65. WSET Level 3: Understanding the History and Evolution of German Wine Laws

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Episode Overview:

Welcome to Episode 65! This episode continues our wine law series with a deep dive into German wine laws at the WSET Level 3 level. If you haven’t already, be sure to listen to Episode 64 for the Level 2 overview first—this builds directly on that foundation.

In today’s episode, we go beyond the ripeness categories and start exploring the historical and political context behind Germany’s evolving classification system. From the sweeping 1971 wine law to the emergence of the VDP, and the 2021 governmental shift toward site-specific quality labeling, there’s a lot to unpack.

What We Cover in This Episode:

• A quick review of Germany’s long wine history and how vineyard sites were historically identified and mapped

• The 1971 Wine Law and why it wiped out recognition of many of the smaller, high-quality vineyard sites

• The role of the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) and its own private classification system modeled after Burgundy

• Key terms:

  • Erste Lage, Grosse Lage, and Grosses Gewächs (GG)

  • How VDP members maintain higher quality standards than the legal minimum

• The 2021 German Wine Law changes, influenced by the VDP, that introduce a new quality pyramid based on geographic origin rather than just must weight

• How to spot a GG wine and why they’re worth seeking out

• Tips for understanding the difference between Prädikat levels and origin-based classification

• A reminder that wine laws are not static—they evolve, and it’s exciting to see systems like Germany’s adapt and improve

Study Tip of the Week (Level 3): Wine laws do show up on the exam—and in many different ways. Even though we don’t have time to cover them in depth during class, I’m using the podcast to give you the background and context that can really help you absorb the material. Share this episode with your fellow classmates if you're currently in a Level 3 course. It all starts with today’s episode.