German Agricultural Society
Encyclopedia
The German Agricultural Society (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft), commonly known as DLG, is an organisation for agricultural industry
in Germany
. DLG was founded in the year 1885 by Max Eyth
, has over 23,000 members as of 2011 and is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Its main purpose is to promote technical progress and scientific advances in the food and agricultural industry, including setting standards.
The main activities of DLG are:
The DLG organises agricultural trade fairs and exhibitions such as Agritechnica, EuroTier, Anuga FoodTec, PotatoEurope, and DLG Field Days.
, DLG has been responsible for devising the assessment scale used for official classification
as well the medals and awards that are handed out regionally and nationally. This is a five-point scale where the wines are assessed blind (i.e., the tasters don't know the identity of the wine in the glass) by a panel and given points in the three categories bouquet ("nose"), taste and harmony. The category "harmony" refers to all sensory impressions, including color, and is concerned with the overall balance between sweetness
, acidity, alcohol and "body"/mouthfeel
of the wine. Each category is assessed on the scale 0-5 (fractional points may be awarded), and the points given are then averaged, with the same weight given to the three categories. For a wine to be given its quality control test number (A.P. Number
for Amtliche Prüfung) necessary to display a Prädikat designation of the German wine classification
, a minimum of 1.5 out of 5 is necessary in all three categories, otherwise the wine is denied a classification.
Several different awards are also handed out by the DLG:
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. DLG was founded in the year 1885 by Max Eyth
Max Eyth
Max Eyth was a German engineer and writer.He was born to Edward Eyth a teacher of Greek and history at an evangelical seminar and his wife Julie...
, has over 23,000 members as of 2011 and is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. Its main purpose is to promote technical progress and scientific advances in the food and agricultural industry, including setting standards.
The main activities of DLG are:
- Arrangement of seminars and other educational activities for its members
- Advise to members
- Publication of books and magazines related to the food and agriculture industry
- Testing of food and beverage products, including wineWineWine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, which may qualify for a "DLG Award" which can then be displayed on the product. - Testing of agricultural machineryAgricultural machineryAgricultural machinery is machinery used in the operation of an agricultural area or farm.-Hand tools:The first person to turn from the hunting and gathering lifestyle to farming probably did so by using his bare hands, and perhaps some sticks or stones. Tools such as knives, scythes, and wooden...
- Participation in international trade fairTrade fairA trade fair is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products, service, study activities of rivals and examine recent market trends and opportunities...
s
The DLG organises agricultural trade fairs and exhibitions such as Agritechnica, EuroTier, Anuga FoodTec, PotatoEurope, and DLG Field Days.
Wine activities and awards
In the area of German wineGerman wine
German wine is primarily produced in the west of Germany, along the river Rhine and its tributaries, with the oldest plantations going back to the Roman era. Approximately 60 percent of the German wine production is situated in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, where 6 of the 13 regions ...
, DLG has been responsible for devising the assessment scale used for official classification
German wine classification
German wine classification consists of several quality categories and is often the source of some confusion, especially among non-German speaking wine consumers. The official classification is set down in the wine law of 1971, although some changes and amendments have been made since then...
as well the medals and awards that are handed out regionally and nationally. This is a five-point scale where the wines are assessed blind (i.e., the tasters don't know the identity of the wine in the glass) by a panel and given points in the three categories bouquet ("nose"), taste and harmony. The category "harmony" refers to all sensory impressions, including color, and is concerned with the overall balance between sweetness
Sweetness of wine
The subjective sweetness of a wine is determined by the interaction of several factors, including the amount of sugar in the wine to be sure, but also the relative levels of alcohol, acids, and tannins. Briefly: sugars and alcohol enhance a wine's sweetness; acids and bitter tannins counteract it...
, acidity, alcohol and "body"/mouthfeel
Mouthfeel
Mouthfeel is a product's physical and chemical interaction in the mouth, an aspect of food rheology. It is a concept used in many areas related to the testing and evaluating of foodstuffs, such as wine-tasting and rheology. It is evaluated from initial perception on the palate, to first bite,...
of the wine. Each category is assessed on the scale 0-5 (fractional points may be awarded), and the points given are then averaged, with the same weight given to the three categories. For a wine to be given its quality control test number (A.P. Number
German Wine Label
A German wine label can offer a wealth of information for the consumer, despite the reputation they traditionally have of confusing laymen. , MSNBC Life Style editor describes German wine labels as a "thicket of exotic words and abbreviations" that require "the vinous equivalent of Cliff notes to...
for Amtliche Prüfung) necessary to display a Prädikat designation of the German wine classification
German wine classification
German wine classification consists of several quality categories and is often the source of some confusion, especially among non-German speaking wine consumers. The official classification is set down in the wine law of 1971, although some changes and amendments have been made since then...
, a minimum of 1.5 out of 5 is necessary in all three categories, otherwise the wine is denied a classification.
Several different awards are also handed out by the DLG:
- Individual wines may qualify for the Deutsches Weinsiegel (German Wine Seal), which requires an average of 2.5 of 5 points instead of the 1.5/5 necessary to receive a classification. The German Wine Seal is colour-coded for the sweetness of the wine: yellow for dry wines (trockenTrockenTrocken is German for dry, and is used in the classification of German wine. On a wine label, it indicates a wine that is dry rather than off-dry , sweeter or sweet . Technically, trocken wines are not devoid of residual sugar, but have, at most, a few grams per liter, which can be perceptible but...
), lime green for off-dry (halbtrocken) and red for semi-sweet to sweet wines. Far from all wines that would qualify for a German Wine Seal actually display it on the bottle, and few if any top producers use it. - Wines may also qualify for the more newly created Deutsches Güteband Wein (German Ribbon of Quality for Wine), in which case they need to qualify both in a sensory evaluation and for example with respect to being produced in an environmentally friendly way.
- As a supplement to the wine awards/medals handed out on the regional or federal state level, DLG arranges the annual Bundes-Weinprämierung der DLG on the national level, where wines may qualify for gold, silver or bronze.
- WineriesWineryA winery is a building or property that produces wine, or a business involved in the production of wine, such as a wine company. Some wine companies own many wineries. Besides wine making equipment, larger wineries may also feature warehouses, bottling lines, laboratories, and large expanses of...
may also receive an award, based on an assessment of production, marketing and overall quality concept, called DLG Empfohlenes Weingut (DLG-recommended wine estate) for individual wineries and DLG Empfohlene Winzergenossenschaft (DLG-recommended winegrowers' cooperative) for cooperatives. Started in 1999, as of 2007, 44 wineries had received the award.