GWS SPARGELFEST RETURNS!
2023-05-19 19:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Cafe Berlin, 322 Massachusetts Avenue NE, Washington, DC, 20002, United States
Dear German Wine Society Members and Guests,Spring in Washington announces itself with cherry blossoms, migrating songbirds, and tasty ramps at farmers’ markets. In Germany, nothing epitomizes Spring like the revered white stalks of Spargel (aparagus)! The green variety is more popular in North America, and tends to be available in supermarkets year-round. Germans, however, prefer the white variety that is harvested from mid-April to near the end of June (St. John’s Day), and often is harder to find in the United States. They’ve given this harvest season its own name — Spargelzeit — and celebrate it with passion.Rich in nutrients and very low in calories, asparagus has become a culinary status symbol for many Germans. To produce white asparagus, soil is piled up into knee-high banks, which give the fields their characteristic appearance. White asparagus grows entirely surrounded by earth, which protects the slender stalks from sunlight exposure and keeps them from turning green. This also affects the subtle flavor of it. The popular vegetable is cultivated in almost all federal states as well as in neighboring countries. In fact, Germans consume more white asparagus than their country produces, so it is necessary to import it.Join the German Wine Society’s Capital Chapter on May 19 for a three-course Spargelfest dinner at Cafe Berlin on Capitol Hill featuring not only the elegant vegetable in both its green and white versions, but also fine German wines, including Silvaner, known for its affinity with asparagus. We have two such Silvaner wines, from Franken, bottled in the traditional, picturesque squat bocksbeutel, in addition to a sparkling wine, two other dry whites and two sweet whites. This is the first time in four years that we have been able to celebrate a Spargelfest together, with past locations having included the German Embassy House, Cafe Mozart (now regrettably closed), and Cafe Berlin itself. We look forward to our return to this elegant locale recalling the atmosphere of 1920s Berlin.DATE: Friday, May 19th, 2023. Doors open at 6:30 pm; tasting begins at 7:00 pm. Registrations are due by Monday, May 15, 2023. This is expected to be a very popular event, and seating is limited to the first 40 who reserve, so reserve early to avoid disappointment. In order to give a wider chance to attend to our members, we are limiting reservations to groups of no more than four. If you have other friends who want to come, please encourage them to reserve separately.VENUE: Cafe Berlin, 322 Massachusetts Ave. NE, Washington, DC . On-street parking nearby is very limited. The parking garage at Union Station can be entered from the bridge on H St. NE east of North Capitol Street. The Metrorail Red Line serves Union Station, as do many Metrobus lines. The restaurant is a short walk down Massachusetts from the Station’s front entrance. Metrobus lines 96, D6, and X8 stop on Massachusetts near the restaurant. SPARGELFEST MENU AND WINES:Welcome Toast NV Dr. Loosen “Dr. L” Sparkling RieslingFirst (Appetizer) CourseSpargel Salat (spinach, roasted green and white asparagus, shaved fennel & kohlrabi, potato vinaigrette, toasted sesame seeds, herbed croutons)2021 Dönnhoff Tonschiefer Riesling Trocken Nahe (WA 92)2021 Weiser-Künstler Estate Riesling Feinherb MoselSecond (Main) Course Spargel mit Hollandaise und Salzkartoffel (white asparagus with new potatoes and Hollandaise sauce), served with a Pork Schnitzel or Chicken Schnitzel (choice of guest)2020 Bürgerspital Würzburger Silvaner Trocken Franken (Vivino 3.7)2021 Wirsching Iphöfer Silvaner Trocken Franken (Falstaff 90)Third (Dessert) CourseSpargeleis (asparagus ice cream with Vanilla Spongecake, strawberry-mint salad, rhubarb curd), and Erdbeern-Rhubarber (Strawberry-Rhubarb Cake with vanilla custard and a streusel crumb topping) (both desserts included, half portions of each)2020 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Mosel (WA 93+)2018 Merkelbach Ürziger Würzgarten Urgluck #11 Riesling Auslese Mosel (VM 90)If you have any questions, please email the organizer, Jim Palanchar: jimpalanchar@earthlink.net .PRICE AND RESERVATIONS: The cost to attend our Spargelfest dinner is $89 per person for GWS members and $99 for non-members, payable in advance online through our website using PayPal or by check. Whichever method you use, please be sure to register and pay the appropriate price based on whether you are a GWS member or non-member. If you are not sure of your current membership status, please contact the GWS Capital Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, at carl.willner1@verizon.net . You can also become a member or renew, if your membership is not current, together with your registration for this event by including an annual $35 dues payment (for an individual or a couple). When making reservations, be sure to indicate your choice of pork or chicken schnitzel in the main course (there is no difference in price, but we need a count for the restaurant). To register and pay by PayPal, go to our chapter website: germanwinesocietydc.org. You will need to create a GWS account for the website if you do not already have one, and you will also need to have a PayPal account, as we cannot accept payment by other forms of credit or online transfer. If you are coming as a couple or other group, you can either register and pay for each individual separately, or do it as part of a single transaction and complete the payment on PayPal together. If you do a single transaction, please also email the Secretary of the GWS Capital Chapter at the address above to provide the names of each individual coming, as the individual names will not all appear on the website form for multiple persons registering together. To register and pay by check, detach and complete the form below, indicating all names of persons who will be coming, and mail it, with your check made out to the ‘German Wine Society’, to the Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner: 1014 Reserve Champion Drive, Rockville, MD 20850. HEALTH AND SAFETY: We have modified our policy with respect to proof of covid-19 vaccination this year. Members and guests who have attended our in-person events in 2021, 2022, or earlier in 2023, and shown proof of covid-19 vaccination previously, will no longer be required to do so for admission. For the health and safety of all members and guests, however, those members and guests who have not attended one of our in-person events in the past two years will be required to affirm that they are fully vaccinated for covid-19 when registering or checking in at the event, and should be prepared to provide proof of vaccination when arriving at the event if requested. Thereafter, for future events they will be treated as other members and guests who have previously attended and shown proof of vaccination. Proof may consist of either sending an e-mail in advance to the GWS Capital Chapter Secretary with a legible photo image of a vaccination card, or producing a vaccination card at the event either physically or by a legible photo image. Members and guests who fail to provide proof of vaccination and have not previously done so will not be admitted. Masks will not be necessary. All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation to events, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them.If you no longer wish to receive our announcements, please reply to this email to the sender.If registering by mail, please fill out and cut the reservation form below with your check – do not mail the entire notice.GERMAN WINE SOCIETY SPARGELFEST – May 19, 2023Member(s) Name___________________________________________________Non-Member(s) Name_______________________________________________Amount Paid ______________________________________________________Choices of Entree (Pork or Chicken Schnitzel) ____________________________Email ____________________________________________________________ Telephone_________________________________________________________

