After a jury of 82 wine-related professionals cast its vote, the winner – Evelyn Schmidt of Dresden (middle) – was elated: "My head is whirling...I simply can't believe it." The 24-year-old, who works at one of the region's premier estates, Schloss Wackerbarth, is the second wine queen from Germany's smallest wine-growing region, Sachsen (Saxony), to hold the national title. The new German wine ambassador will be assisted by two wine princesses: 24-year-old Julia Metzler (left) from Rheinhessen and 20-year-old Susanne Winterling (right) of the Pfalz.

The German Wine Institute/Mainz has organized the elections of the German wine queen since 1949. Candidates are the wine queens of each of Germany's 13 wine-growing regions. This year, since there was no candidate from the Mittelrhein, twelve well-educated, articulate (in German and in English) young women competed for the title to represent German wines and wine-growers at home and abroad during ca. 300 public appearances in the coming year. All candidates are subject to queries about wine (sensoric impressions, marketing, regional and varietal specialties, etc.), and must demonstrate a sense of humor and quick-wittedness – during live TV broadcasts.

(Quoted from website of German Wine Institute/Mainz)