VDP.Weinbörse Mainz — Rheingoldhalle

The VDP.Weinbörse is the most important German vintage presentation of top wineries and one of the most significant dates in the international wine calendar. The organizer is the Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (Association of German Prädikat Wine Estates), VDP for short, which has bundled the country's most quality-oriented estates under a strict classification system (Gutswein, Ortswein, Erste Lage, Große Lage) since 1910. Mainz, the seat of the VDP, is a natural choice as the festival location: situated between Rheinhessen, Rheingau, and Nahe, with short travel times for many members and excellent public transport connections for international guests.

The focus is on tasting the current vintage. The 199 member wineries present their wines at their own stands in the Rheingoldhalle directly on the banks of the Rhine. Unlike public fairs, the owners themselves are present here; the discussions are specific, and the evaluations are professional. The event is accompanied by masterclasses, themed tastings, award ceremonies, and a networking program in the restaurants and hotels of Mainz city center — under the slogan Der VDP isst in der Stadt (The VDP dines in the city).

The audience comes from all sectors of the industry: buyers from large retail chains, independent wine merchants, sommeliers from international star restaurants, trade press from Europe, North America, and Asia, as well as importers from key export markets. For German top wineries, the VDP.Weinbörse is the central market entry for a new vintage.

The event is exclusively accessible to accredited trade visitors. Prior registration and proof of professional activity in the wine or gastronomy sector are required. For end consumers, many of the participating wineries offer their own open house events afterward.