GERMAN WINE LAWS

Prädikatswein, recently (August 1, 2007) renamed from Qualitätswein mit Prädikat (QmP) : 

The top level of the classification system. These prominently display a Prädikat from Kabinett to Trockenbeerenauslese on the label and may not be chaptalized. Prädikatswein range from dry to intensely sweet, but unless it is specifically indicated that the wine is dry or off-dry, these wines always contain a noticeable amount of residual sugar. Prädikatswein must be produced from allowed varieties in one of the 39 subregions (Bereich) of one of the 13 wine-growing regions, although it is the region rather than the subregion which is mandatory information on the label. (Some of the smaller regions, such as Rheingau, consist of only one subregion.) The required must weight is defined by the Prädikat, and the alcohol content of the wine must be at least 7% by volume for Kabinett to Auslese, and 5.5% by volume for Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese.

GERMAN WINE LAWS

2. Deutscher Landwien: This category is equivalent to French Vin de pays. There are 19 different areas from where the German Country wine can be produced. The wine must be dry or semi dry with 0.5% more alcohol that tablewines. These are also known as German Fruit wine.

GERMAN WINE LAWS

3. Qualitatswein bestinnter Anbaugebiete (QbA): These wines must be produced exclusively from allowed varieties in one of the 13 wine-growing regions (Anbaugebiete), and the region must be shown on the label. The grapes must reach a must weight of 51°Oe to 72°Oe depending on region and grape variety. The alcohol content of the wine must be at least 7% by volume, and chaptalization is allowed. QbA range from dry to semi-sweet, and the style is often indicated on the label. There are some special wine types which are considered as special forms of QbA. Some top-level dry wines are officially QbA although they would qualify as Prädikatswein. It should be noted that only Qualitätswein plus the name of the region, rather than the full term Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete is found on the label.

GERMAN WINE LAWS

1. Deutscher Tafelwein: This category is equivalent to the French Table Wines. The alcohol content must be at least 8.5% by volume. Sugar can be added to reach at this level. Acidity must be 4.5 g/lt. Tafelwein (without Deutscher) is a table wine blended with other European wines, also known as Euroblend.

 

GERMAN WINE LAWS

German wine laws came into existence in the year 1971.