Designation for higher quality wines that must fulfil specific minimum requirements under wine law in each country. Within the EU, this is the highest quality level. As a rule, the level below this is Landwein. In many wine-growing countries, there is a multi-level quality wine scheme (see under Grand Cru). For the EU member states, there are prescribed quality wine tests that are carried out by independent official bodies. If the result is positive, the official test number is issued in Germany and the state test number in Austria.
The EU wine market regulation, which came into force in August 2009, introduced an origin-orientated system with new wine designations in the member states. In Germany and Austria, quality wine and Prädikat wine correspond to the highest quality level of PDO wine (wine with a protected designation of origin). However, this new designation was banned in Austria in order to avoid consumer confusion (although it is permitted for foodstuffs). In Germany, its use was prohibited until the end of 2011. The old terms "Qualitätswein" and "Prädikatswein" have been retained in both countries as "traditional indications" and remain valid. See in detail under Quality system.
For my many years of work as an editor with a wine and culinary focus, I always like to inform myself about special questions at Wine lexicon. Spontaneous reading and following links often leads to exciting discoveries in the wide world of wine.
Dr. Christa Hanten
Fachjournalistin, Lektorin und Verkosterin, Wien