🏷️ VDP classification
A private ranking of top German estates by vineyard site, like Burgundy's crus.
The VDP classification is a private system for rating German wine estates and vineyard sites, introduced by the VDP association. It brings together about two hundred of the country's best estates, and the union's symbol, an eagle with a grape bunch, appears on the bottle. The system resembles Burgundy's crus: what matters most is the place where the grapes grow.
The pyramid has four levels. At the bottom is Gutswein, estate wine from grapes of general sites. Above it is Ortswein, wine from grapes of one village or locality. Next is Erste Lage, good single vineyard sites (first sites). At the top is Grosse Lage, the best sites. A dry wine from such a site is called Grosses Gewächs (GG); in the Rheingau the name Erstes Gewächs is used.
It is a private classification, not a state one, so it does not replace wine law. It is tied to wine classifications in general and to German wine. Its rules set permitted varieties, yields and ageing times, and they are stricter than the legal ones. For the buyer it is a handy guide: the higher the level, the more precise the origin of the wine.
What it includes
Links
- Part of
- 🏷️ Wine classifications
- Where it applies
- 🗺️ German wine
- Similar and different
- 🏷️ Grosses Gewächs, 🏷️ Qualitätswein, 🏷️ VDP Grosse Lage
Frequently asked questions
What is the VDP classification?
A private pyramid of Germany's top estates, rating wines by vineyard site.
How many levels does it have?
Four: Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage and Grosse Lage.
What is Grosses Gewächs?
A dry wine from a top-level Grosse Lage site.
Similar
🏷️ Oechsle scale · 🏷️ American Viticultural Area · 🏷️ Vintners Quality Alliance · 🏷️ Wine of Origin · 🏷️ Geographical indication (Australia) · 🏷️ Klosterneuburger Mostwaage
⚠️ Wine contains alcohol: adults only, drink in moderation. Wine usually contains sulphites; egg white or milk proteins are sometimes used for fining — important for allergies and for vegans.