The quality mark “First Growth“ has been approved by the third regulation amending the Hessian application regulations of the wine law (law and ordinance gazette I p.310) (“Dritte Verordnung zur Änderung der hessischen Ausführungsverordnung zum Weingesetz (GVBl. S.310)”). It is marked by a word and design mark. Owner and manager of the quality mark is the Rheingau Viticultural Association (“Rheingauer Weinbauverband e.V.”).

§1 Basis
1.) The Rheingau Viticultural Association (“Rheingauer Weinbauverband”) had the total area worthy of viticulture of the specified region evaluated by experts. These scientific reports are the basis of a site specific delimitation of particularly high-quality areas.
2.) The prerequisites for obtaining the quality mark “First Growth“ apart from keeping viticultural and cellar-technical requirements include the following:
    a.     the grape varieties Riesling and Spätburgunder are concerned,
    b.     they are cultivated within the frame of the site specific delimitation and on the basis of scientific reports (quality map) on classified areas.

§2 Registration / time-limits
1.) The production estates must make a written report by 1 May of each year to the office of the Rheingau Viticultural Association with the information on which areas they intend to produce a “First Growth” for the respective vintage. This is a declaration of intent which serves the purpose of random controls at the same time.
2.) Grapes (grape mash/must) intended for the production of a wine with the designation “First Growth“ must be entered as such with a corresponding note (e.g. suitable for First Growth) into the cellar book.
3.) The wine-growing estates may only register these wines obligatorily for sensory examination from 1 May of the year following harvest at the office of the Rheingau Viticultural Association.
       
§3 Viticultural actions
1.) In order to guarantee the quality of the grapes the pruning is to be limited to no more than 6 buds per square metre.
2.) The harvest must not exceed 50 hl/ha.
3.) The grapes must be harvested by hand.
4.) An independent testing commission authorised by the Viticultural Association has the right to inspect the vineyards First Growth any time.
    
§4 Oenological values
1.) With the distinctive mark “First Growth“ only producer bottled / estate bottled wine is designated whose taste is dry.
2.) Prerequisites for dry wines are
    a. for the grape variety Riesling
        the must weight must at least be suitable for Spätlese when harvest takes place at least 12% by volume of alcohol when wine is marketed
        residual sugar up to a maximum of 13 g/l
    b. for the grape variety Spätburgunder (Pinot noir)
        the must weight must at least be suitable for Spätlese when harvest takes place least 13% by volume of alcohol when wine is marketed
        residual sugar up to a maximum of 6 g/l

§5 Test procedure
    a. All wines must be subject to sensory examination by an independent testing commission.
    b. The testing commission is composed of at least 7 representatives of the involved wineries which are subject to the rules of the “First Growth“ as well as the testing department of the Darmstadt Regional Council (“Regierungspräsidium Darmstadt”), Viticulture Department of Eltville (“Dezernat Weinbauamt Eltville”). The members change on a regular basis.
    c. The testing commission adopts its rules of procedure. It is able to make decisions if at least 5 members are present. For the rejection or acceptance of the wines that were registered for trial, simple majority is sufficient. A second trial registration is possible.
    d. The testing commission can re-examine wines that are already on the market and can reject a further marketing as “First Growth”. Any damage claims on the part of the wine grower are excluded.
    e. The decision about granting the distinction “First Growth“ can be taken back if a circumstance becomes known afterwards which would have opposed the decision.

§6 Trial registration
    a. The wines may not be registered for trial before 1 May of the year following harvest.
    b. The following must be attached to the trial registration:
             Application to testing commission
             Statement of cellar book number
             Notification of given official approval number
             Analysis of laboratory
       
§7 Fee
1.) A test fee can be charged.

§8 Designation and design
1.) For wines with the distinctive mark “First Growth” the following designation shall apply without prejudice to additional wine regulatory law:
        Site name of the classified vineyard
        Vintage
        Grape variety
        Quality designation according to § 4, whereby in wines according to § 4 section 2 “Prädikat” and the terms for indicating the taste are relinquished.
2.) The wines that are producer bottled / estate bottled must be labelled by indicating the producer. The use of the Rheingau flute bottle is recommended.
3.)     a. The wines may only be designated with the additional quality mark “First Growth” if they have passed the examination.
    b. The design mark with the three Roman arches on the black bar and the designation “First Growth” may only be used if the quality mark serves as lower finishing line of the bottle label (cf. sample 1).
        The design mark with the three Roman arches on the white bar and the designation “First Growth“ may only be used if the distinctive mark is situated in the label’s lower third (cf. sample 2).
    c. A height of 10 mm is compulsory for designing the word and design mark.

§9 Time of marketing
1.) “First Growth” can be marketed initially from the harvest of the year 1999.
2.) Riesling “First Growth“ of a vintage may be marketed initially from 1 September of the year following harvest.
3.) Spätburgunder "First Growth“ of the vintage may only be marketed from 1 September of the next year following harvest.