No less than Franz Beckenbauer, one of Germany’s soccer legends, received the first VDP “cult box” – a collection of top wines assembled in honor of the VDP’s centennial. In the course of the VDP wine ball in Wiesbaden (24 April), Michael Prinz zu Salm-Salm, honorary president of the VDP, presented the exclusive edition to Beckenbauer, who promised to auction it to the highest bidder. The proceeds will go to the Becken-bauer Foundation, a charity for the needy throughout Germany.The cult box contains a selection of 12 highly prized wines of VDP members’ Grosse Gewächse (great growths), packed in a wooden case that weighs nearly 20 kg, or 44 lbs. The majority of the wines, first released on 1 September 2009, are already sold out. Experts estimate that the cult box will greatly appreciate in years to come.This exclusive edition is limited to 100 boxes. Because demand for the remaining 99 is expected to exceed supply, the Prädikat wine estates have decided to allocate them to the highest bidders. Those interested in placing a bid may do so as of 1 May 2010 by contacting VDP headquarters in Gau-Algesheim. The offer is limited to one cult box per person. The minimum starting bid is €750. Successful bidders will be announced on 26 November, the founding date of the VDP, during the centennial finale.  The cult box includes the following wines:

2008 BRUNNENHÄUSCHEN Riesling Wittmann
2008 DELLCHEN Riesling H. Dönnhoff
2008 FELSENECK Riesling Schäfer-Fröhlich
2008 GRÄFENBERG Riesling Robert Weil
2008 KASTANIENBUSCH Riesling Ökonomierat Rebholz
2008 SCHLOSS JOHANNISBERGER Riesling Weinbaudomäne Schloss Johannisberg
2008 MARIENBURG "ROTHENPFAD" Riesling Clemens Busch
2008 IDIG Riesling A. Christmann
2008 KIRCHENSTÜCK Riesling Franz Künstler
2007 CENTGRAFENBERG Spätburgunder Rudolf Fürst
2007 SOMMERHALDE Spätburgunder Bernhard Huber
2007 PFARRWINGERT Spätburgunder Meyer-Näkel