sandstone, granite, volcanic, quartz, limestone, clay, etc. If you buy - let’s say - a Village Puligny-Montrachet, you don’t have to ask. You know that most will come from argilo-calcaire soils. If you buy - let’s say - a Riesling from Birkweiler (Pfalz), it can come from red slate, sandstone, Keuper, limestone or clay soils. Producers wish to differentiate and that’s probably why Rebholz and Wehrheim have two or three village wines from Birkweiler, differentiating between soils. Also this variety in soils makes a “one size fits all” solution more difficult than in Burgundy.

4. The classified vineyards in Germany are much bigger and much more varied than in Burgundy. Obviously, in Burgundy there are vineyards that are widely considered as too big and partly not up to their classification (e.g. Echézeaux, Clos de Vougeot, Corton) or as better than their classification (e.g. Clos St. Jacques, Les Amoureuses). But for the most part, it seems like the classification is fairly widely accepted both by growers and by consumers. In Germany, not only some, but many vineyards that are classified as “Große Lage” (Grand Cru) are huge. The Morstein, known for its wines by Keller, Wittmann, Seehof or Gutzler, is 144 ha big, of which around 50 ha are considered to be of good quality. It’s planted not just with Riesling, but also with all other sorts of varieties. And this is just one example of many.

5. Burgundy has a classification based on a law which applies to everyone having holdings in the classified vineyards while the vineyard classication of the VDP is made by the VDP themselves. Each new member gets its Grand Cru vineyard (Große Lage) based mostly on his/her own assessment. Never heard of the Berghauptener Schützenberg or Abtsberg, the Laufener Altenberg, the Michelbacher Apostelgarten, the Großheubacher Bischofsberg, the Roxheimer Berg, the Weyher Michelsberg, the Martinsthaler Wildsau, the Ingelheimer Pares, the Dienheimer Tafelstein, the Freyburger Edelacker or the Gundelsheimer Himmelreich? These are all VDP Große Lage (Grand Cru) vineyards with only one member having holdings in such vineyards. In my view, it’s impossible to sell the huge amount of Grand Cru vineyards to the world. On the other hand, how do you want to tell a VDP member that his/her prime vineyard should not be Grand Cru simply because it’s not so well known or there are no other members being known for its wines from such vineyard?

As much as I would like a little simplifcation in the labeling of German wines, I believe this new VDP classification with all its exceptions will cause two problems for each problem it was meant to solve. Obviously, the VDP needs to be given time to explain it to the trade and consumers, to talk its members into actually adhering to it and to make vineyards known for their quality (e.g. by taking on new members or - as hard as it is - shedding off some members). Yet, I’m doubtful that the architecture of the classification really is the right one for the reasons stated above.

[Gerhard_P]

Well, seriously I gave up on German wines some 12+ years ago, mostly because

1. I do not like wines with residual sugar vm (except real dessert wines) - and one couldn´t be sure from reading the label how the wine will actually taste -
   and
2. because of the confusion vineyard designations, “Grosslage” (Village) looked the same as “Einzellage” (climat) - and the multiple variations - even conerning different “fudres” only distinguishable by the proof-number …

However:
reading thru your explanations (BTW thanks a lot) I think this concept is (on paper) a step into the right direction, but practice will tell …
One question for instance remains: what is “bone dry” ? The usual 7+2 rule for the rs is certainly far from really dry - 5-6 grams, somtimes even 4-5 gr can definitely be tasted … and all above 7 gr (no matter the acidity) isn´t “dry” for me …

I admit Burgundy is only not very easy to understand, but
a) there are (mostly) only two grapes (Pn + Ch) -
b) wines are always dry
c) several very confusing details (certainly not all) have been revised … e.g. “Grand Cru” and “1er Cru” now has to be clearly indicated on the label …

BTW: Fantasy names were never and nowhere forbidden for wines - when either good or comercially attractive products they can get very successful !
Liebfrauenmilch was one,
La Chapelle is another,
Mouton-Cadet …
I´m sure there are many US-examples, too!

[Christian_G.E_Schiller]

Isaac James Baker, this classification applies only to the 200 or so members of the VDP. However, these are the German elite winemakers. Furthermore, their share in the premium export market is very high, I guess. Most of the wines (except for Blue Nun and that stuff) you see in the US, Canada and Asia are from VDP producers. Also, many of the non-VDP winemakers are adopting the VDP concept.

[Peter_Kleban]

@Gerhard P.

Well, seriously I gave up on German wines some 12+ years ago, mostly because

1. I do not like wines with residual sugar vm (except real dessert wines) - and one couldn´t be sure from reading the label how the wine will actually taste -
   and
2. because of the confusion vineyard designations, “Grosslage” (Village) looked the same as “Einzellage” (climat) - and the multiple variations - even conerning different “fudres” only distinguishable by the proof-number …

If even a native German speaker (I guess I can safely assume that for Gerhard ) doesn’t find the labeling clear, there is a real problem here. Good language expresses ideas clearly, simply, and intuitively. This just doesn’t do it.

