The countdown to the election of the 78th German Wine Majesty is on

Intensive preparation for the competition

The preparatory seminar at the start of August marked the beginning of the intensive preparation phase for the candidates ahead of the demanding competition organised by the German Wine Institute (DWI) in collaboration with SWR. The wine royalty from eleven German wine-growing regions gathered for a three-day workshop in Neustadt an der Weinstraße.

The focus was on media and communication training, style advice and a professional photo shoot. With the crash course “English for Wine Majesties”, the participants also prepared for the specialist questions in English, which traditionally form an important part of the subject-specific preliminary round.

The countdown to the preliminary round is on

The countdown is on: on 19 September, the regional wine majesties from eleven German wine-growing regions will compete for the title of the 78th German Wine Majesty. At the Saalbau Neustadt, they will face challenging specialist questions and tasks set by the expert jury. The jury will then decide which five candidates will progress to the final on 25 September.

Specialist Q&A in German and English

In the preliminary round organised by the DWI, the candidates must answer complex questions relating to winemaking, wine marketing and the professional handling of wine competently and precisely. As the German Wine Queens and Kings regularly appear on the international stage, the competition also includes a task in English. SWR presenter Holger Wienpahl will host both the preliminary round and the final.

Tickets still available for the preliminary round and the final

Tickets are still available for the preliminary round and the final of the German Wine Queen contest at the Saalbau in Neustadt an der Weinstraße. Anyone wishing to experience both events live can secure tickets now from the town of Neustadt.

• Preliminary round: 19 September
• Final: 25 September

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Overview of SWR broadcast times

Landesschau Rheinland-Pfalz, from 6.15 pm

Introduction to the Rhineland-Palatinate candidates: SWR visits the regional wine authorities in their home towns and introduces them live on air. The focus is on their community involvement, community life and their roots in the local area – as well as their connection to wine.

3 September: Middle Rhine: Janina Mehr in Rheinbreitbach & Rhöndorf

8 September: Moselle: Teresa Oster in Kobern-Gondorf

9 September: Rheinhessen: Kathrin Knierim in Osthofen

10 September: Palatinate: Anna Antonia Cölsch in Deidesheim

11 September: Ahr: Felix Lüddenbach in Heimersheim

PRELIMINARY DECISION

Saturday, 19 September 2026, 3.00 pm to 6.30 pm

Live stream at swr.de/weinmajestaet

Presented by Holger Wienpahl

Repeat: Sunday, 20 September 2026, 2.00 pm to 4.15 pm

FINAL

Friday, 25 September 2026, 8.15 pm to 10.25 pm

Live broadcast from the Saalbau in Neustadt/W. – with online voting by viewers

Presented by Holger Wienpahl & Fatma Mittler-Solak

Overview of the candidates for the 2026 German Wine Majesty election

• Felix Lüdenbach, AHR
• Hannah Spraul, BADEN
• Angelina Seiler, FRANKEN
• Chiara Fischer, HESSISCHE BERGSTRASSE
• Janina Mehr, MITEELRHEIN
• Teresa Oster, MOSEL
• Anna Antonia Cölsch, PFALZ
• Lena Roie, RHEINGAU
• Kathrin Knierim, RHEINHESSEN
• Paula Löber, SAALE-UNSTRUT
• Natalie Schäfter, WÜRTTEMBERG
  
  The wine-growing regions of Saxony and the Nahe are not represented this year. 

You can find individual profiles in the special publication ‘Election of the German Wine Queen 2026’ (PDF document)