The new German wine queen hails from the Franken region. Marlies Dumbsky was elected yesterday to succeed Evelyn Schmidt from Saxony, last year's queen.

Marlies Dumbsky is the 60th German wine queen. In a two-hour selection gala held in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, the 22-year-old winemaker from Volkach in Franken eventually won out in a tough battle against five other finalists, and received the crown from her predecessor, Evelyn Schmidt from Saxony. The wine princesses elected were 20-year-old Sarah Schmitt from the Nahe region and 25-year-old Andrea Köninger from Baden. (WF)