After six years, the Baden wine-growing region is once again Germany’s wine queen. Educational scientist Sina Erdrich wins the crown of the “temporary monarch” two days after her 24th birthday.
Neustadt / Wstr. – The new German wine queen is called Sina Erdrich and comes from the Baden wine-growing region in Baden-Württemberg. The 24-year-old prevailed in the final in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Palatinate, against five competitors from Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, among others.
“I still can’t believe it,” said the educational scientist after her victory on Friday evening. “The past two weeks have been an emotional roller coaster ride. Only now does everything fall away from me. ”As the 73rd German Wine Queen, Erdrich now represents around 15,000 German winemakers.
In the name of the vine, the industry’s most important ambassador attends numerous appointments within a year, including abroad. “I would like to continue helping German wine to gain the respect it deserves. Many do not know how much work, diligence and passion is behind it, ”said Erdrich after receiving the queen’s crown in the confetti rain. In front of around 300 guests in the Neustadt hall, a 70-member jury selected Linda Trarbach (24; Ahr growing area) and Saskia Teucke (26; Palatinate) as wine princesses – both from Rhineland-Palatinate.
A sense of taste and repartee are required
“The three of us will rock it,” Erdrich cheered euphorically. She takes over from Eva Lanzerath. The previous “First Lady of the grape juice” from the Ahr growing region said goodbye with wet eyes. Among other things, the six candidates had to identify types of wine in a blind tasting and demonstrate their quick-wittedness – for example in an improvisational theater. The evening was marked by the support for winegrowers in the Ahr valley, which was badly damaged by the July floods. 65 of the 68 wine-growing businesses there are affected, the total damage is an estimated 160 million euros.
In the battle for the crown were defeated Valerie Gorgus (23; Rheingau), Henrike Heinicke (24; Württemberg) and Marie Jostock (21; Mosel). Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner (CDU), who herself once wore the crown (1995/1996), was among the guests.
The German Wine Queen has been promoting the industry since 1949. Until 1999, the condition was that the candidates had to be single and come from a winemaking family.
There are a total of 13 wine-growing regions in Germany. Five other applicants had dropped out in a preliminary decision a week ago. No candidate was sent in two growing areas.
Erdrich is used to responsibility: the winemaker’s daughter moved into the local council in her home town of Durbach at the age of 19 – as the youngest councilor ever. The Baden-Württemberg minister of viticulture, Peter Hauk, congratulated the new wine queen. “I am really happy about this well-deserved success for Sina Erdrich. With impressive expertise, personality and charm, she brought the crown to Baden-Württemberg, ”said the CDU politician in Stuttgart. dpa
