Landwein

[LAHNT-vyn] A superior subcategory of deutscher tafelwein ("German table wine") that has stricter guidelines than regular Deutscher Tafelwein. For example, the alcohol content must be 0.5 percent higher and the residual sugar shouldn't be over 1.8 percent (which makes it a trocken or halbtrocken in terms of dryness). There are fifteen areas within Germany's broader growing regions authorized to make these wines, and each uses "Landwein" in its name, such as Ahrtaler Landwein, Landwein der Saar, Frankisher Landwein, and Unterbadisher Landwein. Landweins are equivalent to what the French describe as vin de pays wines. In Austria, Landwein holds a similar position in the quality hierarchy-slightly above tafelwein, but below qualitätswein. See also qualitätswein bestimmter anbaugebiete; qualitätswein mit prädikat.