(Not that Burgundy is any better, mind you.)

[John_Morris]

Perhaps they should just revert to Gothic script so foreigners would be spared the trouble of even trying to decipher the labels.

[Peter_Kleban]

@John Morris

Perhaps they should just revert to Gothic script so foreigners would be spared the trouble of even trying to decipher the labels.

And it would give such a feeling of bourgeois solidity! (Heavy furniture and all that, you know.)

[scott_c]

@Christian G.E. Schiller

Isaac James Baker, this classification applies only to the 200 or so members of the VDP. However, these are the German elite winemakers.

That’s quite a generalization! There are definitely elite winemakers in the VDP, but there are also elite winemakers who are not in the VDP (Selbach-Oster, A J Adam), and winemakers in the VDP who are not elite (too many to list, but to throw out a random example: Prinz Salm).

[David_Bu3ker]

The VDP has done some good things. I just have a hard time remembering what they are.

Having a labeling system that is mandatory for a tiny fraction of a country’s wineries is frankly ludicrous, especially since it is for the ones that should stand out based on quality. If a new system was really needed then it would have to provide some insight to the ocean of dreck that is still eing produced.

[Bill_H_o_o_p_e_r]

Steven, I’m sorry for not reading your initial post on this subject. You brought up many of my points. To yours:

@StevenB

1. Burgundy is based on mostly two grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In Germany, as “fine” grapes you have mostly Riesling and Pinot Noir, but also Silvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Lemberger (these are the ones open to a “Großes Gewächs” labelling) + the “aromatic” varieties such Scheurebe, Rieslaner, Muskateller, Gewürztraminer or Sauvignon Blanc + further grapes with some significance (Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Portugieser). This makes a “one size fits all” solution more difficult than in Burgundy.

The VDP (which is a country-wide organization) rightly IMO, allows the different regions to focus on grape varieties that have local/historical significance. While Württemberg can (and does) produce excellent Lemberger (Blaufränkisch), I’m not convinced that the Mosel could do so (for an example.) Franken has a long history with Silvaner and most of the best vineyards planted there (especially in the Maindreieck centered around Würzburg) are planted to it. The VDP classification is in effect, a blend of the Burgundy and Alsace systems, which are the two French Grand Cru systems that make the most sense. You could argue that Alsace has too many GCs or that some Burgundy PC/GCs don’t live up to the price-tag, but they are both far more sensible than the classifications employed in Bordeaux and Champagne –both of which are completely useless (especially in Champagne and Right-Bank Bordeaux.) There are not many objections to the fact that different French regions have completely different models and I think that the VDP classification of Germany is easier to understand because it is Country-wide.

@StevenB

2. Riesling is a different grape than Chardonnay. Chardonnay in Burgundy is for the most part (exception e.g. Chablis) made in the same basic style: fully fermented, malolactic fermentation, aged in wooden barrels. Riesling is a grape that allows so many more variations in lightness and sweetness, especially in a country such as Germany with its different climates. With or without botrytis, light dry (Kabinett trocken), medium bodied dry, full bodied dry (Großes Gewächs), off dry wines where the fermentation was stopped, off dry wines which were fermented until the fermentation stopped, Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Auslese gold capsule, BA, TBA, Eiswein. The variations are endless. Also this makes a “one size fits all” solution more difficult than in Burgundy.

The VDP has also allowed for regional differences in this respect. The Prädikats really aren’t applicable to most regions outside of the Mosel, Mittelrhein, somewhat in the Nahe, and also to some extent the Rheingau. In the other nine Weinbaugebiete, dry wines are the overwhelming norm for VDP Estates (and also increasingly in those first four).

@StevenB

3. Soils all over Germany are more varied than in Burgundy. In Burgundy, for the most part it’s limestone with different variations to it. In Germany, you have different soils in most regions: red, grey, blue slate, sandstone, granite, volcanic, quartz, limestone, clay, etc. If you buy - let’s say - a Village Puligny-Montrachet, you don’t have to ask. You know that most will come from argilo-calcaire soils. If you buy - let’s say - a Riesling from Birkweiler (Pfalz), it can come from red slate, sandstone, Keuper, limestone or clay soils. Producers wish to differentiate and that’s probably why Rebholz and Wehrheim have two or three village wines from Birkweiler, differentiating between soils. Also this variety in soils makes a “one size fits all” solution more difficult than in Burgundy.

Embrace the diversity. Overwhelmingly, the producers in Germany feel that the best expression of terroir is achieved in a dry wine that can’t hide behind or be blurred by residual sugar. I completely agree. Sugar can overwhelm terroir just as much as new oak can.

@StevenB

4. The classified vineyards in Germany are much bigger and much more varied than in Burgundy. Obviously, in Burgundy there are vineyards that are widely considered as too big and partly not up to their classification (e.g. Echézeaux, Clos de Vougeot, Corton) or as better than their classification (e.g. Clos St. Jacques, Les Amoureuses). But for the most part, it seems like the classification is fairly widely accepted both by growers and by consumers. In Germany, not only some, but many vineyards that are classified as “Große Lage” (Grand Cru) are huge. The Morstein, known for its wines by Keller, Wittmann, Seehof or Gutzler, is 144 ha big, of which around 50 ha are considered to be of good quality. It’s planted not just with Riesling, but also with all other sorts of varieties. And this is just one example of many.

