October 2002 - Nr. 10
New Grand Cru Classification for German Wines
TWIG - German wine labels can be intimidating. With their complex nomenclature, cryptic acronyms and obscure grape varietals, the uninitiated may have difficulty sifting the great from the good. While wine labels from most countries list producer, vintage, region, and country, German labels go on to include type of grape, ripeness of the grape at the time of picking, vineyard location, quality level of the wine, and style or taste indication.
But for those oneophiles who want only the best, a new wine classification announced this summer will simplify the selection. World-class German wines that meet stringent guidelines established by the Verband Deutscher Prädikats- und Qualitätsweingüter (VDP), an association of some 200 top German vintners, are entitled to bear the super-premium distinction Großes Gewächs. These "great growths" must originate from narrowly demarcated terroirs that provide optimal growing conditions yielding exceptionally fine, consistent harvests, as evidenced over a long period. These wines must be handcrafted and distinctively packaged. Regions and districts are free to stipulate stricter conditions regarding maximum yields, starting must weights or demarcation of classified sites, for example.
"After many rounds of tough discussions we succeeded in developing a concept that can be clearly grasped by consumers and that enables us to position our wines on an equal footing with the Grand crus of the world," said VDP president Michael Prince zu Salm. The 2002 vintage promises to be one of the best yet for such wines. "The decisive weeks are still ahead of us," zu Salm said in mid-August," but we are in a good situation." Massive storms and flooding, which ravaged parts of eastern and southern Germany this summer, spared vineyards, most of which are located in the western and central parts of the country. German vintners associations anticipate a good harvest this year of approximately 9 million hectoliters of wine, roughly the same amount as last year.
In the U.S. and the U.K., an increasingly savvy and curious wine-drinking public is discovering Germany’s bouquet of uncommon varietals and regions, creating robust demand for the best of the best. German drinkers remain more reluctant. According to the Nielsen market research institute, German domestic wine sales slipped 6.5% in the first half of 2002.
For more on German wines visit:
- www.germany-info.org
- www.germanwinesociety.org
- www.deutscheweine.de
- www.germany-info.org/.../wine.html
