Guidelines for wines
from classed areas:

"Das Erste Gewächs"

The Rheingau has done to find a better the acceptance of the German top wines a substantial step. Unanimously the winegrowers of the Rheingauer wine-growing federation have agreed of the introduction of the position classification and the criteria for the "Erstes Gewächs" (first plant). Basis is an official certificate with a goodness map which constructed to the potential fruit juice weight by Prof. Dr. Hopmann in the front German weather service in Geisenheim. With this the Rheingau is the first wine-growing area of the world whose vineyard districts are classed on an academicly reasonable base objectively.

The goodness map summarizes the macroclimatic and area-climatic conditions as well as the warm household and water household of the ground. These factors determine the actual temperature relations in every single location. They influence the high-class education and profit education of the grapes to 70%

This confirms the old experience that the qualities of a separateable vineyard districts - the Terroir - have the determining influence on the quality of the wine.

In the Rüdesheimer mountain these qualities are given optimally:

• the precipitous slopes aimed after the south cause a vertical sun radiation,
• the vineyards lie directly on the Rhine,
• the quartzite grounds rich in skeleton are excellent heat accumulators,
• the Niederwald prevents running off cold air from the north.

Thus the vineyards reach in the Rüdesheimer Berg Rottland, Schloßberg und Roseneck with the highest potential fruit juice weights and quality factors in the Rheingau!

You find our first plants on our wine price-list.

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