D3: Germany: Background: Michael Adelmann on VDP wines
Michael Adelmann is a vice president of VDP, the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates. We find out more about the VDP system for classifying Germany's finest wines.
Michael is one of 5 vice presidents from the VDP and a grape grower in the south of Germany in Baden where he grows 12 different grapes and bottles 30 different wines. The VDP is a small group of 200 vintners from across Germany - representing 4% of total area under production. VDP stands for Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter, the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates aiming to produce the highest quality wines which reflect the distinctive character of their German origin and grape variety.
They enforce strict rules & regulations e.g. no more than 6,500-7000 litres per hectare much less than general production in germany, the grapes must be locally traditional, no new technology permitted. VDP will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2010.
For wines of the highest quality from some of the finest wine estates in Germany, look for the emblem - an eagle bearing a cluster of grapes - and the initials VDP on the capsule. When there is a great growth there is the number 1 with six grapes engraved into the bottle. On the label you have the year and the grape - most of which is Riesling which accounts for 60% of VDP production.
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