The traditional election of the German Wine Queen is set for major changes after nearly 80 years.
The German Wine Institute, based in Bodenheim in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, confirmed that the annual contest will now be known as the Election of the Wine Monarch, reflecting a key shift: men can now compete.
For the first time, on September 26, two male candidates will participate in the competition in Neustadt, a town in southwest Germany nestled in one of the country’s celebrated wine-growing regions.
Should a man win, he will hold the historic title of German Wine King and receive a chain of office instead of the traditional crown.
Since 1949, the German Wine Queen has been chosen from representatives of Germany’s 13 wine-growing regions. Photo: ShutterstockSince 1949, the German Wine Queen has served as an ambassador for the country’s wine industry. The competition sees representatives from Germany’s 13 wine-growing regions go head-to-head in a final held in the Palatinate region.