Reserve wine system, most DACs have an additional "Reserve" designation for a wine which has slightly more strict requirements. Before the 1971 German wine law, a term corresponding to reserve wine existed in "kabinett", sometimes written as "Kabinettwein". In 1971, the similar-sounding term "Kabinett" was instead introduced as the lowest level of the "Prädikatswein" category, i.e., with a completely different meaning. Therefore, in the present German wine classification no legally defined term corresponding to reserve wine exists. Reserve wine Reserve wine is wine of a higher quality than usual, or a wine that has been aged before being sold, or both. Traditionally,
German wine classification Each of these wines is made of 100% Riesling and is classified into three categories: ‘Handstreich’, ‘Felsenspiel’ and ‘Meisterstück’. The categories are distinguished by their sensory features, their residual acidity-to-sugar-ratio, and the volume of alcohol. German wine classification The German wine classification system puts a strong emphasis on standardization and factual completeness, and was first implemented per the German Wine Law of 1971. Almost all of Germany's vineyards are delineated and registered as one of approximately 2,600 Einzellagen ('individual sites'), and the produce from one can be used to make German wine at any quality level, depending not on yields