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Oktober Weinfest
2023-09-15 18:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | German Embassy House, 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20037, United States
ANNOUNCING THE GERMAN WINE SOCIETY’S OKTOBER WEINFEST CELEBRATION AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2023! German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wine,It is a pleasure to announce that the German Embassy has invited us once again to hold our Oktober Weinfest celebration at the German Embassy House! And for this event, we will also be introduced to the German Embassy’s new chef, Mikko Kosenen of Mikko Nordic Fine Foods, who also operates a restaurant in Washington, D.C., and was formerly executive chef for the Ambassador of Finland. Please plan to join us to share our love of German wine, at the German Embassy where the German Wine Society began 46 years ago. Our “Oktober Weinfest” celebrates the fall harvest season and is being held on the eve of the famed Munich Oktoberfest in Germany., which runs this year from September 16 through October 3. Oktober Weinfest will take place on the evening of Friday, September 15, 2023, from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the Embassy House of the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., with admission to the Embassy beginning at 6:00 pm. Below are all the details you will need about the wines, food, registration, payment and getting to the event. Registration for this event is now closed. Here’s what we have planned for our Oktober Weinfest:September 15, 6:00 pm (entry to Embassy compound passing through security beginning 6 pm): Reception and wine dinner at the German Embassy House. Enter at the main Embassy gate on 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, and proceed up the stairway alongside the main Embassy building depicted here to the Embassy House on the upper level. For those who have difficulty ascending the stairs, escorts from the Embassy staff can bring guests through the Embassy building and up an elevator.
Our Oktober Weinfest will feature eleven German wines, representing six wine regions and three grapes. All of the white wines featured in the dinner are from the 2021 vintage, but differ from the 2021 wine in our New Vintages tasting earlier this year, completing the picture of this excellent vintage. We will begin with a sekt reception on the patio (weather permitting) and followed by a multi-course seated buffet dinner inside the Embassy House. For security purposes, the Embassy requires a list of all attendees in advance; no walk-ins are allowed. Please remember to bring a valid picture ID. There is no parking available on Embassy grounds, but it should not be difficult at this time of day to find parking on the street nearby if you are driving. Be alert, however, to DC parking restrictions. The German Embassy is not near a Metro subway stop, but it is also possible to arrive by Metro bus (D6 to Foxhall Rd.) or by taxi/ride service. 6:00pm Welcoming menu: hors d’ oeuvres + Sparkling wine served at Patio Gravlax with House Pickled Cucumber/Bavarian Mustard Sauce Beetroot Hummus on Seed Bread with Pickled Beets (GF) Grilled Chicken Skewers with Spinach Sauce These hors d’oeuvres will be accompanied by the following sparkling wine: Nv Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling Dr. L Mosel 7:00pm Dinner Buffet: inside cantina Assortment of Sausages/Bratwurst, Currywurst, Austrian Mini Sausages/Mustard, Sauerkraut Herb Crusted Salmon with Small Dill Potatoes, Herb Sauce Mini Chicken Schnitzels with Lemon-Caper Butter Assortment of Herring, in Wine sauce, Matjes, Mustard/Egg Salad German Style Potato Salad Tomato-Mozzarella Salad Kale Caesar Salad Roasted Honey-Thyme Vegetables Pretzels with Cheese-Beer Dip Assortment of Bread/Whipped Butter These dishes will be served with four flights of wines as follows: Red Wines 2019 Rebholz Spätburgunder Pfalz and 2018 Meyer-Näkel Blue Slate Spätburgunder Ahr Trocken (Dry) White Wines 2021 Max Müller Volkach Silvaner Trocken Franken (in Bocksbeutel) and 2021 Dönnhoff Tonschiefer Riesling Trocken Nahe Kabinett White Wines 2021 Hermann Ludes Thornitcher Ritsch “Monster” Riesling Kabinett Feinherb Mosel and 2021 Thanisch Erben Thanisch Dr. H Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett Mosel Spätlese White Wines 2021 Spreitzer Oestricher Lenchen 303 Riesling Spätlese Rheingau and 2021 Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Mosel Dessert buffet: Lingonberry Bread Pudding Apple Tart Chocolate Pannacotta These dishes will be served with a flight of two sweet wines: 2021 Karl Erbes Erdener Prälat Riesling Auslese Gold Cap Mosel (1/2 bottle) and 2021 J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese Mosel (1/2 bottle) Coffee and Tea service at end, with bottled still and sparkling water provided at tables We anticipate being joined by members of the German Embassy staff. Please take the opportunity to mingle with them and share your interests in German wines and Germany! The 60-person limit on attendance at this event, including Embassy guests, has been reached and registration is now closed. For this event, we are no longer requiring that guests provide proof of vaccination against covid-19, or wear masks when arriving. We do encourage our members and guests, however, to be up to date in vaccinations, and request that if you contract covid-19 or another communicable illness, or test positive for covid-19, you refrain from attending the event and protect the health of others. We can refund payments if you notify us that you are not able to attend the event for this reason prior to the start of the event. All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation to events, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them. The event coordinator for the Oktober Weinfest is Carl Willner, Capital Chapter President and Secretary, and National Vice President and Secretary. Please send any questions to Carl at carl.willner1@verizon.net . We look forward to seeing you for our October Weinfest!

