Wine law; application for a quality test for wines

Certain wine products (e.g. quality wines) may only be offered for sale if they have passed the quality test for wines ("Wein-TÜV"). They require an official test number (A.P.Nr.).

The government of Lower Franconia is responsible for the official testing of all quality and Prädikat wines made from grapes harvested in Bavaria. Around 95% of Bavaria's vineyards are located in Lower Franconia.

Quality wines, Prädikat wines, quality liqueur wines b. A., quality sparkling wines b. A. and sparkling wines b. A. may only be bottled and marketed once they have successfully passed the legal, chemical and sensory quality tests.

The product's composition (ingredients), presentation (e.g. Bocksbeutel) and designation (e.g. flavor information) must comply with the statutory provisions and the prescribed maximum and minimum values (e.g. total sulfur content, must weights). In addition, the product must be free from defects and typical of the origin, grape variety and predicate level.

The application for an official inspection number must be submitted to the government of Lower Franconia. All wines that are to be marketed as quality or Prädikat wines are tested, as well as all sparkling wines b. A., quality semi-sparkling wines b. A. and quality liqueur wines b. A. A. This applies to the products from the growing regions of Franconia, Württemberg and Bayer. Lake Constance.

Applications should only be made online, with the exception of sparkling wines psr. A., for which paper application forms are currently still required (available from the wine testing office).

In the case of online applications, the data for the official quality inspection for wines is checked for plausibility via the Internet and sent to the wine inspection body in encrypted form. This enables a short processing time, as the data can be transferred to the inspection body for the inspection procedure without having to enter the data again. The winegrowers then receive advance information in electronic form directly after the inspection, which saves time in marketing and sales.

The electronic procedure is as follows:

• Applicants enter their data for the quality inspection via the web-based WeinOnline form and send their data to the wine inspection body.
• The applicant must print out the application, sign it and submit it in paper form together with the wines to be tested, as a handwritten signature is required on the application for legal reasons.
• At the wine testing center, the data can be clearly identified and transferred using a transaction number.
• Immediately after the decision has been issued, applicants usually receive preliminary information by e-mail to the e-mail address provided.

You can access the online procedure at

• WeinOnline, access to the web-based form
• WeinOnline, quick guide

The official test number (A.P. No.) must have been assigned before the product is placed on the market.

• Basic fee: 16 euros plus
  Quantity fee: 3 euros per 1,000 liters or part thereof, from 30,001 liters increase fee 1.50 euros per 1,000 liters or part thereof;
• Expenses for the official inspection report: 41 euros
• Expenses for the sparkling wine examination including the sensory examination: 47 euros plus quantity fee

• Signed printout of the application sent online

  (The signature of the applicant is required for legal reasons)

• Examination report from an approved laboratory

  (in the case of Prädikat wines, only the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety in Würzburg issues the official test report)

• 3 sample bottles for quality wines, quality liqueur wines psr, quality semi-sparkling wines psr and sparkling wines psr.
• 4 sample bottles for Prädikat wines or if an official test report is required (e.g. for sparkling wine psr)