For the first time in over 70 years, the Württemberg Wine Queen election includes a male candidate, with 25-year-old oenology student Moritz Ocker competing for the esteemed title alongside four female contestants. Traditionally, wine-growing regions in Germany have been represented by women, and the internal debate within the Winegrowers’ Association about allowing a male candidate was not easy. However, the Association sees opportunities to enhance and modernize the position through male candidates.
The election, set to take place in Heilbronn at 7:30 PM, will choose a successor to the current Württemberg Wine Queen, Larissa Salcher, who won last year against four other candidates to represent Württemberg wine for twelve months, as noted by Süddeutsche Zeitung. Candidates will be tested by a jury in several rounds of questions on their knowledge of wine and their appearance.
In addition to Ocker, the candidates include Lisa Schmidt, Janina Hötzer, Ines Pfeiffer, and Kim Weißflog. Schmidt, 22, from Besigheim, comes from a winemaking family that has been cultivating vineyards for five generations. She owned her own children’s grape scissors and her first grape shears at the age of six, as reported by Die Welt. Hötzer, 25, is a business management clerk from Ilsfeld. Pfeiffer, 29, from Korntal-Münchingen, works in social media and online marketing. Weißflog, 20, from Lauffen am Neckar, studies educational sciences and lives with an aspiring winemaker, who introduced her to the love of wine and its cultivation through the family winery.
The decision to open the competition to male candidates was not taken lightly. “A longer voting process within the board of the Winegrowers’ Association preceded the decision,” Peter Albrecht, the Vice President of the Association, stated, according to n-tv. It was decided in a working group to examine and allow serious male applications. “The consistently positive feedback and experiences from other wine regions strengthen us in the decision,” said Hermann Morast, the Managing Director of the Association, as reported by Focus Online.
If Ocker wins one of the three crowns, he would be Württemberg’s first Wine Prince or Wine King and he would become the third man to hold the title in one of the 13 German wine regions. Unlike the female candidates, if Ocker wins, he would not wear a crown but an official chain of office inspired by the style of the current crowns. The new titleholder, whether a queen or king, will likely be very active and traveling a lot, including over 200 events.
During the election, candidates are tested by a jury in several rounds of questions on their knowledge about wine and their presentation skills (Süddeutsche Zeitung). The election aims to find a successor to the current Württemberg Wine Queen, Larissa Salcher from Bretzfeld (Hohenlohekreis), who won last year against four other candidates to represent Württemberg wine for twelve months.
Württemberg is the fourth largest wine-growing region in Germany and is the only German wine-growing region where more red wine than white wine is produced. Among the common red grape varieties in Württemberg are Trollinger, Schwarzriesling, Lemberger, and Spätburgunder, with the Swabian specialty Trollinger being prominent among red wines (Süddeutsche Zeitung). Common white grape varieties include Riesling, Müller-Thurgau, Silvaner, Grauburgunder, and Kerner. The vineyards in Württemberg cover around 11,500 hectares, divided into 17 large areas and 210 individual sites.
One of the candidates, Lisa Schmidt, comes from a winemaking family that has been cultivating vineyards for five generations (Die Zeit). She owned her own children’s grape scissors and her first grape shears at the age of six.
Another candidate, Kim Weißflog, studies educational sciences and lives with an aspiring winemaker who introduces her to the love of wine and its cultivation through the family winery.
Traditionally, the role of the Württemberg Wine Queen has been held by women, and the internal debate within the Winegrowers’ Association about allowing a male candidate was challenging. However, the Association believes that including male candidates could enhance and modernize the position.
The election process involves testing the candidates on their knowledge about wine and their presentation skills in front of a jury, as mentioned by Süddeutsche Zeitung. The winner will take on a significant role in promoting Württemberg wines, attending over 200 events throughout the year.