Holiday Dinner at the Cosmos Club - December 16, 2023
2023-12-16 18:00 - 22:00 UTC | Cosmos Club, 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE GERMAN WINE SOCIETY HOLIDAY DINNER AT THE COSMOS CLUB, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2023, 6 pm – 10 pmHo, Ho, Ho, German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wines, it’s nearly time to hang the stockings and dream of delicious German wine! We can gather in person again in Washington, D.C. amidst all the elegance of Embassy Row. So, please plan to attend the GWS Holiday paired dinner at the Cosmos Club, Saturday, December 16, 2023 for dinner starting at 7:00 pm, with registration and service of welcoming sekt and hors d’oeuvres beginning at 6:00 pm. We are very fortunate to have access to this elegant and festive venue again this year. The Cosmos Club is no longer requiring proof of vaccination against covid-19 for all staff, members and guests in the mansion, and this year we have also lifted this requirement, though we still encourage guests to be vaccinated.The paired dinner includes a variety of seven wines (mainly German, with one Austrian), one sparkling, five whites and a red, among them two high-prädikat dessert selections, accompanied by a three-course meal preceded by hors d’oeuvres. In addition, there will be entertainment – a holiday music trio including piano, violin and cello, and an opportunity to sing some German and other traditional songs together! This year, we are offering a choice of three different entrees with different prices, beef, salmon and duck. If anyone needs a vegetarian option there will also be a “chef’s choice” but we cannot specify what that will be in advance. Be sure to register for the one you want, and if there are multiple people on your order, register separately for each different entree choice and let the Secretary know by email who is having each choice for the place cards.Location: The address for our holiday dinner is 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, just a few blocks from Dupont Circle. Metro is near (Dupont Circle Red Line) and parking is available to the rear of the club. The stunning venue is, as in past years, the wood-paneled Members Dining Room on the 2nd floor in this landmark building. This year, both the opening reception and the dinner will take place in the same room – please come into the Members Dining Room when arriving to sign in rather than waiting in the Long Gallery outside. With fireplaces lit, perfect for a special holiday wine event with family and friends! There is a coatroom on the first floor free for members and guests – no need to bring heavy bags and coats upstairs to the event.Safety Precautions: While we are no longer requiring proof of vaccination as indicated above, if you contract or test positive for covid-19 or other communicable disease in advance of the event, we request that you not come for the safety of our other guests, and request a refund which we can provide if notified ahead of of the day of the event, to give us a chance to offer the place to another guest. Mask use when arriving is optional. Menu: The paired menu will be as follows:Welcome and hors d’oeuvres Gorgonzola and Mediterranean Fig Profiterole, with Caramelized OnionMaui Shrimp Spring Roll, with Coconut Milk, Sweet Chili Dipping SauceGoat Cheese Spheres, with Salted Candied Pecans, Apricot Chutneynv Dr. Loosen “Dr. L” Sparkling (Sekt) Riesling Salad appetizerRoasted Squash Salad, with Kale, Shaved Manchego, Pomegranate Seeds, Pine Nuts, Maple Balsamic VinaigrettePopover Bread2021 Dr. H Thanisch Erben Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett Mosel2016 Tegernseehof Reid Steinerfal-Smaragd Riesling Wachau, AustriaEntree (choose one dish when registering)Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Truffled Potato Puree, Carrot, Asparagus, Red Wine SauceMaple Leaf Farms Duck Breast with Turnip Puree, Brussels Sprouts, Sautéed Mushrooms, Charred Green Onions, MadeiraAtlantic Salmon with Golden Polenta Cake, Leek & Savoy Cabbage Fondue, Cider Gastrique“Chef’s Choice” vegetarian meal2020 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Rotwein (Pinot Noir/Pinot Nero) Trocken Mosel2017 Bollig-Lehnert Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese MoselDessertHoney Citrus Creme Brûlée, with Vanilla Tuilles, Blackberries2020 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr “Rotlay” Riesling Auslese Mosel2018 Alfred Merkelbach Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese #11 Urglück MoselCoffee and Tea ServiceParking: Club parking is off Florida Avenue behind the club. There is a small white sign showing the parking entrance. Parking is included in the event price and there