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Oktoberfest Tasting
October 10, 2014 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
Please join us on Friday, October 10, at 7:30 p.m., for our Oktoberfest tasting at the Harbour Square Club Room, which provides us a stunning view of the Washington skyline. The price for this tasting is $35 for members, $42 for guests.
In past years for our Oktoberfests, we virtually visited most of the wine regions of Germany: the Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Mosel, Salle-Unstrut, Franken, Hessische Bergstrasse, Baden, Wuerttemberg, Ahr, and Nahe (only the Mittelrhein and Sachsen are missing from our tours). This year, our Oktoberfest is going international, with a wine tour along a famous river valley and wine-growing region that traverses Germany, Luxembourg and France – the Mosel/Moselle. Our tour provides an opportunity to experience both wines from our cellar and newly acquired ones from local retailers, along with snacks, representing the three countries along the Mosel/Moselle. As with years past, your pourers (board members) have undertaken considerable research to ensure that your experience is both delicious and educational.
The French portion of the Moselle is an old wine-growing region in Lorraine, and now has its own wine appellation, AOC Moselle, but with the smallest production by far of the three countries lining the river, only a couple of hundred hectares at most. Wine growing in this area was formerly much more extensive than today, but suffered from Phylloxerra, World War I, and industrialization, and at one point almost died out, but has been recovering in recent decades. But because the production is still small, we are supplementing the French portion of our tour with some Riesling wines from well-known producers in neighboring Alsace as well as from the Moselle proper (where very little Riesling is grown, with the principal grapes allowed in the AOC being Auxerrois, Elbing, Muller-Thurgau, Gamay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir, and there is also a little Gewürztraminer). Our wines from the French Moselle and Alsace will include:
-Chateau de Vaux Les Hautes-Bassieres, Pinot Noir, AOC Moselle (2012) – the only red wine on our tour
-Chateau de Vaux Les Gryphees, AOC Moselle (2013) – a white wine blend
-Dirler Grand Cru Saering, Riesling, AOC Alsace (2008)
-Domaine Weinbach, Cuvee Ste. Catherine, Riesling, AOC Alsace (2012)
Next we come to the Moselle region in Luxembourg whose wines we have already been fortunate to enjoy in two tastings at the Luxembourg Embassy in Washington. Any members who have not attended those spectacular events should be sure to experience the wines of Luxembourg now, while our cellar supply lasts – Luxembourg wines are rarely exported to the U.S., as the production is only about 1200 hectares in a single wine region, the Moselle Luxembourgoise, and most of that is consumed domestically. But there is a wide variety of grapes, producing primarily white wines, including Riesling, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and others. Here, we will experience the following wines:
-Bernard-Massard Clos des Rochers, Grand Premier Cru, Riesling (2007)
-Bernard-Massard Clos des Rochers, Grand Premier Cru, Auxerrois (2009)
-Bernard-Massard Clos des Rochers, Grand Premier Cru, Pinos Gris (2008)
-and one dessert wine for each – either
-Guy Krier-Welbes Ellange-Gare Bech-Klien Nau, Vendange Tardive, Riesling (2010)
or
-Guy Krier-Welbes Ellange-Gare Bech-Klien Nau, Vendange Tardive, Gewurztraminer (2009)
Finally, we come to the magnificence of the German Mosel, also primarily a white wine region, with the share of Rieslings here rising to over 50%. The wine production here dwarfs the other two countries on the Moselle, with over 12,800 hectares cultivated in the German Mosel. Though the Mosel is Germany’s third largest wine region in terms of area and production, it is often considered to rank highest in the quality of its vineyards, especially those in the Middle Mosel. The Upper Mosel (Obermosel) is more like Luxembourg, with less steep hills and around 800 hectares cultivated, while the most famed Mosel wines are commonly encountered on the steep-sided slate hillsides in the Middle and Lower Mosel. From the German Mosel, we will experience:
-Dr. Thanisch, Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr, Spatlese, Riesling, Middle Mosel (2009)
-Bollig Lehnert, Piersporter Goldtropfchen, Spatlese, Riesling, Middle Mosel (2004)
-Meulenhof, Erdener Treppchen, Spatlese, Riesling, Middle Mosel (1996)
-Staatsdomaene, Trierer St. Maximiner Kreuzberg, Auslese, Riesling, Upper Mosel (1990)
The address for our tasting is 500 N Street SW, Washington, DC, 20024. It is very easy to get to and park there. Just be sure to factor in the horrendous bridge traffic, if coming in from outside Washington. We have reserved a few spaces in the Harbour Square complex’s visitor parking area, but we cannot guarantee that parking will be available. Metro is very accessible, the Green Line, Waterfront-SEU, www.wmata.com.
The deadline for reservations is Saturday, October 4. Please send your check ($35 for members, $42 for guests) with your reservation to ensure your seat is reserved for you. [We are exploring creating an electronic payment and reservation alternative in connection with a new chapter website we are developing, and if that is ready in time for this tasting, members will be notified.]
Also, if you have not paid your annual dues yet (July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015), please include $35 with your check (single or couple membership).
