Get ready to cast off on the Potomac for a German wine cruise! Yes, the Capital Chapter of the German Wine Society is once again holding our Potomac wine cruise this summer, back by popular demand after last year’s very successful voyage. As we did in July 2021, and also regularly for several years in 2010-2013 and earlier, we will enjoy the traditional GWS summer wine cruise past the beautiful river banks and monuments of our nation’s Capital. Please join us to enjoy many wines from Germany and other countries as we cruise along the Potomac for two hours, from 3 pm to 5 pm on Saturday, July 16, 2022. We will board Capitol River Cruises’ Nightingale from the Georgetown waterfront, at 3050 K Street N.W., Washington, D.C. – the end of 31st Street, by the Fiola Mare restaurant. Be sure to be on the wharf before departure time – the cruise boat cannot wait for late arrivals! We can accommodate only 50 guests on the Nightingale for this event, so reserve early to avoid disappointment. Reservations for this event are due by Tuesday, July 12, 2022, to give us sufficient time to have enough wine and supplies for all aboard.
Parking is readily available in garages along the Georgetown riverfront, and it is possible to walk from Metro at the Foggy Bottom station as well (if you are a good walker). We will be providing all the wines for this event, as well as disposable plastic glasses and cutlery, paper plates and napkins, and will also bring some deli sandwiches or other snacks. Guests are also encouraged to bring their own favorite cheeses, breads or other food on board. This will be a relaxing cruise, with no presentation, allowing everyone to concentrate on the wines, good company and atmosphere. There are many outdoor and indoor dining establishments along the Georgetown waterfront for dinner after the cruise, which we encourage you to try.
The Nightingale is a boat we have used for some previous cruises, and is all on one level, with tables and chairs, and a bar area from which we can serve wines. It also has protection against inclement weather, though we have been fortunate with our past wine cruises and reasonably hope for a sunny afternoon once again. The cruise will take place rain or shine, unless weather conditions do not allow the cruise to set out safely, in which case we will reschedule or provide refunds.
The wines for our cruise will be a mixture of whites and reds, mostly German but with some other international wines included as well for variety (from Luxembourg, Alsace, Austria, or other regions of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire). There will be a good mixture of both dry and sweet wines, including many Spätlese prädikat wines! Because this is not a formal presentation, and we will only have one or two bottles on hand of each of the wines listed, everyone will not get the same wines, but all on the voyage should have the chance to savor around 8-10 different wines. We look forward to sharing the lovely qualities of these German and international wines with our members and guests again in-person, an experience we had to miss for much of the past two years. Here’s the wine list we have planned:
Sparkling Wines
NV Von Winning Riesling Sekt Extra Brut Pfalz
2016 Von Schubert Maximin Grunhauser Riesling Sekt Brut
German Wines (8 of 13 German wine regions represented)
2015 Vinum Autmundis Umstädter Stachelberg Pinot Blanc Trocken Hessische Bergstrasse
2015 and 2016 Bollig-Lehnert Piesporter Goldtropfchen Riesling Spätlese Mosel
2019 Clemens Busch Riesling Trocken Mosel
2019 Clemens Busch von Roten Schiefer Riesling Mosel
2013 Donnhoff Norheimer Kirschberg Riesling Spätlese Nahe
2016 Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese Nahe
2014 Dr. Loosen Riesling Mosel
2017 Dr. Thanisch Riesling Spätlese Mosel
2015 Dr. Nagler Ruedesheim Bischofsberg Riesling Kabinett Feinherb Rheingau
2019 Dr. Wagner Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett Mosel
2017 Erich Schonleber Halenberg Riesling GG Nahe
2018 Falkenstein Niedermenninger Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese Feinherb Mosel
2018 Falkenstein Krettnacher Eucharisberg Riesling Kabinett Alte Reben Mosel
2015 Forstmeister Geltz Zilliken Saarburger Rausch Riesling Kabinett Mosel
NV Fritz Muller Perlwein Mueller-Thurgau Trocken Rheinhessen
2017 Knauss Trollinger Wuerttemberg
2017 Messmer BurrWeller Altenforst Rieslaner Spätlese Pfalz
2014 Muller-Catoir Haarst Buergergarten Riesling Trocken Pfalz
2016 Schnaitmann Lemberger Trocken Wuerttemberg
2018 Shelter Winery Lovely Lilly Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) Baden
Wines from Other Countries (6 countries represented)
2012 Bernard-Massard Rivaner Luxembourg
2017 Paul Blanck Gewuerztraminer Alsace
2017 Hillinger Spatburgunder Burgenland Austria
2014 Markowitsch Rubin Carnuntum Zweigelt Goettlesbrunn Austria
2014 Chateau Valtice Vino z Czech Rivaner Czechia
2015 Brkic Citfucka Zilavka Bosnia
2017 Cantina Tramin Lagrein Sudtirol Italy
2018 Elena Walch Trollinger Südtirol Italy
Our event price is $68 for members and $75 for non-member guests. Despite rising fuel costs that have substantially increased the cost for our boat rental, our event price is only $5 more than last year. As our GWS chapter website is still not working properly for orders and we cannot post this event there yet, we are requesting all members and guests to make their reservations by mailing in the attached reservation form with a check. Please make all checks payable to “German Wine Society” and send by mail to Carl Willner, Capital Chapter President and Secretary and the organizer for this event, at 1014 Reserve Champion Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, together with the completed registration form below. Cut the reservation form below and send with your check – do not mail the entire page. If you owe dues to qualify for member status, please submit a $35 dues payment (for an individual or couple) either online or by check. The Chapter Secretary can confirm your membership status if you are not sure. If you have questions about the event, please contact Carl Willner by email at carl.willner1@verizon.net. If the website is restored and we can post the event there before the deadline, you would also then have the option to register and pay for this event via Paypal by going to our website: https://germanwinesocietydc.org. You will need to set up a GWS account if you have not done so already for past events, and have a Paypal account.
We are eagerly anticipating seeing all of you in person again for this comfortable afternoon on the Potomac!
All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should rely on a designated driver or public transportation, and if those are not available, drink in moderation, tasting the wines rather than finishing them.
We are very pleased that it has become safe enough to do in-person events once again, consistent with CDC guidelines and local D.C. health rules. For added security of our members, however, we request that you attend this event only if you have been fully vaccinated against covid-19. Proof of vaccination will be requested, and can either be shown when arriving for the event, or supplied in advance by a legible e-mailed photo. We have followed this policy successfully since last year’s cruise, and given that covid risks still exist in our community, we want everyone to be able to feel secure in attending this special wine cruise. We are not sure whether there will be any mask requirement in effect at the time of the cruise, either imposed by city authorities or the cruise company, but please have a mask on hand to wear when boarding and interacting with boat crew should that be required (the crew has also been vaccinated). Masks will not be required otherwise once everyone is aboard – a significant advantage of doing an outdoor event.
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RESERVATION FORM for Saturday, July 16, 2022, German Wine Society Potomac Wine Cruise
Member(s) Name(s) ___________________________________________________
Guest(s) Names(s) _____________________________________________________
Total Enclosed ________________________________________________________
Daytime/ Cell Phone Number _____________________________________________
E-Mail _______________________________________________________________