is no tipping at the club including the valet parking. Parking is limited and club members have preference. It is highly advisable not to arrive late in case there are other functions going on at the club that evening.Dress Code: The dress code for the Cosmos Club is strict – jackets and ties for men, comparable business or evening attire for women. No jeans or tennis shoes are allowed.Prices: The dinner price, varying by entree selected, is: Grilled Beef Tenderloin $230 members/$240 non-membersAtlantic Salmon $220 members/$230 non-membersMaple Leaf Farms Duck Breast $220 members/$230 non-members“Chef’s Choice” Vegetarian $210 members/$220 non-membersIf you are not sure of your current membership status, please contact the Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, at carl.willner1@verizon.net before ordering to confirm. Membership costs $35 annually for an individual or couple, and can be paid online using our website and PayPal, or by check, in the same way and at the same time as registering for the event.When and How to Register: The deadline for reservations is Saturday, December 9, 2023 so that we may provide the chef with an accurate count of total guests as well as the entrees chosen for each guest, and allow time for place cards for each guest to be made. No late reservations can be allowed for this event due to these club requirements. This promises to be a wonderful event so please make your reservations right away and don’t miss out!There are two ways to join in the fun. You can register on our website, https://germanwinesocietydc.org , and pay online for the event using PayPal. If you do not already have an account on our website, you will need to set one up. There are separate buttons to choose each entree menu option, and for members and non-members, to reflect the varying prices. An email message to the Secretary at carl.willner1@verizon.net to let us know who is having each entree option is requested, if there are multiple guests on the reservation with different entree preferences – otherwise, we will need to reach out to you. Or, you can submit a check for the event to our Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, payable to the German Wine Society, at the following address and using the form below, and making sure to note your entree preference for each guest. Any member dues that may be owed can also be paid online or by check. Please include names, number of guests, email and phone number.Carl Willner1014 Reserve Champion DriveRockville, MD 20850 Tours: The Cosmos Club has advised us that tours of the historic club mansion for interested guests are once again possible, as in past years. Availability of tours will depend on willingness of members who are also Cosmos Club members to conduct them, but we understand that one or more Cosmos Club members will agree to lead tours. If you would like to participate in a tour, please reply to this message and let us know of your interest, and you will be advised at a later date when to arrive for a tour (usually either an hour before the event, or at the end of the event).Questions about Event: The event organizer is Carl Willner, who can be reached by email at carl.willner1@verizon.net, or at 202-674-9044. Please contact him with any questions, including current membership status, or correspondence in response to this email. All Society Members and guests are reminded that drinking alcohol 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 alternative modes of transit to driving where available, or mostly to taste rather than fully consume alcohol where such drivers or alternative modes of transit are not available. If you no longer wish to receive our announcements, please reply to this email to our Secretary, Carl Willner.If registering by mail, please cut and return the reservation form portion of the notice below – do not mail the entire notice._____________________________________________________________________________________________Reservation form for GERMAN WINE SOCIETY HOLIDAY DINNER AT THE COSMOS CLUB, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2023, 7 pm – 10 pm (with registration and welcome beginning at 6:00 pm)Member Name(s) ______________________________________________________________Guest Names(s) _______________________________________________________________Total Enclosed ________________________________________________________________Daytime Phone Number _________________________________________________________Email Address _________________________________________________________________Entrees and number of each chosen: Beef _____ Salmon _____Duck _____ Vegetarian _____Please indicate who is having each entree, if multiple guests are on the reservation.

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Event

Spring Festival Celebration at the German Embassy
2024-05-03 17:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | German Embassy House, 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20037, United States
ANNOUNCING THE GERMAN WINE SOCIETY’S SPRING FESTIVAL CELEBRATION AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON MAY 3, 2024! NOTE: This event is FULL. No more reservations are accepted. German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wine, It is a pleasure to announce that the German Embassy has invited us once again to hold an event at the German Embassy House! And for this event, our asparagus-themed Spring Festival dinner, we will also have the opportunity to enjoy once again the cuisine of the German Embassy’s new chef, Mikko Kosenen of Mikko Nordic Fine Foods. Chef Mikko also operates a restaurant in Washington, D.C., and was formerly executive chef for the Ambassador of Finland. Please plan to join us to share our love of German wine paired with asparagus dishes, at the German Embassy where the German Wine Society began. Spring in Washington announces itself with cherry blossoms, migrating songbirds, and tasty ramps at farmers’ markets. In Germany, nothing epitomizes Spring like the revered white stalks of Spargel (asparagus)! The green variety is more popular in North America and tends to be available in supermarkets year-round. Germans, however, prefer the white variety that is harvested from mid-April to near the end of June (St. John’s Day), and often is harder to find in the United States. The Germans have given this harvest season its own name – Spargelzeit – and celebrate it with passion. Rich in nutrients and very low in calories, asparagus has become a culinary status symbol for many Germans. To produce white asparagus, soil is piled up into knee-high banks, which give the fields their characteristic appearance. White asparagus grows entirely surrounded by earth, which protects the slender stalks from sunlight exposure and keeps them from turning green. This also affects the subtle flavor of it. The popular vegetable is cultivated in almost all federal states as well as in neighboring countries. In fact, Germans consume more white asparagus than their country produces, so it is necessary to import it. Please join the German Wine Society’s Capital Chapter on the evening of Friday, May 3, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, for a four-course asparagus-themed dinner in the German Embassy House, plus an outdoor reception with served hors d’oeuvres on the Embassy House patio (weather permitting). Our Spring Festival dinner will feature not only the elegant vegetable in both its green and white versions, but also fine German wines, including Silvaner, known for its affinity with asparagus. We will have seven whites including two containing Silvaner grapes, a red, and a sparkling wine, representing five of Germany’s wine regions. It has been a tradition of the German Wine Society to hold Spargelfest dinners at this time of year at various locations, including the German Embassy House, Cafe Mozart (now regrettably closed), and Cafe Berlin last year. We look forward to our return to the Embassy where our Society began 47 years ago, in 1977. Registration for this event must be received by Monday, April 29, 2024. You can register and pay for events in either of two ways. First, you can register on our Washington, D.C. chapter website, https://germanwinesocietydc.org , and make payment by PayPal. You will need to create a GWS account for the website if you do not already have one, and you will also need to have a PayPal account, as we cannot accept payment by other forms of credit or electronic transfer. If you are coming as a couple or other group, you can either register and pay for each individual separately, or do it as part of a single transaction and complete the payment on PayPal together. If you do a single transaction, please also email the Secretary of the GWS Capital Chapter at the address below to provide the names of each individual coming,. We will need a complete list of all attendee names in advance for Embassy security, and the individual names will not all appear on the website form for multiple persons registering together. Second, if