All Society members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication, and therefore Society members and their guests are expected to drink in moderation at Society events. It is advisable to provide designated drivers or other modes of transit where available, or mostly to taste rather than consume alcohol when such drivers or alternative means of transportation are not available.
In past years for our Oktoberfests, we virtually visited most of the wine regions of Germany: the Rheingau, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Mosel, Salle-Unstrut, Franken, Hessische Bergstrasse, Baden, Wuerttemberg, Ahr, and Nahe (only the Mittelrhein and Sachsen are missing from our tours). This year, our Oktoberfest is going international, with a wine tour along a famous river valley and wine-growing region that traverses Germany, Luxembourg and France – the Mosel/Moselle. Our tour provides an opportunity to experience both wines from our cellar and newly acquired ones from local retailers, along with snacks, representing the three countries along the Mosel/Moselle. As with years past, your pourers (board members) have undertaken considerable research to ensure that your experience is both delicious and educational.
The French portion of the Moselle is an old wine-growing region in Lorraine, and now has its own wine appellation, AOC Moselle, but with the smallest production by far of the three countries lining the river, only a couple of hundred hectares at most. Wine growing in this area was formerly much more extensive than today, but suffered from Phylloxerra, World War I, and industrialization, and at one point almost died out, but has been recovering in recent decades. But because the production is still small, we are supplementing the French portion of our tour with some Riesling wines from well-known producers in neighboring Alsace as well as from the Moselle proper (where very little Riesling is grown, with the principal grapes allowed in the AOC being Auxerrois, Elbing, Muller-Thurgau, Gamay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir, and there is also a little Gewürztraminer). Our wines from the French Moselle and Alsace will include:
-Chateau de Vaux Les Hautes-Bassieres, Pinot Noir, AOC Moselle (2012) – the only red wine on our tour
-Chateau de Vaux Les Gryphees, AOC Moselle (2013) – a white wine blend
-Dirler Grand Cru Saering, Riesling, AOC Alsace (2008)
-Domaine Weinbach, Cuvee Ste. Catherine, Riesling, AOC Alsace (2012)
Next we come to the Moselle region in Luxembourg whose wines we have already been fortunate to enjoy in two tastings at the Luxembourg Embassy in Washington. Any members who have not attended those spectacular events should be sure to experience the wines of Luxembourg now, while our cellar supply lasts – Luxembourg wines are rarely exported to the U.S., as the production is only about 1200 hectares in a single wine region, the Moselle Luxembourgoise, and most of that is consumed domestically. But there is a wide variety of grapes, producing primarily white wines, including Riesling, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer and others. Here, we will experience the following wines:
-Bernard-Massard Clos des Rochers, Grand Premier Cru, Riesling (2007)
-Bernard-Massard Clos des Rochers, Grand Premier Cru, Auxerrois (2009)
-Bernard-Massard Clos des Rochers, Grand Premier Cru, Pinos Gris (2008)
-and one dessert wine for each – either
-Guy Krier-Welbes Ellange-Gare Bech-Klien Nau, Vendange Tardive, Riesling (2010)
or
-Guy Krier-Welbes Ellange-Gare Bech-Klien Nau, Vendange Tardive, Gewurztraminer (2009)
Finally, we come to the magnificence of the German Mosel, also primarily a white wine region, with the share of Rieslings here rising to over 50%. The wine production here dwarfs the other two countries on the Moselle, with over 12,800 hectares cultivated in the German Mosel. Though the Mosel is Germany’s third largest wine region in terms of area and production, it is often considered to rank highest in the quality of its vineyards, especially those in the Middle Mosel. The Upper Mosel (Obermosel) is more like Luxembourg, with less steep hills and around 800 hectares cultivated, while the most famed Mosel wines are commonly encountered on the steep-sided slate hillsides in the Middle and Lower Mosel. From the German Mosel, we will experience:
-Dr. Thanisch, Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr, Spatlese, Riesling, Middle Mosel (2009)
-Bollig Lehnert, Piersporter Goldtropfchen, Spatlese, Riesling, Middle Mosel (2004)
-Meulenhof, Erdener Treppchen, Spatlese, Riesling, Middle Mosel (1996)
-Staatsdomaene, Trierer St. Maximiner Kreuzberg, Auslese, Riesling, Upper Mosel (1990)
The address for our tasting is 500 N Street SW, Washington, DC, 20024. It is very easy to get to and park there. Just be sure to factor in the horrendous bridge traffic, if coming in from outside Washington. We have reserved a few spaces in the Harbour Square complex’s visitor parking area, but we cannot guarantee that parking will be available. Metro is very accessible, the Green Line, Waterfront-SEU, www.wmata.com.
The deadline for reservations is Saturday, October 4. Please send your check ($35 for members, $42 for guests) with your reservation to ensure your seat is reserved for you. [We are exploring creating an electronic payment and reservation alternative in connection with a new chapter website we are developing, and if that is ready in time for this tasting, members will be notified.]
Also, if you have not paid your annual dues yet (July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015), please include $35 with your check (single or couple membership).
All Society members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication, and therefore Society members and their guests are expected to drink in moderation at Society events. It is advisable to provide designated drivers or other modes of transit where available, or mostly to taste rather than consume alcohol when such drivers or alternative means of transportation are not available.
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