The "Verband deutscher Prädikatsweingüter e.V." was founded in 1910 under the name "Verband Deutscher Naturweinversteigerer e.V.". This was done on the initiative of the mayor of Trier Albert von Bruchhausen (1859-1948), who was also the first chairman of the association. The model and predecessor was the Großer Ring VDP Mosel, founded two years earlier. The founding members were associations from several wine-growing regions. The aim at the time was to sell the members' wines, produced according to special quality standards, at auctions. In 1972, the name was changed from "Verband der Versteigerungsvereine" to "Verband der Weingüter". In 1990, the name was changed to "Verband Deutscher Prädikatswein- und Qualitätsweingüter e.V." (Association of German Prädikat and Quality Wine Estates) and the objectives were revised. Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm became president.
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The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena