Qualitätswein mit Prädikat

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Qualitätswein mit Prädikat usually abbreviated to QmP is the highest level in the German wine classification, to which almost all quality German wines belong. The wines must be produced from recognised grape varieties grown within one district, which must be declared on the label, and the grapes must reach a prescribed level of ripeness depending on the region and variety. QmP wines are the only German wines for which chaptalization is forbidden. Before the current classification system, unchaptalized wines were indicated by the word naturwein on the label.

QmP wines must be further labelled into categories that are determined officially by the sugar content of the grapes used, but in practice are a rough indicator of quality (and price). This does not necessarily determine the sweetness of the final wine, because the winemaker may to choose to ferment the wine for longer, making a dryer more alcoholic style of wine. QmP wines are ranked by ripeness as:

Kabinett: fully ripened light wines
Spätlese: a late harvest wine, may or may not be sweeter than kabinett
Auslese: made from selected very ripe grapes, usually sweet
Beerenauslese: made from individually selected overripe grapes often affected by noble rot, making rich sweet dessert wine
Trockenbeerenauslese: made from selected overripe shrivelled grapes often affected by noble rot making extremely rich sweet wines.

In addition there is the category

Eiswein (ice wine): made from grapes that have been naturally frozen on the vine, making a very concentrated wine. The finest examples usually are not affected by noble rot