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Ahr wine of the year 2025
The gala night of top wines
The "Ahr Wine of the Year" competition has established itself as an important wine award since 2011 and honours the outstanding diversity of wines from the Ahr Valley. At this event, the best wines of the year from the categories cult wine, premium, classic, Frühburgunder, Blanc de Noir and Riesling are presented and honoured.
On Friday, 7 November 2025, the Ahr Wines of the Year were ceremoniously selected.
For the first time, the awards ceremony took place as part of a glamorous gala in the stylish ambience of the Steigenberger Kurhaus in Bad Neuenahr.
More information on the Ahr wine of the year
The Ahr Wine of the Year is a project of Kreissparkasse Ahrweiler, the International Wine Institute and Ahrwein e.V.
The premiere of the "Ahr Wine of the Year - Gala Night of Top Wines" was a glamorous highlight in the Ahr Valley's calendar of events, combining Ahr wine, winegrowers, enjoyment and many emotions. In the festively decorated and sold-out Steigenberger Kurhaus-Saal, over 400 guests, including winegrowers, restaurateurs, wine lovers and numerous celebrities, celebrated the best Ahr wines and thus also the passion, craftsmanship and unmistakable strength of character of the Ahr winegrowing region. In this special atmosphere, the "Ahr Wines of the Year" were chosen in a festive setting - a moment that the winegrowing community looked forward to with pride and eager anticipation.
The award ceremony was based on a blind tasting organised by the IWI with the following proven wine experts on the jury: Paula Sidore (international wine journalist), Carsten Henn (long-standing chairman of the review committee), Ulrich Hagenmeyer (qualified sommelier and industry consultant), Katharina Röder (sommelière and wine analyst), Iris Giesauf (sommelière at Essers Gasthaus Köln, nominated as "Sommelier of the Year") and Philip Nelles (winner in the Cult Wine 2024 category).
"Stern TV" presenter Dieter Könnes and Eva Lanzerath, former German Wine Queen from the Ahr Valley, hosted the glamorous evening charmingly and with a lot of heart. With humour, wit and a good dose of spontaneity, they created a relaxed yet stylish atmosphere and gave the stories behind the wines a personal touch. Stefan Mross, who was originally scheduled to host the event, suddenly cancelled 12 hours before the start of the gala for personal reasons via a What's App message.
Other celebrities from radio and television were among the guests. They included well-known entertainers and presenters Harry Wijnvoord, Wolfgang Lippert, Jörg Dräger and Jan Kunath, British pop legend Chris Andrews and Lindenstraßen star Marie-Luise Marjan. A highlight of the show programme was the performance of American musical singer Deborah Sasson, who presented songs from the musicals "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Evita" with her brilliant voice.
The festive gala was accompanied by a 4-course gourmet menu from Steigenberger, which was perfectly matched to the selection of Ahr wines. The Markus Quodt hall orchestra played atmospheric music. Mehmet Yilmaz from the Floral Design Store conjured up the impressive floral decorations in the hall.
The winners of the Ahr Wine of the Year 2025
- Winner in the cult wine category:
2023 Mayschosser Mönchberg Pinot Noir dry, VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS®
Weingut Deutzerhof
- Winner in the classic category:
2022 Pinot Noir dry, quality wine
Weingut Max Schell
- Winner category Frühburgunder:
2023 Jubilus Goldkapsel Frühburgunder dry, quality wine
Weingut Kriechel
- Winner category Blanc de Noir:
2024 Blanc de Noir Pinot Noir dry, quality wine
Weingut Max Schell
- Riesling category:
2023 Riesling Alte Reben dry, VDP.Ortswein
Weingut Nelles
"Ahr Wine of the Year" is a regional wine competition in which the best wines produced by the winegrowers and cooperatives of the Ahr Valley are honoured each year. The competition is recognised by the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in accordance with §30 of the Wine Ordinance as amended. The wines are tasted blind by an independent, neutral and expert jury and then evaluated. The winners of the competition are then honoured at an award ceremony. This not only sends out an important signal to the winegrowers themselves. In addition to recognising their hard work and supporting their marketing efforts, the wine award is also relevant for the entire region. Thanks to it, the economy is sustainably strengthened and promoted.
The "Ahr Wine of the Year" award is therefore also an important guide for connoisseurs, whether as tourists or end consumers. Because the winners - especially the Pinot Noirs - are among the best wines in Europe. A wine that wins Ahr Wine of the Year also impresses with a perfect price-pleasure ratio.
In the video, you can find out everything about this special wine award, its uniqueness, its process and its significance for the winegrowers and the Ahr Valley wine region in a clear and compact way.
