Wine appellations

Appellations can orient us, but the producer ultimately determines what reaches the glass. 

June 17, 2026 UPDATE: The German parliament has approved a way forward for the national classification of Germany’s premier and grand cru sites. This effectively makes the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP), which invested decades of effort in pioneering a single-vineyard classification for its roughly 200 member estates, a partner with the German Winegrowers’ Association (DWV) in establishing the selection criteria for Erste Lagen and Grosse Lagen. We have the full story — and why it matters — here.