Assessment - neutral and independent

Success says more than 1000 arguments

• This guide is always absolutely up to date. The Internet provides you with constant access directly to the data bank of tasting notes.. This is a significant advantage in comparison with wine guides published in book form, where frequently the wines are already sold out by the time the book is published.
• Each month more than 200.000 visitors look to the Wein-Plus platform for information. This means that the wine guide appears in a well-frequented, high-traffic environment,
• The Wein-Plus guide is very well respected by leading wine producers, and is supported by them, as evidenced by the many samples sent in for tasting and review.

Optimum tasting conditions

• As a matter of principle, each wine is tasted only in the Wein-Plus tasting room. Inclusion of tastings held at trade fairs or on the premises of the producer, which are standard in the case of other wine guides, are an absolute taboo for the Wein-Plus Guide!
• Each wine is tasted blind, i.e. at the time of tasting and assessing the wine, the author does not know which wine he is tasting, nor who the producer is.
• The wines are always tasted in logical, categorised flights, together with similar wines, e.g. made from the same grape variety, from the same growing region, sorted according to logical criteria such as alcohol and sugar levels.
• Barrel samples are not included in the tastings.
• Only approximately 50 wines are tasted each working day (approx. 8 hours). The author thus has lots of time to assess each wine thoroughly, and at his own pace. 
• The tasting system is supported by an extensive computer system. A sophisticated system using tasting numbers and control figures ensures that entry errors and mix-ups are kept to a minimum.
• Guests who would like to gain an impression of the tasting conditions, may join Marcus, and are welcome at any time.

Reliable and experienced author

• Marcus Hofschuster has built up a good reputation as a reliable taster. His assessments are recognised as being reliable, reproducible and logical.

• Control tastings are also carried out regularly. In this case, the author is given a wine he has already tasted on the previous day; naturally without being informed of this. The description and rating must then be very similar to the original desription and rating.

• Marcus Hofschuster's work on this guide is his full-time job.

The classification of producers

The new producer classification gives the reader a quick overall idea of the standard of quality of a particular producer.

This is based exclusively on wines that have been tasted blind at the tasting room in Erlangen since the 1999, and specifically excludes any older highlights produced by the wineries. At the same time, there should be, for each classified producer, be sufficient wines of the last three vintages on hand. Where this is not the case, the stars are placed in parentheses, thus for example (). In this case, too, the assessment is based purely on the wines submitted, which in some cases may result in a slightly distorted picture. Ratings in brackets should thus always be regarded as provisional ratings, and acted upon accordingly.

The classification is thus based on our long-term and ongoing experience, based on blind tastings carried out under the strict conditions used as guidelines by this Wine Guide. The ratings cover the range from to .

If there is no representative number of wines or vintages send in, an interim classification can be notified. This will be displayed with non filled out stars ( to ).

	Good producer Producer with either consistently good wines, or with significantly variable results, of which the positive sides must dominate. Basic wines or vintages must be balanced by others that are well above average or even excellent. Selective buying of these wines is likely to be worthwhile..
	Very good and reliable producer Regularly produces quality well above average, or even excellent, although weaker wines or vintages may be encountered. Worth buying in most cases.
	Producer of national class The wines show a consistently high standard, and will usually be among the best in their category at a national level. There will be few weaknesses, but these may show up in difficult vintages. These would have to be compensated for by an exceptional range being presented in good vintages, for a producer to maintain this status.
	International class producer Producer of first-class wines, that are regularly considered to be among the best in their class at an international level. Here, too, you can buy this producer's wines blind, as mediocre wines will be a rare exception, if they exist at all.
	World-class producers. Wines from these producers are among the absolutely best wines of their type year after year, and the best of these wines are almost without equal. Even the more basic wines are consistently excellent. There are practically no weaknesses, and mediocre wines are almost never encountered.

Producers without a star rating quite often produce the occasional recommended wine, but are not sufficiently reliable to warrant a higher rating. Even really poor wines can be found here quite frequently. We recommend you select carefully, and, even better, taste before you buy.

Naturally, the classification is continually revised, depending on the wines submitted and tasted, and can thus also be changed retrospectively at any time.

The Newcomer of the Year

This award is made for new releases in the Wine Guide that have attracted particular attention. However, this award is only made in years in which a new producer has really created some excitement with high-quality wines.

This year the prize is awarded to the Weingut W?tz-K?igsm?le winery. The three wines of the 2001 vintage presented by Dirk W?tz, two Rieslings and a Pinot Noir, represent the most impressive debut I have ever experienced. And the first barrel tastings of the successor vintage indicate that W?tz is still far from reaching the ceiling of his ability. What we are seeing here is the development of a new premium winery.

The rating system for wines

Wines are rated according to the 100-point system. As is the custom internationally, the useable range begins at 50 points. The overall rating consists of the following individual assessments:

• Appearance: 5 Points

• Nose: 15 Points

• Palate: 25 Points

• Overall impression and potential: 5 Points

Note: As every producer these days is technically in a position to produce a brilliantly clear wine, even if excessive fining and filtration are required, I tend to attach only marginal importance to the appearance. Thus any wine without seriously faulty colour nuances is awarded the full 5 points.

What the points ratings mean

The guide lists only wines that have been awarded a minimum of 70 points. Therefore, the range from 50 to 70 points is not applied in this guide.

The assessment is made in accordance with the 100-point system, which was developed in the USA, and is based on the marking system used in schools. Internationally, there seem to be widely differing opinions as to how strictly this system should be applied. Personally, I clearly prefer a more strict interpretation, the result of which is that wines rated from 75 points upward can be regarded as recommendations, and wines rated above 80 points are already considered to be "very good" and likely to provide a great deal of pleasure. Please bear these comments in mind at all times when using this guide, as this is essential for an understanding of our marks.

The author: Marcus Hofschuster