I agree, but that is a result of the 1971 Wine law that the VDP Klassification is trying to amend. This is also the reason that that many VDP estates (as well as many other German estates) produce all of these ‘terroir’ or ‘Soil-type’ wines from either unclassified vineyards or as a 2nd wine from Große Lage sites (some of which, in the Pfalz in particular can represent a very good value.)

@StevenB

5. Burgundy has a classification based on a law which applies to everyone having holdings in the classified vineyards while the vineyard classification of the VDP is made by the VDP themselves. Each new member gets its Grand Cru vineyard (Große Lage) based mostly on his/her own assessment. Never heard of the Berghauptener Schützenberg or Abtsberg, the Laufener Altenberg, the Michelbacher Apostelgarten, the Großheubacher Bischofsberg, the Roxheimer Berg, the Weyher Michelsberg, the Martinsthaler Wildsau, the Ingelheimer Pares, the Dienheimer Tafelstein, the Freyburger Edelacker or the Gundelsheimer Himmelreich? These are all VDP Große Lage (Grand Cru) vineyards with only one member having holdings in such vineyards. In my view, it’s impossible to sell the huge amount of Grand Cru vineyards to the world. On the other hand, how do you want to tell a VDP member that his/her prime vineyard should not be Grand Cru simply because it’s not so well known or there are no other members being known for its wines from such vineyard?

OK, and agreed. But while even seasoned Burgundy aficionados can rattle off all of the Grand Cru vineyards (some of which also don’t deserve it), most don’t know all of the Premiere Crus without the ‘1er Cru’ label on the bottle. There are definitely many GL vineyards in Germany, and Grand Crus in Alsace that should probably be 1er Cru instead. At the same time, there are a few vineyards in Germany that should be Große Lage and aren’t –many Wachenheim vineyards (Gerümpel, Böhlig, Altenburg z.B.) come to mind because Bürklin-Wolf won’t use the nomenclature –and the Deidesheimer Herrgottsacker has so many prime parcels within that should be broken-up and re-evaluated.

@StevenB

As much as I would like a little simplification in the labeling of German wines, I believe this new VDP classification with all its exceptions will cause two problems for each problem it was meant to solve. Obviously, the VDP needs to be given time to explain it to the trade and consumers, to talk its members into actually adhering to it and to make vineyards known for their quality (e.g. by taking on new members or - as hard as it is - shedding off some members). Yet, I’m doubtful that the architecture of the classification really is the right one for the reasons stated above.

It is far from perfect, but Germany has painted itself into a corner as a sweet-riesling producer and the system of must-weight as an indication of quality needs and has received an overhaul. This has largely been rectified by a classification model that may be complicated (in fact, I know that there are a lot of VDP wineries that struggle with it), but likely helps the producers to make and market the wines that they feel are the best expression of their vineyards and the hard work that we all undertake in the pursuit of fine-wine production even if that means a few concessions. I should say too that I don’t write about dry Riesling so much as a vehicle to convert the choir (I love off-dry Mosel Riesling. Couldn’t live well without!) but to give people who dismiss Riesling as merely sweet something to think about instead of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Gris as a viable dry option for their cuisine.
To David: The fantasy (Soil) names for second wines have been effective for a number of years anyway. Personally, I think that Riesling from a specific soil-type is a much better indication of what the wine tastes like than the name of an unknown vineyard on the label.

Cheers,
Bill

[Peter_Kleban]

@David M. Bueker

The VDP has done some good things. I just have a hard time remembering what they are.

Having a labeling system that is mandatory for a tiny fraction of a country’s wineries is frankly ludicrous, especially since it is for the ones that should stand out based on quality. If a new system was really needed then it would have to provide some insight to the ocean of dreck that is still eing produced.

+1. But you’re dealing with a culture that is obsessed with regulations, and has the bureaucracy to match (there is, as a result, so much jargon that they have a special term for it: “Amtsdeutsch”= bureaucratic German).

[Christian_G.E_Schiller]

In a nutshell, I would say,

the new VDP classification system is strictly terroir-based, following the Bourgogne appraoch with 4 quality levels: Estate wine - Gutswein, village wine - Ortswein, premier cru - Erste Lage - and Grand cru -Grosse Lage. This applies to all wines, both dry and fruity-sweet. There are the 4 quality levels for wine made by a VDP member.

Then we have the sweetness levels: Trocken, Kabinett, Spaetlese and Auslese. The Praedikats no longer are indicators of quality, but have been relegated to indicators of sweetness. Auslese is sweeter than Spaetlese and Spaetlese sweet than Kabinett and then are the dry wines. The descriptions “halbtrocken” and “feinherb” have become redundant.