Who we are

The German Wine Institute (DWI) is the central communication and marketing organization of the German wine industry.

The core task of the DWI is to promote the quality and sales of wines from the German wine-growing regions through competition-neutral marketing measures at home and abroad. This essentially includes market research and reporting, press and public relations work, the implementation of image campaigns including corresponding events, participation in national and international trade fairs and the organization of wine presentations and events together with German producers all over the world.

In addition, the DWI provides comprehensive information about the wines from the German wine-growing regions at www.germanwines.de , on homepages in the respective national languages, in podcasts, a specially developed app and on various social media channels. Moreover, the DWI issues information brochures, regular information services, publications and advertising materials, conducts training courses and seminars, especially for representatives from the catering and retail sectors and advises the wine industry on questions of sales promotion at home and abroad.

Organization

At the DWI, located in Bodenheim near Mainz, around 45 employees are currently involved in the interests of the German wine industry under the leadership of Managing Director Monika Reule. In addition, there are the “Information Offices for German Wine” in the most important foreign markets for German wine exports. The DWI is currently active in a total of 15 international markets: Belgium, China, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, Japan, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and the USA.

Overall, the wine institute’s work is carried out by four horizontally linked departments.

The communication department, directed by Frank Schulz, is the central contact point for all questions related to German wine. Initial contact for domestic and foreign journalists is the press section, headed by Ernst Büscher. The advertising and market research section, headed by Eberhard Abele, handles the coordination of advertising measures, the production of advertising and informative materials  as well as the domestic and foreign market research. The online communication section is headed by Pia Johannsen.

The marketing department, directed by Steffen Schindler, develops marketing concepts for the domestic and foreign markets, as well as coordinates and implements appropriate measures. In 2018, the wine institute has 14 external “information bureaus” (Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Great Britain, The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, China, Japan and the USA).

The on and off trade department, directed by Udo Pawliza, handles cooperation with retail key accounts, the wine (specialised) trade and hospitality industry, develops concepts and measures relevant to these branches. The training section headed by Michaela Nübling is part of the on and off trade department. It is committed to the further development of the training programs and seminars offered by the wine institute

The administration/central services department, directed by Jens Schneider, handles all matters related to finances and personnel, monitors contributions to the German Wine Fund, procures wines for and maintains the wine institute’s cellar stocks and takes care of internal services (telecommunication, incoming and outgoing mail, etc.).

 

Legal Status

The German Wine Institute is part of a network working on behalf of the interests of the German wine industry. Its business operations are supervised by the Deutscher Weinfonds (DWF, or German Wine Fund).

The German Wine Fund was established as a legal entity under public law in the federal German wine law of 29 August 1961. It is supported by the wine industry and subject to the statutory supervision of the Federal Ministry for Nutrition and Agriculture. Today, it is subject to the current stipulations of the German wine law.

The German Wine Institute was founded in 1949 as a privately operated initiative, a legal entity comparable with a PLC (public limited company – or in German, GmbH) under the name “Deutsche Weinwerbung” (German Wine Promotion). The sole shareholder is the German Wine Fund.

 

Institutions

The highest authority of the German Wine Fund is the administrative board. It consists of 44 members: 18 representatives of wine-growers and cooperatives; 8 representatives of the regional wine promotion boards; 8 representatives of other wine-related organizations; and 10 representatives from the marketing and consumer branches. Fundamental decisions affecting the German Wine Institute are made at the annual meeting. The day-to-day business of the German Wine Fund and the German Wine Institute is handled by a member of the board of the German Wine Fund and/or the managing director of the German Wine Institute.

The German Wine Fund and the German Wine Institute are actively involved in the coordination of generic promotion as prescribed by law. The coordination of regional and multiregional measures by Deutsche Weinwerbe GmbH (promotional materials management company) is synergetically and financially efficient. As a partner of the Deutsche Weinakademie (DWA, or German Wine Academy), the German Wine Institute substantially supports the academy’s scientific research that pursues the development of legal and social key data related to the themes “wine and society,” “wine and health,” and “wine and quality of life.” The German Wine Academy collects and assesses data, promotes scientific research, and disseminates its findings in various ways.

 

Promotion of Quality

Promoting the quality of the wines of Germany’s 13 wine-growing regions by supporting quality competitions and scientific research is a major contribution to marketing. This also includes fostering fair competition and the protection of certain native wine designatons domestically and abroad.