Shortly before the coronation

Gender dispute over wine queen: “Stay female!”

The election of the wine queen is a tradition in this country and the pretty figureheads should also remain female.

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

Wild debates about "diverse wine ambassadors" in Germany - but the local winegrowers' association continues to back strong women. Shortly before the coronation of the new red-white-red wine queen, plain language is spoken ...

Fierce protests in the realm of the vines! In the German Palatinate region, no more wine queens were to be crowned this year. Instead, Palatinate wine ambassadors were to be chosen - the competition was therefore opened up to male and diverse candidates.

However, after much wrangling and thousands of signatures, there is now at least a compromise. Three candidates are now standing for election. As there is also a man among them, the Palatinate could at least experience a novelty, namely its first wine king. A development that is even making waves in this country.

While a petition has already been launched in Lower Austria for the preservation of female royalty, winegrowing president Johannes Schmuckenschlager is putting a stop to all debates.

At some point it just becomes ridiculous. Wine queens are a tradition. We won't change that.

Winzerchef Johannes Schmuckenschlager

Bild: www.charakter.photos | Philipp Monihart

Plain speaking before the coronation of the Austrian Wine Queen 
"That certainly doesn't happen in Austria: wine queens are a tradition, we're not going to change that. We don't have 'greeters', but highly trained female winegrowers who fulfill a variety of tasks. This is an important office, there is no need for debate," emphasizes Schmuckenschlager in an interview with the "Krone".

Winemaker Wetschka will definitely remain a "queen" after her coronation next week.

(Bild: www.agerlhof.at)

No sooner said than done - and so next Wednesday, the young Burgenland winegrower Hannah Wetschka will be crowned the new red-white-red sovereign of the vines - i.e. queen - in Eisenstadt, without any objections.