What is the VDP? 

The Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) is a German organisation which promotes the country’s top wines and estates. It unites 197 of Germany’s finest wineries under one banner; offering customers guarantees on quality and yield.

Founded in 1910 by the Mayor of Trier Albert von Bruchhausen, the VDP’s goal at the time was to bring together producers under a ‘quality standard’ umbrella that made it easier and more fruitful for them to sell their wines on the auction market.

Today it brings together Germany’s top wineries from all of the country’s 13 wine regions with a common aim of promoting the highest levels of quality within the Germany industry.

Quality Control

Members must adhere to strict rules including low yields, higher starting must weights, selective hand harvesting and five-yearly inspections. VDP members are entitled to use the VDP logotype, a stylised eagle with a cluster of grapes, on the neck and labels of their bottles.

They also have access to the VDP-specific classifications ‘Erste Lage’ and ‘Grosse Lage’ for top dry wines that fulfil the quality requirements. These wines are subject to a tasting panel, must have a maximum yield of 50hl/ha, must be hand harvested and made from traditional grapes in proven sites.

There are currently 197 members, up from 161 in 1990 when the current rules were established. In that time 128 wineries have joined the group and 92 have departed.

Membership is by invitation only with producers known for long-standing quality and a commitment to excellence on a local and global level considered.  Members can be demoted from the VDP if they do not meet the organisation’s standards during their five year inspection.

The VDP Classification

The classification model presented here describes the framework conditions of the VDP national association. The regional associations regulate detailed production parameters within this framework.

VDP.GUTSWEINE are the entry into the origin-oriented quality hierarchy of the VDP wine estates. The wines come from the estate's own vineyards and meet the strict VDP standards.

VDP.ORTSWEINE come from the best vineyards within a town and are planted with typical grape varieties. The dry VDP.ORTSWEIN is labeled "Qualitätswein trocken". Naturally and nobly sweet VDP.ORTSWEINE carry the classic Prädikat levels of Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Bererenauslese, Trockenbeerenauslese or Eiswein.

VDP.ERSTE LAGE designates first-class vineyards with their own character, in which optimal growth conditions prevail and wines have been produced over a long period of time with sustainably high quality. They are planted with regionally defined grape varieties. The dry wine from VDP. ERSTE LAGE is labeled "Qualitätswein trocken". Naturally and nobly sweet wines carry the classic Prädikat levels.

VDP.GROSSE LAGE designates the highest quality German vineyards. The locations are narrowly demarcated to fine parcels that produce the best wines expressing terroir and with special aging potential. They are planted with regionally defined grape varieties that match the respective vineyard. The dry wine from VDP. GROSSE LAGE is called VDP. GROSSES GEWÄCHS and labeled as " Qualitätswein trocken ". Naturally and nobly sweet wines carry the classic Prädikat levels.

1️⃣ VDP.GUTSWEIN (地區級)
日常餐酒等級，葡萄僅來自酒莊自有的葡萄園。由於葡萄種植者在釀酒方面有很大的自由度，在此等級內可以找到許多創新的產品。種植的葡萄品種至少有 80% 為德國傳統品種，最高產量75hl/ha，酒標上標有酒莊、產區和葡萄品種。

2️⃣ VDP.ORTSWEIN (村莊級)
村莊級酒擁有絕好的土壤，因為許多村莊是位在特級園或一級園的所在地，來自一個特定地區的優質、具特色且傳統的葡萄園，能夠傳達出典型的當地風土特質。種植的葡萄品種至少有 80% 為德國傳統品種，最高產量75hl/ha。而我地今日呢款酒就是來自村莊級。

3️⃣ VDP.ERSTE LAGE (一級園)
自具有獨特個性的一級葡萄園，這些葡萄園擁有較悠久的歷史和理想的葡萄生長條件，VDP會仔細根據規範對這些葡萄園進行評估審核。一級園的葡萄最少要達到晚摘酒（Spätlese）的成熟度才可手工採摘，釀造完成要經過品嚐、評估、檢測，達到標準才能得到一級園稱號。最高產量60hl/ha。

4️⃣ VDP.GROSSE LAGE (特級園)
4個級別之中的最高級別，產量也是最少的，這些葡萄酒以其個性和表達風土特質著稱，同時具有長期陳放的潛力。此等級葡萄酒採用該地區的傳統葡萄品種，且葡萄園是由地塊精確劃分的。特級園的葡萄最少也是要達到晚摘酒（Spätlese）的成熟度才可手工採摘，特級園的不甜型葡萄酒稱為VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS (GG)，可說是德國最頂級的不甜型葡萄酒，酒瓶上會有”GG”的浮雕或字樣。最高產量只可為50hl/ha。

在1990規則確立時，聯盟成員為161個。之後有128個酒莊加入了這個團隊，92個離開，現在聯盟共有197個成員。

成員只有擁有長期品質保證並在本地和全球範圍內追求卓越的品質的承諾。如果成員在五年檢查期間不符合組織的標準，則可以將其從VDP降級。

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