"For me, it is like a fairy tale that the Ball of Wine can be increased in its attractiveness from year to year", raved Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm, VDP honorary president about the all-around successful evening in the Wiesbaden Kurhaus. True to the ball motto, the organizing Association of German Prädikat Wines (VDP) let the ghost out of the bottle and whisked away 1,500 guests from politics, economy and the German gourmet scene into a fairytale world.
Every year, the VDP seduces the industry with a different motto for a glittering night and thus sets accents. The 13th "Ball des Weins - ein Märchen" under the patronage of the Hessian Prime Minister Volker Bouffier showed once again that a good wine is like a fairy tale, mysterious and of incomparable suspense. 100 German top wines and sparkling wines from 13 wine-growing regions fascinated as much as the ambience and the musical entertainment. A touch of internationality was provided by the Japanese ambassador Takeshi Nakane, who gave greetings from his home country and drew attention to the successful alliance between Japan and German top wines. After all, the Asian wine market is one of the most important customers and is growing steadily, as the ambassador confirmed.
As befitting a fairy tale, numerous queens and princesses from all wine-growing regions crowned the evening with their presence. A true queen ascended the throne in the ballroom and had guests dreaming. The royal host Julia Bertram, 64th German Wine Queen, led through the evening sovereignly and charmingly. Her fairy tales "Vom steilen Weinberg in der Sonne"" (From the steep vineyard in the sun") to "Des Traubenadlers neue Kleider"" (The grape eagle's new clothes") led to stories about the best German wines and their vintners.
Paired with the skills of top chefs, the wines of the VDP wineries rounded off the exquisite food sequences in the ball as well as on the Gaggenau pleasure mile. Just like at "Tischlein deck dich", the team of Käfer's Kurhausgastronomie provided with "Cinderella's Ballschuh": tuna cubes, gamba, shrimp cocktail in the appetizer, "Princess on the Erbse": Fillet of Beef & Ox Cheeks, Pea Puree and White Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce in the main course and "The Frog Prince's Golden Ball": Filled Chocolate Ball with Mango Soup in the dessert for magical moments. The following wines were served: 2009 Karthäuserhofberg Riesling VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS, 2009 Stein Silvaner VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS, 2007 Wolfshöhle Riesling VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS, 2009 Lorcher Schlossberg Riesling Alte Reben, 2009 Schlossberg Spätburgunder VDP.GROSSES GEWÄCHS, 1999 Heppenheimer Centgericht Spätburgunder Eiswein.
Further taste experiences were offered by top chefs from the Selection of German Luxury Hotels and an Austrian partner hotel on the Gaggenau Pleasure Mile. At the stations of court chefs such as Philipp Alexander Ferber (Restaurant Brasserie Breidenbacher Hof, Düsseldorf), Mirko Gaul (Excelsior Hotel Ernst, Cologne), Christoph Rüffer (Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg), Daniel Kaatz (Hotel Nassauer Hof, Wiesbaden); Thomas M. Walkensteiner (Schloss Fuschl Resort & Spa, Salzburg), Martin Lisson (Ritz Carlton, Berlin) and Egbert Engelhardt (Consortium Gastronomie GmbH, Wiesbaden), the strolling guests were also able to enjoy their meal. Just like in the land of milk and honey, the perfect harmony between fairytale temptations and noble wines from the best vineyards was achieved at the wine ball.
Similar to the wonderful pot in the fairytale, which does not stop producing tasty delicacies, further delicacies fulfilled the wishes of the ball guests. Whether gambling in the vinophile casino, enjoying Chocolatier Schell's great chocolates, a tea cocktail or coffee in the "Frog King" or in the longest wine bar of the ball, the participants enjoyed themselves royally. Those who wanted to experience beer enjoyment on a predicate level next to wines of consummate quality and sparkling youthfulness, enjoyed exquisite beers from Braufactum. Fine smoked goods and VDP digestifs completed fairytale-like delights.
The artists of the evening took us into the world of modern fairytales. With Uwe Kroeger and Annemieke van Dam, two great voices known from numerous musicals delighted the ball guests. The shadow theatre "Die Mobilés"" provided magical moments with artistic scenes from fairy tales. Until early in the morning, the guests could dance their shoes off in different halls of the Kurhaus to the sound of the Big Band of the German Armed Forces, to the piano sounds of José Rodriguez or Max Schneider in the Lufthansa Lounge as well as in the disco of John Munich.
As a thank you for the successful musical interpretations, the artists received a special edition from the VDP winery Hans Wirsching from Iphofen. On the occasion of the enthronement of the Dutch royal couple Willem-Alexander and Maxima, at the end of April, the Franconian winery created a royal wine from the best sites of the winery.
Do good and talk about it, this motto also fits in a fairytale setting. Because the proceeds of this year's raffle and gold digging went in favor of the children's aid organization "Wein Saves Lifes"e.V. The association has been supporting concrete projects all over the world for 12 years, which help children to secure their survival. This year, the proceeds will go to the campaign "Sewing is the future" at Mothers' Mercy Home, an orphanage in Kenya. There, children are given the opportunity to learn how to sew. For the future of the orphans, the raffle tickets were quickly sold out. A total of 400 attractive prizes, among them numerous events in and with the VDP predicate wineries, were to be won. In addition to excellent wine rarities, exclusive main prizes from the ball partners, such as an intercontinental flight in business class for 2 people from LUFTHANSA or a club holiday for 2 people in Cyprus from ALDIANA or a wine refrigerator from GAGGENAU HAUSGERÄTE or a 50g gold nugget from Juwelier STOESS went to the lucky winners.
The 13th Ball of Wine -A Fairy Tale ended in the wee hours of the morning, proving once again that German wine is not a fictional tale, but real world magic that delights the mind and palate. "It was a grandiose production for all vintners, friends and partners of the VDP, which is already causing joy for a new edition," Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm speaks from the hearts of the ball guests.
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