Protected Origins
Quality Standards
Focus on origin
"Wines from German regions: quality you can taste"
With a promotional campaign for local wines, the German Wine Institute (DWI) is strengthening its focus on the protected designations of origin of the 13 wine-growing regions. This focus is as much on the regional origins of German wines as the people who produce them.
The national advertising campaign includes four different motifs with real wine producers in the vineyard and cellar, which use different statements to express a deep connection to their region. They stand for traditional as well as innovative artisan winemaking.
The message has one thing in common: "Wines from German regions: quality you can taste".
Protected Designations of Origin
The designations of origin protect our 13 wine-growing regions, because all quality wines that bear the name of a growing region must come from this specified region and meet specific quality standards. This includes, among other things, that each of these wines must undergo and pass a quality wine test. Furthermore, the quality level must be indicated on the label.
The European Union recognizes our 13 wine regions as protected designations of origin. They are listed in the European Commission database E-Bacchus.
Protected Geographical Indications
Germany has 26 so-called rural wine (Landwein) regions, the names of which are recognized by the European Union as protected geographical indications (PGI). This means that in Germany all wines on which a rural wine region is located (e.g. Ahrtaler Landwein, Badischer Landwein or Rhine Landwein) are automatically wines with a protected geographical indication (PGI). This also applies if neither the designation PGI nor the corresponding EU seal of approval is stated on the bottle.
German Landweins are typical of the respective region and at least 85% grapes must have been harvested in the defined area. Some federal states stipulate that 100% of the grapes must come from the Landwein region (e.g. Ahr Valley Landwein). With the exception of the Rhine, Upper Rhine, Rhine-Neckar and Neckar wine regions, the wines must be dry or semi-dry.
The protected geographical indications are registered in the database of the European Commission E-Bacchus