Christian Ress

Christian Ress, Innovator and Wine Entrepreneur of the Year 2025, embodies the rare combination of lived tradition, digital pioneering spirit and entrepreneurial courage – a blend that comes alive both in his wines and on stage.

For him, standing still is never an option – especially in a world that constantly evolves. Ress demonstrates how to honour heritage while boldly breaking new ground. As owner of the historic Balthasar Ress winery and founder of the international wineBANK, he merges centuries-old craftsmanship with digital innovation – not as a contradiction, but as a proven recipe for success. To him, tradition means not preserving ashes, but passing on fire.

Christian Ress Keynote Topics

Christian Ress brings his experiences to the stage and combines them with emotion, storytelling and wine tastings:

  • “Best Friends: Tradition Meets Innovation” – A behind-the-scenes look at a family business conquering global markets.
  • “Treasure Hunt in the Quarry Lake – The Secret of Extraordinary Wine” – How creativity can turn into powerful media events.
  • “Vineyard on Sylt – The Adventure that Made Keitum Germany’s Northernmost Wine-Growing Community” – When the impossible becomes possible.
  • “wineBANK – This Is How Community Has Worked Since 2009” – How a seemingly simple idea grew into a “small world market leader”.

The Balthasar Ress winery looks back on 155 years of history. Now in its fifth generation, Christian Ress is driving professionalisation and internationalisation: from a regional producer to a global player, now present in more than 40 countries. In parallel, he has founded other companies within the wine industry value chain – today his enterprises employ around 100 people. The common thread: consistent quality, a strong brand story and the courage to take unconventional paths.

Unconventional ideas that move the industry

What happens when curiosity meets perseverance? Projects arise such as the underwater wine “Resspekt”, matured at a depth of 18 metres in the Diez quarry lake, a prize-winning Riesling cuvée with a truly distinctive profile. Or the cultivation of vines on Germany’s northernmost vineyard on Sylt – an experiment that pushed boundaries and drew nationwide attention. Equally groundbreaking: the wineBANK, established in 2009 and grown into an international community with 15 locations across four countries and around 3,000 members – a space for storage, encounters and exchange around wine, proving how a simple idea can become a “small world market leader”.

What your audience will take away

Participants learn how a valuable legacy can become a springboard for innovation, why strong stories generate more attention than mere product features, how to turn customers into loyal members of a living brand, and why controlled experimentation can help escape competition. If desired, Christian Ress and his team round off the keynote with a wine tasting – creating a multisensory experience that resonates long after the event.

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