A fresh face at the VDP, the 'elite club' of 200 German winemakers: Theresa Olkus. Still only 29 and company director since 2022. - TEXT KARIN LEEUWENHOEK | IMAGE THERESA OLKUS
Young blood
How did you join the VDP?
'It was always my dream to connect wine and communication. My parents both come from winemaking families and I grew up working in the vineyard. When I saw a vacancy of the VDP (Verband Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter) after my master's degree in Communication Science & Media Studies, I immediately thought: that would be a perfect fit! I started at the beginning of 2020. In 2021, I became vice-company manager, alongside Hilke Nagel, and since January 2022 we swapped and so I am company manager and Hilke is co-company manager. We are very happy that we work so well together as a duo and can share tasks.'
We are seeing more and more young faces at the VDP aren't we?
'Yes, both in the office and on the board and at the wineries themselves, you see a new generation. For example, the VDP board now includes young winemakers such as Julian Huber from Baden, Caroline Diel from the Nahe and Moritz Haidle from Württemberg.'
Württemberg! That's your Heimat too, right?
'True, I come from the wine village of Markelsheim. As a child, we were spared nothing in terms of helping in the vineyards. My studies were in a different direction, and then I trained as a TV presenter. But when I joined the wine magazine Vinum to work, wine was back in my working life.
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