The dispute in the Rheingau Winegrowers' Association about its direction in winegrowing policy by its president and about the internal organization continues.

The criticized winegrowing president Peter Seyffardt corrected statements made by Wallufer winegrower Hans-Josef Becker in a statement to the members of the association meeting of the Rheingau special purpose association.

At the most recent association meeting, Becker indicated that the wine-growing association could possibly opt out of the joint management of the house of the region if the association decided on a different course at the end of May in the course of the due board elections.

Oliver Bock

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Rheingau-Taunus district and for Wiesbaden.

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As reported, the winegrowers' association has appointed Dominik Russler, a Hallgarten winegrower, as the successor to Managing Director Andrea Engelmann, who left at the end of 2021.

Contrary to the assurances of the board, individual winegrowers are of the opinion that Engelmann could have been retained.

Seyffardt denies that. Russler's job is co-financed 30 percent by the Rheingau-Taunus Kultur und Tourismus GmbH and 20 percent by the Rheingau Zweckverband, because he is supposed to promote the region's wine tourism as a whole.

“His statements are purely private in nature”

According to Seyffardt, Russler was unanimously appointed by the board of the winegrowers' association and received a permanent contract.

The board of directors also unanimously decided to continue the model of joint management in the "House of the Region" in Oestrich-Winkel.

The Executive Board hopes that good cooperation between all institutions will result in synergies for the region.

According to Seyffardt, Becker was no longer elected chairman of the Walluf winegrowing association in autumn 2019 "after a number of differences" and is no longer on the board of the Walluf local association.

In the main committee of the winegrowers' association, Becker represents the association of Rheingau wine commissioners, but not the position of the winegrowers' association: "His statements are of a purely private nature."

At the most recent meeting of the main committee in Eltviller Burg, Becker criticized Seyffardt's administration in clear terms and expressed doubts about his qualifications for the office.

At the meeting, the letter signed by 32 producers was read, with which these winegrowers criticized a lack of information flow and the wine-growing policy of the board.

In addition, the signatories advocate a reorganization of the association with a "neutral, paid, executive chairman" and "possibly" a president, "but only to preside and to communicate the results of decisions to the outside world".

So far, however, there has been neither a candidate for the position of chairman nor an application to change the statutes.

More unity than ever required

In its reply to the vintners' letter, the board of directors pointed out that it had made every conceivable effort over the years "to achieve the best for the Rheingau and the entire vintner community at a local, national and state political level".

The further development of the association's work and structure should be discussed with the members in an open-ended manner.

The board is facing a generational change and the winegrowers are facing major challenges.

This requires more unity than ever.

The Hochheim winemaker Gunter Künstler, who has been on the board since 1997, was one of the board members who signed the reply.

He addressed his colleagues in a detailed statement and defended Seyffardt as president.

He does a "very time-consuming, conscientious work in a voluntary full-time job".

The newly appointed managing director gives "reason for great hope for continuous further development" and embodies down-to-earthness as a trained wine technician.

Artist also sees a long list of successes and achievements under Seyffardt's leadership since 2016.

Seyffardt has shown great diplomatic skills, and the association benefits from his network and his good contacts in the Hessian state politics.

Artists demand more collegial cooperation from a professional colleague.

In any case, Seyffardt has his confidence for re-election on May 24.