VDP Quality Grades

The potential contained in our wine-growing sites serves as foundation for the quality of our wines. Our goal is to establish the quality levels of our best sites and to preserve our unique cultivated landscape.

The ratings VDP.ERSTE LAGE and VDP.GROSSE LAGE are the prime locations. These are distinctly delineated vineyard sites and parcels of land which offer optimal growing conditions and have been proven to produce only the best quality wines over a long period of time.

Gutswein — PRIME QUALITY FROM A PRIME SOURCE

Gutswein quality is a good introduction to the origin-based hierarchy of quality. The wines are produced in our estate’s own sites and meet strict VDP standards. These include Lanius-Knab dry, Lanius-Knab semi dry and the Lanius-Knab mild as well as the Lanius-Knab Cuvee DS.

Ortswein — AMBASSADORS FROM THE BEST SOILS

Ortswein quality is produced on Oberwesel’s best vineyards from typical local grape varieties. Our VDP.Ortswein-grade wines are our Oberweseler Rheinschiefer and Oberweseler Rheingold as well as most of our Burgundy wines.

Erste Lage — FIRST CLASS!

Erste Lage is the designation for prime vineyards with outstanding character which provide optimal growing conditions and have been proven to produce consistently high-quality wines over a long period of time. The wines are of at least Spätlese quality. Our wines from VDP.ERSTE LAGE are labeled Engehöller Bernstein “S” or Oberweseler In der Rheinhell.

Grosse Lage — THE VERY SUMMIT OF THE VINEYARD

The VDP.GROSSE LAGE designation is reserved for Germany’s best vineyards. The sites are clearly delineated parcel for parcel. In our Engehöller Bernstein Am Lauerbaum and our Oberweseler Oelsberg sites we grow Riesling grapes with expressive character unique to their locations and with great potential for aging. The dry wines from VDP.GROSSE LAGE are designated as VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS and labeled as a dry quality wine. Semi-sweet and sweet wines are labeled with their classic predicate.

The quality of our wines is developed in our locations.