you prefer to register by mail and pay by check for the event, please clip off the registration form attached to this notice, indicate the names of all who will be attending, and mail a check made out to the German Wine Society in the proper amount along with the form to: Carl Willner President and Secretary, GWS Capital Chapter 1014 Reserve Champion Drive Rockville, MD 20850 You can also reach the Secretary by e-mail at carl.willner1@verizon.net . Whether you are registering by mail or online, please be sure to provide the names of all persons for whom you are registering, and pay the appropriate price depending on whether each person is a member of the German Wine Society (either the Capital Chapter, or one of the other active chapters in the U.S. or an at-large member with annual dues paid), or a non-member. You can join the GWS Capital Chapter either by using the website and registering to pay annual dues of $35 through PayPal, or by mail using a check, in the same manner as registering for the event. If you have been a member of the GWS Capital Chapter in the past but are not sure of your current membership status, please email the chapter Secretary at the above e-mail to confirm your status. Here’s what we have planned for our Spring Festival: May 3, 5:30 pm (entry to Embassy compound passing through security beginning 5:30 pm): Reception and wine dinner at the German Embassy House. Enter at the main Embassy gate on 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, and proceed up the stairway alongside the main Embassy building depicted here to the Embassy House on the upper level. For those who have difficulty ascending the stairs, escorts from the Embassy staff can bring guests through the Embassy building and up an elevator. For security purposes, the Embassy requires a list of all attendees in advance; no walk-ins are allowed. Please remember to bring a valid picture ID. There is no parking available on Embassy grounds, but it should not be difficult at this time of day to find parking on the street nearby if you are driving. Be alert, however, to DC parking restrictions. The German Embassy is not near a Metro subway stop, but it is also possible to arrive by Metro bus (D6 to Foxhall Rd.) or by taxi/ride service. 5:30pm Welcoming menu: hors d’ oeuvres + Sparkling wine served at Patio Blackened Trout Salad Wraps Grilled Asparagus Frittata with Chive Sauce Grilled Shrimp and Asparagus Skewers Curry Wurst on Toast with Curry Ketchup These hors d’oeuvres will be accompanied by the following sparkling wine: Nv Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling Dr. L Mosel 6:30pm Seated Dinner: inside cantina First (Soup) Course Asparagus Soup with Lemon and Chive Served with the following white wines: 2022 Kruger Rumpf Munsterer Rheinberg Kabinett Riesling Nahe (JS 91) 2021 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Kabinett Riesling Mosel (WA 93-94) Second (Salad) Course Charred Asparagus, Dates, Goat Cheese Salad Served with the following dry white wines: 2021 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Weissburgunder Trocken Mosel 2022 Weingut Keller vom Muscheligen Kalk Rheinhessen (a white Pinot Blanc/Chardonnay/Silvaner blend) Third (Main) Course Grilled White Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce Crispy Miso-Butter Crusted White Fish Beef Striploin with Roasted Spring Vegetables/Potato Salad Served with the following white and red wines: 2021 Max Müller Silvaner Trocken Franken 2017 Weingut Schnaitmann Steinwiege Pinot Noir Württemberg (WE 92) Dessert Course Rhubarb Sour Cream Cake Strawberry Salad with Sabayon Chocolate Mousse on Tart Shells Served with the following sweet white wines: 2022 Carl Loewen Thornicher Ritsch Auslese Riesling Mosel (JS 96) 2020 J.J. Prüm Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Spätlese Riesling Mosel (WA 93) Coffee and Tea service at end, with bottled still and sparkling water provided at tables We anticipate being joined by members of the German Embassy staff. Please take the opportunity to mingle with them and share your interests in German wines and Germany! The price for this event will be $168 for members, and $178 for non-members. There will be a 64-person limit on attendance at this event, including Embassy guests, so reserve soon to avoid disappointment.

