First-time female victor surpasses male rivals in wine competition occasion.
This year, the contest for the Pfalz Wine Queen title took an unexpected turn: for the first time, men were allowed to join the fray. Despite this switch-up, old habits died hard, and a 26-year-old woman eventually emerged victorious.
Struggling against a sea of competitors, social worker Denise Stripf, hailing from Bad Dürkheim, bagged the title of Pfalz Wine Queen in Neustadt/Weinstraße. A jury of 70 members selected her as the new ruling queen of Germany's second-largest wine-growing region.
The region was buzzing with excitement due to the unconventional participant in this long-established competition. Just a few weeks prior, a man had claimed the title of Wine King in Rheinhessen, one of Germany's 13 wine-growing regions.
However, in Neustadt/Weinstraße, Manuel Reuther (28) from Forst fell just short of the crown. Lara Karr (23) from Weisenheim am Berg also failed in her attempt to take home the coveted title of the oldest Wine Queen in Germany. The first Wine Queen in Rhineland-Palatinate was crowned in 1931.
After a rigorous competition testing wine knowledge and quick-thinking skills, the jury selected Denise Stripf as the 86th Pfalz Wine Queen. She will serve as the region's spokesperson for the subsequent year. Lara Karr and Manuel Reuther, as runners-up, received a silver pin and will now act as "Wine Pinnacles," accompanying the queen at various events.
Other regions began considering gender-inclusive wine title competitions, inspired by Pfalz's move. Despite not winning, both Lara Karr and Manuel Reuther received a wave of support and encouragement, raising awareness for gender equality in the wine industry.
