Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm - 2010 IWSC President Elect

Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm

IWSC President-elect interview

By Michael Prince zu Salm-Salm, VDP-president of honour

What does your role as President of the IWSC 2010 involve?
First of all I think I can contribute to the success of the IWSC in spreading the word about this competition that focuses on the best wines and spirits from all over the world and helps consumers to find their preferred wine and develop a taste for good qualities. And of course, due to my presidency, the reputation of IWSC will certainly be more popular in Germany. But I am also very happy to be able to represent Germany as a wine country in general and create awareness for the ongoing Riesling renaissance initiated & spread from our country and the long history and tradition of fine wine making here.

Are there any particular aspects of the competition you plan to focus on or develop?
I am already happy, that Jancis Robinson has agreed to be the (pate?) for the Riesling Trophy: A fact that will support this great, unique and versatile grape variety, that on my opinion every wine lover of the world should have the opportunity to taste. 

What does your own experience in the wine industry enable you to bring to this position?
I have been for 17 years president of the VDP Prädikatsweingüter - and am today the honorary- president of VDP -, a German association representing the 200 top-estates of Germany. In this position I made and initiated great connections in the world wide wine-industry, especially among the leading estates and learned a lot about the fine wines of the world. I think networking is in every industry most needed and necessary and as president of IWSC I am happy to be of help with my experience.

What is it that makes the IWSC's work particularly worthy of support and attention?
I think IWSC brings great and quality dedicated producers world wide together. All products represented in the competition always showcase an internationally very high profile. And as one could say “all products are equal”, it offers the same opportunities to all estates participating, if they come from a very well known or traditional country for a product or an “emerging” one.  Last but not least, London has in history always been a big platform and an entrance for the international wine trade – thus it is no wonder that this global competition has its roots here.

How have you seen the wine industry change since your own involvement began?
In the past decades the wine world has become open and international. New wine regions have emerged. Globalisation didn’t stop in front of this industry. All this comes along with continuous new trends or “one copies the other”. For my person I must say that all this brings me back to the roots: I search for products that have an identity, that are authentic and represent their origin.

Do you find any important differences between the German and UK wine trade? What about the consumers in each country?
Our countries are both import nations; the big difference in respect to wine is that Germany is also a wine-producing country. But I don’t know if this changes also the attitude of consumers toward consumer behaviour and preferences. What I think is very noticeable, is that the press in the UK has a much bigger influence than in Germany. But in the end I think that quality consciousness is spread all over and good qualities will be always honoured.

Do you believe German producers, together with bodies such as the VDP and DWI, are taking the necessary steps to communicate the country's wines and styles to the international consumer?
You must see that Germany is a very small wine-growing nation and the value and importance of the wine economy in Germany is minor to e.g. our car industry. Our acreage is comparable to Bordeaux. Thus it is a huge and not realizable challenge, to build an image for German wines all over the world simultaneously. Thus e.g. DWI has to focus on the key import markets for German wine and in addition they have to represent the all wine growers in total and the whole wine style variety produced in Germany – a huge challenge. The VDP as an association of top wine growers only is way smaller, has a strict classification system, but regrettably has not the necessary funding to promote the best wines of Germany to the world. Thus we can act just very focused and have to concentrate on educating the fine wine trade, sommeliers and top restaurateurs and count on them as our mouthpiece to communicate our messages. But all “bodies” try to do their best in communication and marketing.

What sort of approach and ambitions do you have for your own wine estates?
Our two family estates , Prinz Salm on the Nahe and Rheingraf in Rheinhessen, have been recently taken over by my two sons. I look with pride on their enthusiasm to make the best wines from great terroirs and also see their efforts to go new ways in marketing. But most important is for me, that all efforts lead to the primary goal which is to safe and develop the estates also for future generations. Thus both estates are (manufactured) conducted ecologically.

What other interests and projects are you involved with apart from wine?
Since I handed the estates over to my sons, I concentrate more on the development of my investment management company Salm-Salm & Partner focussed on convertibles funds and the administration of properties, including forests. Also I still presidethe land and forest owners associations of Germany.

Are there any further (wine-related) ambitions you'd like to fulfil?
My biggest wine-related goal would be that the VDP’s classification system with Grosses Gewächs from Erste Lage, the Grands Crus, would be legalized for all of Germany.

About Prinz Salm

Prinz Salm was born in 1953 to the distinguished Salm-Dalberg family, one of Europe's oldest and most venerated. Since the time of Charlemagne, for more than a thousand years, the family heritage has been tied to the land, with interests and holdings in forestry, agriculture and wine.

Prinz Salm-Salm's great love is wine, and he takes an active role in the two estates controlled by his family. The Prinz Salm Dalberg'sches Weingut in the Nahe, dates back to A.D. 932 and is reputedly the world's oldest estate remaining within one family.

In addition to the wineries, Prinz Salm-Salm is founder and managing partner of Salm-Salm & Partner GmbH, an investment and real estate consulting company.  Among various duties and honorary positions he is also chairman of the Association of Land Proprietors in Germany and President of the Association of German Forest Proprietors.