For this event, we are no longer requiring that guests provide proof of vaccination against covid-19, or wear masks when arriving. We do encourage our members and guests, however, to be up to date in vaccinations, and request that if you contract covid-19 or another communicable illness, or test positive for covid-19, you refrain from attending the event and protect the health of others. We can refund payments if you notify us that you are not able to attend the event for this reason prior to the day of the event.

All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation to events, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them.

The event coordinator for the Spring Festival is Carl Willner, Capital Chapter President and Secretary, and National Vice President and Secretary. Please send any questions to Carl at carl.willner1@verizon.net .

We look forward to seeing you for our Spring Festival!

Please check our Capital Chapter website and register soon.

If you no longer wish to receive notices for GWS events, please respond to this email with a request to unsubscribe.

If registering by mail, please fill out and cut the reservation form below with your check – do not mail the entire notice.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

REGISTRATION FORM FOR GERMAN WINE SOCIETY SPRING FESTIVAL EVENT ON MAY 3, 2024 AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY

$168.00 Members / $178.00 Non-Member Guests

Member(s) Names: _________________________________________________________________

Guest(s) Names: _____________________________________________________________________

Total Enclosed: ______________________________________________________________________

Daytime Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________

E-Mail: _______________________________________________________________________________

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OKTOBER WEINFEST
2024-09-20 18:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | German Embassy House, 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20037, United States
ANNOUNCING THE GERMAN WINE SOCIETY’S OKTOBER WEINFEST CELEBRATION AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2024! German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wine, It is a pleasure to announce that the German Embassy has invited us once again to hold our Oktober Weinfest celebration at the German Embassy House! For this event, we will once again be enjoying the cuisine of the German Embassy’s new chef, Mikko Kosenen of Mikko Nordic Fine Foods, who also operates a restaurant in Washington, D.C., and was formerly executive chef for the Ambassador of Finland. And we will be enjoying twelve different German wines, including sparkling, red, non-Riesling dry white, GG Riesling, and Kabinett, Spätlese and Auslese Riesling wines. Please plan to join us to share our love of German wine, at the German Embassy where the German Wine Society began 47 years ago. Our “Oktober Weinfest” celebrates the fall harvest season and is being held on the eve of the famed Munich Oktoberfest in Germany., which runs this year from September 21 through October 6. Oktober Weinfest will take place on the evening of Friday, September 20, 2024, from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm at the Embassy House of the German Embassy in Washington, D.C., with admission to the Embassy beginning at 6:00 pm. Below are all the details you will need about the wines, food, registration, payment and getting to the event. Registration for this event must be received by Monday, September 16, 2024. You can register and pay for events in either of two ways. First, you can register on our Washington, D.C. chapter website, https://germanwinesocietydc.org , and make payment by PayPal. You will need to create a GWS account for the website if you do not already have one, and you will also need to have a PayPal account. If you are coming as a couple or other group, you can either register and pay for each individual separately, or do it as part of a single transaction and complete the payment on PayPal together. If you do a single transaction, please also email the Secretary of the GWS Capital Chapter at the address below to provide the names of each individual coming, as we will need a complete list of all attendee names in advance for Embassy security. Second, if you prefer to register by mail and pay by check for the event, please clip off the registration form attached to this notice, indicate the names of all who will be attending, and mail a check