The first male wine king of the Middle Rhine inspires the region!

The first male wine king of the Middle Rhine inspires the region!

In a festive ceremony on November 8, 2024, Felix Grün from Sankt Goar was crowned the first male Middle Rhine Wine King. 240 guests were present at the election, which took place in the Rheinhöhenhalle in Dellhofen. The atmosphere was exuberant and the spectators enthusiastically supported the candidates, including the wine princesses Johanna Persch from Oberwesel and Anna Weinand from Bad Salzig. Felix, 27 years old and married, prevailed in an exciting competition against two competitors after they had proven themselves in four group tasks and a wine presentation in front of a 22-member expert jury made up of representatives from the wine industry and partner organizations. The jury elected Felix Grün as Wine King in a secret vote, which represents a significant recognition of his efforts.

Wine and viticultureare not just a job, but also a passion for Felix. Despite studying journalism and political science in Mainz, his affinity clearly lies with the topic of wine. He did not acquire specialist knowledge through family tradition, but rather through intensive learning: from specialist literature to podcasts to interviews with winemakers, he acquired everything he needed to fill the office of wine king competently and responsibly. Felix also actively participated in the grape harvest, which gave him practical knowledge of viticulture. He was supported, for example, by Gerd Ripp, an amateur winemaker and former operator of the Rheinfels hotel-restaurant.

Tradition and change

The election of the Middle Rhine Wine King was special this year because it took place as part of a gender-neutral competition that was introduced for the first time in 2022. Felix is ​​the first male wine king after 53 female predecessors, which is seen as an important sign of equality in the wine industry. Gero Student from Bacharach was the first wine prince this year to lay the foundation for this innovation.

Felix and the Wine Princesses have a busy schedule that includes around 100 dates per year. These include wine festivals, the New Year's reception in Mainz and numerous events organized by the farmers' and winegrowers' association. Felix emphasizes that he has had consistently positive experiences and encounters during his term of office so far.

Looking into the future

Looking ahead, the next big step is on the agenda in autumn 2023: Felix will take part in the election of the German Wine Majesties. This challenge shows that the Middle Rhine and its wine sovereignties are on the right path to becoming more visible at the national level. It remains exciting to see how the history of the Middle Rhine wine king will develop and what impulses Felix and his princesses will set for the region.

For further information about Felix and the new election of the Middle Rhine wine sovereigns mittelrhein-wein.com detailed information about current events and activities. The discussions and voices about Felix's election are also up wochenspiegellive.de to read. For the latest developments and background information about wine culture on the Middle Rhine dwm-aktuell.de valuable insights.