Germany's absolute best
VDP.GROSSE Lage®
VDP.GROSSE LAGE® distinguishes the highest quality German vineyards. Here, the best wines ripen with complex flavor, expressive local characteristics and special ripening potential. The sites are determined with great care by the VDP regional associations and delineated with geographic precision. The appropriate, regionally-approved grape varieties are defined for the respective vineyard. For Franconia, these are Riesling, Silvaner, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir.
The harvest is limited to a maximum yield of 50 hl per hectare. The grapes are selectively harvested by hand. The harvest must consist of physiologically fully-ripened grapes. The wines are produced exclusively by means of traditional production methods. In addition to the usual VDP.Betriebsprüfung, the wines from VDP.GROSSE LAGEN® are subject to additional control and testing: the quality-oriented work in the vineyard and, in particular, the yield level are monitored in each vineyard throughout the growing season and before harvesting. The wines are tested and confirmed by a testing commission before and after bottling.
First class wines
VDP.Erste Lage®
VDP.ERSTE LAGE® identifies first-class sites with an independent character, where optimal growing conditions prevail and wines of sustained high quality have been demonstrably produced over a long period of time. The sites are determined and delineated with great care by the VDP. The VDP.ORTSWEINE originate from high-quality, full of character and traditional vineyards within an Ortsgemarkung. In addition to high-quality vineyard sites, regional grape varieties and limited yields are basic requirements for this type of wine.
Ambassadors of the best soils
VDP.ORTSWEIN
The dry VDP.ORTSWEIN® is marked as "Qualitätswein trocken". No predicate levels are awarded for dry local wines. Fruit-sweet VDP.ORTSWEIN® may bear the classic ripeness level designations "Kabinett", "Spätlese", "Auslese", "Beerenauslese", "Trockenbeerenauslese" and "Eiswein" according to their maturation.. The appropriate, regionally-approved grape varieties are defined for the respective vineyard. In addition to Silvaner, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Noir and Riesling, other grape varieties recognized in Franconia include Pinot Gris, Scheurebe, Rieslaner, Traminer, Chardonnay and Frühburgunder.
The harvest quantity is limited to a maximum yield of 60 hl per hectare. The grapes are selectively harvested by hand and the vintage must consist of physiologically fully-ripened grapes. The wines are produced exclusively by means of traditional production methods.
Good from the ground up
VDP.GUTSWEIN
VDP.GUTSWEIN® is a good introduction to the quality hierarchy. The wines come from estate-owned vineyards and meet the strict VDP quality standards.
The harvest is limited to a maximum yield of 75 hl per hectare. For the cultivation, 80% traditional grape varieties typical of the region are prescribed. This wine bears the name of the winery, the region and the grape variety on the label.
The classic predicates "Kabinett" and "Spätlese" are permitted for dry wines as well as for residual and sweet wines. The predicate levels from "Auslese" onwards are reserved exclusively for noble sweet wines.