Term for an association of independent winegrowing businesses with the aim of representing common interests, ensuring quality and developing joint marketing and communication strategies. In contrast to a winegrowers' cooperative, where the members usually only supply grapes, vinification takes place in a central winery and marketing is organised jointly, a winegrowers' association is made up of legally and economically independent wineries that produce their own wines.

The aims of such associations

• Quality assurance and development of common production standards
• Regional or stylistic profiling (e.g. branded wines, site classification, quality standards)
• Joint PR and marketing measures (e.g. events, brand development)
• Exchange of expertise, further training and positioning on the market
• Representation of interests vis-à-vis legislators, authorities and the trade

Germany

• Bernkasteler Ring: Traditional Moselle association with its own auctions, among other things
• die Güter Family-run wineries from nine wine-growing regions in Germany
• ECOVIN: ecologically working wineries in Germany
• Frank & Frei: Association of Franconian producers to raise the profile of modern Müller-Thurgau
• Generation Riesling: DWI platform for young, quality-orientated winegrowers
• VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter):Classification system for wines and site classification

Académie du Vin de France

• Académie du Vin de France: elite association of top French winegrowers and wine academics
• BIODYVIN: Biodynamic wineries (international, focus on France)
• Les Grands Crus Classés de Bordeaux (1855): Marketing of the classified Bordeaux wineries
• Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux: around 130 top wineries with organisation of events
• Vignerons Indépendants: umbrella organisation of top independent wineries and trade fair presence

Italy

• Consorzio del Marchio Storico Chianti Classico: 600 producers with the Gallo nero trademark
• Consorzio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano: 270 members, 80 of which are bottlers
• FIVI (Federazione Italiana Vignaioli Indipendent)i: association of independent winegrowers (similar to VDP)
• Grandi Marchi: important, mostly family-run top Italian wineries (including Antinori, Gaja)
• Le Famiglie Storiche: Group of leading Amarone producers with a focus on quality and origin

Austria

• Pannobile: Association of nine wineries from Gols to promote authentic wines of origin
• Premium wine estates Weinviertel: unique "terroir wines" with a focus on Grüner Veltliner
• Steirische Terroir & Klassikweingüter (STK): quality association of leading Styrian wineries
• Traditionsweingüter Österreich (ÖTW): Responsible for the Erste-Lagen classification in the Danube region
• Vinea Wachau Nobilis Districtus: Quality standards with Steinfeder, Federspiel and Smaragd levels

International associations

• La Renaissance des Appellations: biodynamically orientated winegrowers, initiated by Nicolas Joly
• PFV (Primum Familiae Vini): Wine dynasties (including Antinori, Hugel, Torres, Egon Müller-Scharzhof, Pol Roger)
• respekt-BIODYN: Association for biodynamic viticulture based in Austria
• Wines of the World Alliance: leading wineries worldwide for the purpose of support and market positioning

Further information

See also oldest wineries, records (superlatives in viticulture), wine architecture (most beautiful buildings and wine cellars), viticultural institutions, wine tourism and wine events.