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Who is allowed to grow wine?
Anyone who has suitable soil and appropriate vines (cuttings or seedlings) may plant vines for private use. In order for the project to succeed, the necessary agricultural or viticultural expertise is also indispensable.
In order to cultivate vines commercially - i.e. with the purpose of making a profit with the wine produced from the grapes - two basic requirements are necessary in Germany:
- First, one must register a trade as a vintner with one's local trade office.
- Secondly, one must apply for vine planting. The Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food (BLE) is responsible for new plantings, the Chamber of Agriculture of the respective federal state for the replanting of unused vineyard areas and for the conversion of unused planting rights into a specific permit.
The material bases are then, on the one hand, a site suitable for viticulture and, on the other hand, appropriate vines (cuttings or seedlings). In addition, the vineyard must be equipped with buildings, tools and equipment.
The legal basis for viticulture in Germany is the Wine Act and the Wine Ordinance. In addition, the regulations of plant protection and fertiliserlaw, food law, competition law, consumer protection law, commercial law and other relevant laws apply, e.g. hygiene regulations.
All these framework conditions and basics are learned in the training as a winemaker or in viticulture and oenology studies. Although both are not formally required to grow wine commercially, they are very helpful in any case and are therefore strongly recommended from a practical point of view - in fact, they are indispensable