New Wine Queen
Germany's 61st Wine Queen is Crowned
Sonja Christ, a 25-year-old MBA graduate and wine-grower's daughter from Oberfell (Mosel), took top place in an exciting finale with five competitors in the election of the German Wine Queen in 2009. The petite blond from the Mosel, who is currently managing wine reviews for a German wine magazine, is extremely wine knowledgeable, articulate, and charming in manner. She will be the ambassador of German wine-growers and their products in the course of some 250 appearances in Germany and abroad during the coming year.
This year, 12 of Germany's 13 regional wine queens took part in the national competition. A week before the finale, the candidates took part in a rigorous oral examination with questions about viticultural and winemaking techniques, as well as wine labelling, packaging and marketing. In addition, each contender was called upon to assist – in English – a "confused foreign tourist" visiting German wine country.
Sonja Christ, the newly crowned wine queen, could hardly believe her luck, but said she was very happy to have been selected. During her term as Wine Queen, she will be on leave from the wine magazine and looks forward to becoming acquainted with many a good wine and the consumers who appreciate them. She had her first opportunity less than 48 hours after being crowned, when she made her first official appearance as wine queen in the huge parade at the German wine harvest festival in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse on October 11th.
Watch the crowning!
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| Germany's 61st Wine Queen, Sonja Christ, is crowned by her predecessor, Marlies Dumsky. |
The 61st German Wine Queen Sonja Christ/Mosel (middle) and the German Wine Princesses Christl Schäfer/Württemberg (left) and Isabell Kindle/Baden (right). |