3 Categories defining the quality of German wine

1. Deutscher Tafelwein, DTW (German table wine)
DTW represents the lowest category.

Requirements:
- Must contain 8.5% alcohol by volume.
- The label must show the name of the broad growing wine region.

2. Qualitätswein bestimmter Anbaugebiet, QbA (Quality wine from a specific region)

The label will read “Qualitätswein”.

Requirements to be a QbA wine:
- Must represent the typical character of grape and region.
- Chaptalization (adding sugar) is allowed. This extra sugar is used to raise the alcohol levels to meet the minimum alcohol requirement of 7%.
- The must (unfermented grape juice) needs to be a certain level with minimum alcohol content. This minimum varies based on region and variety.

3. Qualitätswein mit Prädikat, QmP (Quality wine with distinction)
QmP wines represent the highest level with the most restrictions. I used to think QmP wines were better than QbA wines.  That was until several winemakers from Rheinhessen convinced me otherwise. Rules are great, you know the German’s love them, but does that make the wine better? Top estates have had their wines rejected for QmP status because the varietal doesn’t throw a typical expression of the terroir. I’m convinced that status isn’t what makes the wine great. But, let’s say I was at the store and there were only two bottles of German wine – a VDP wine and an unknown estate, which would I choose? I would trust that the VDP wine would be a quality product.

The label will read “Prädikatswein”

Some restrictions, in addition to the QbA requirements, include:
- Must be estate bottled (erzeugerabfüllung).
- Must come from a defined district (bereich).
- The Prädikat level must be identified on the label.
- Chaptalization is not allowed .
- The must weight is based on the Prädikat (7% by volume for Kabinett to Auslese, and 5.5% by volume for Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese)

Prädikat Levels:
Kabinett
Spätlese
Auslese
Beerenauslese
Trockenbeerenauslese
Eiswein