Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs, the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP) has discouraged the continued use of Auslese trocken, as it has been seen as confusing for the consumer to have sweet and powerful dry wines with the same Prädikat. However a significant number of VDP members are still using the Prädikat classification on dry Wines, since the Prädikat only is dedicated to the quality level of the picked grapes and not the taste. Red wine Auslese As German winemakers try to carve out a niche in developing red wine, the Auslese ripeness classification has come into play as the ideal level to produce Spätburgunder (Pinot noir), particularly in the Rheingau, Pfalz, and Baden regions. Winemakers are experimenting with grapes at Auslese level ripeness with Burgundian style production methods involving oak and a higher extraction of tannin levels. These wines are also increasingly labelled Erstes Gewächs and Grosses Gewächs rather than Auslese. References German wine Austrian wine Wine classification German words and phrases