Ortswein
Definition - What does Ortswein mean?
In the context of wine classifications, Ortswein is a German wine rating regulated by the Verband deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP), which is the Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates. The Ortswein rating is considered a mid-level village wine in the tier rating system of the VDP, that has met the general standards as outlined by the VDP.
WineFrog explains Ortswein
When you buy a bottle of wine that is labelled "Ortswein", you are buying a wine that has been produced under the regulations and criteria of the VDP, which is a small elite group of German vintners who uphold the highest level of terroir-driven viticulture. Ortswein indicates wines that are produced from exceptional soil in the region in which they are grown. These village wines are produced from traditional vineyards planted with grape varieties typical of the region. Ortswein wines are labelled with the appellation of origin as, VDP.
Ortswein labels along with the name of the grape variety and the wine estate or vineyard they were produced from, can list the soil type that the vines are grown in, as this is the special characteristic of these wines.
