With the internal agreement of 1997, the menber estates of the VDP-Nahe decided from then on to allow only Riesling wines from their best vineyards to be branded with the name of the vineyard in which the wine was produced. The vineyards classified as "Erste Lagen (=first locations)" were marked as particularly valuable in a Prussian Taxmap as early as 1901, and they still produce wines of excellent quality today. Riesling wines from other vineyards as well as those that do not clearly reflect the character of the vineyard are sold as "Gutswein" without vineyard name. The same applies to other varieties of vine, even if they grow in one of the classified vineyards. Quality criteria: - originating 100% from a classified vineyard - conciderably reduced yield - 100% hand-picking mandatory - Blind tasting

The "Erste Lagen" of Monzengen
	Monzenger Frühlingsplätzchen The vineyard Frühlingsplätzchen faces southwest to southeast. The vineyard has the steepest incline of 70%. No wonder this is the first place where the snow melts when spring (=Frühling) comes - this is probably why the vineyard is called "Frühlingsplätzchen". The soil consists mainly of red slate and pebbles, often interspresed with red loam of the Rotliegendes. The wines are great temptations even in their young age because of their playful springlike fruitiness. Their aroma is often compared to that of peaches and ripe apples, whearas also fine herb nuances are typical of Frühlingsplätzchen. After a couple of years of ripening, the minerality of these wines becomes more and more distinctive, so that they gain in tension.
	Monzinger Halenberg The smallest vineyard in Monzingen is completely planted with Riesling; the lion's share - 5 ha - belongs to out estate. Facing south and having incline of up to 70%, the Halenberg with the soil mainly consisting of blue slate and quartzite demands quite a little of the vines. Inevitabily, they must repeatedly struggle for water during summer. In this way, the berries remain small and develop a truely special aroma. The finely structured mineral charakter is typical of the Halenberg. We often discover aromas that remind of ripe grapefruits or other tropical fruits. When ripened, the wines show their typical spicy-herbal characters in aroma.