Preview of VDP Grand Cru 2023 Wiesbaden

a preview showcasing some of the finest single-vineyard wines Germany has to offer

The beautiful tasting room in the Kurhaus Colonnades of Wiesbaden (Image: Oliver Hauser)

Once again, I have the privilege of attending this magnificent preview event, where the crème de la crème of German winemakers present themselves to industry insiders and unveil their new vintages. The Kurhaus Wiesbaden is the perfect location for this tasting. Everything feels so festive—the chandeliers, the aesthetics—and watching the illustrious audience of top sommeliers, merchants, trade press, and international wine critics as they sample the wines is equally impressive.

Fine-Tuning Excellence: Upcoming Changes to German Vineyard Classification?

On the second day, Steffen Christmann, the current president of the society, made an interesting announcement: starting this year, the vineyard classification will be reevaluated. This is also part of integrating Erstes Gewächs (First Growth) and Großes Gewächs (Grand Cru) into German wine law. From my perspective, this makes perfect sense. In the future, vineyards will not only be classified solely based on historical viewpoints and records but will also take into account critics' feedback, wine quality, and the reputation of the vineyard. This process will be ongoing, and every five years, the vineyards will be re-examined to ensure they still meet the high standards of the association. This might be particularly interesting considering that many wines were available for tasting at the event, and some delivered questionable quality, despite being supposed to represent the pinnacle.