These different terms should make consumers aware of a particular high quality of the wines (as in France the "Premier Cru" or "Grand Cru"). These wines have origin, are "dry" and have at least the quality of the Spätlese (late harvest). The harvest is done gently by hand and the wine is checked.

Since 1999, according to the Hessian wine law the "first class growth" or the "Erstes Gewächs" was awarded only in Rheingau for top level dry wines.

The Bernkasteler Ring - the Riesling Weingüter eV ( Moselle region) awards its best qualities with "Grosser Gewächs" (GG) for sites classified as Große Lage.

The "Große Lage" label is used by VDP to award non-dry wines from Große Lagen sites.

The "Erste Lage " label is used by VDP in all regions except Moselle and Rheingau to mark selected sites suitable for Erste Lage wines.

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