Sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom for things to get even better afterward: after several years of rather low interest among candidates for the Saxon Wine Queen title, the year 25/26 can be considered the low point: after much back-and-forth and squabbling, no election took place at all. The wine royalty-free period is over: as of yesterday, Saxony once again has a Wine Queen and two Wine Princesses. The new Wine Queen is Luise Puhlmann—she was the youngest of the six female candidates and the only male candidate—a first—for the title. The two Wine Princesses are Josephine Sander and Jessica Löffner.
The selection took place at the Meissen Winegrowers’ Cooperative and was not open to the public. The seven candidates had been preparing for the role since June. The program included, among other things, a viticulture seminar, sensory training, and public speaking lessons. During the actual selection process, candidates were evaluated not only on their technical knowledge but also on their demeanor, communication skills, and spontaneity. The assessment included technical questions on viticulture and tourism, the sensory description of a wine, and an impromptu welcome speech.