made out to the German Wine Society in the proper amount along with the form to: Carl Willner President and Secretary, GWS Capital Chapter 1014 Reserve Champion Drive Rockville, MD 20850 You can also reach the Secretary by e-mail at carl.willner1@verizon.net . Whether you are registering by mail or online, please be sure to provide the names of all persons for whom you are registering, and pay the appropriate price depending on whether each person is a member of the German Wine Society (either the Capital Chapter, or one of the other active chapters in the U.S. or an at-large member with annual dues paid), or a non-member. You can join the GWS Capital Chapter either by using the website and registering to pay annual dues of $35 through PayPal, or by mail using a check, in the same manner as registering for the event. If you have been a member of the GWS Capital Chapter in the past but are not sure of your current membership status, please email the chapter Secretary at the above e-mail to confirm your status. Here’s what we have planned for our Oktober Weinfest: September 20, 6:00 pm (entry to Embassy compound passing through security beginning 6 pm): Reception and wine dinner at the German Embassy House. Enter at the main Embassy gate on 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, and proceed up the stairway alongside the main Embassy building depicted here to the Embassy House on the upper level. For those who have difficulty ascending the stairs, escorts from the Embassy staff can bring guests through the Embassy building and up an elevator. For security purposes, the Embassy requires a list of all attendees in advance; no walk-ins are allowed. Please remember to bring a valid picture ID. There is no parking available on Embassy grounds, but it should not be difficult at this time of day to find parking on the street nearby if you are driving. Be alert, however, to DC parking restrictions. The German Embassy is not near a Metro subway stop, but it is also possible to arrive by Metro bus (D6 to Foxhall Rd.) or by taxi/ride service. Our Oktober Weinfest will feature twelve German wines, representing four wine regions (Mosel, Nahe, Franken, and Baden) and five grapes (Riesling, Silvaner, Grauburgunder, Pinot Noir and Pinot Nero). The wines featured in the dinner cover the 2021, 2022, and the newest 2023 vintages – and most of the 2022 wines differ from the ones from that vintage in our New Vintage tasting earlier this year, completing the picture of this excellent vintage. We will begin with a sekt reception on the patio (weather permitting) and followed by a seated buffet dinner inside the Embassy House, with a main and dessert course and five flights of wines. 6:00pm Welcoming menu: hors d’ oeuvres + Sparkling wine served at Patio Gravlax on Rye Bread Spinach Goat Cheese Quiche Seared Tuna on Bagel Chips with Wasabi and Soy Glaze Chicken Salad Wheel These hors d’oeuvres will be accompanied by the following sparkling wine: Nv Dr. Wagner Riesling Sekt Brut Mosel (Saar) 7:00pm Dinner Buffet: inside cantina House Smoked Salmon with Tartar Sauce Mustard Shrimp Salad Assortment of Sausages and Condiments Sauerkraut Mini Chicken Schnitzel with Lemon-Caper Butter Sauce Roasted Vegetables German Potato Salad Caesar Salad with Tomato Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberry Demi-glace Pretzels with Cheese-Beer Dip Assortment of Bread/Whipped Butter These dishes will be served with four flights of wines as follows: Red Wines 2022 Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir Baden and 2021 Hofgut Falkenstein Niedermenniger Herrenberg Rotwein (Pinot Noir/Pinot Nero blend) Trocken #10 Mosel Trocken (Dry) Non-Riesling White Wines 2021 Max Müller Silvaner Trocken Franken and 2022 Dönnhoff Grauburgunder (Pinot Gris) Trocken Nahe Grosses Gewächs (GG) Riesling White Wines 2022 Dönnhoff Felsenberg Riesling GG Nahe and 2022 Peter Lauer Schonfels Riesling GG Fass 11 Mosel Kabinett Riesling White Wines 2021 Thanisch Erben Thanisch Dr. H Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett Mosel and 2022 J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Mosel Dessert buffet: Apple Tart with Calvados Cream Elderflower Panna Cotta with Caramel Sauce Rhubarb Sour Cream Tart These dishes will be served with a flight of three sweet Riesling wines: 2022 A.J. Adam Dhron Hofberg Riesling Spätlese Mosel 2023 Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Riesling Spätlese #24 Fuder Mammen Mosel and 2022 Thomas Haag Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Auslese GK Mosel Coffee and Tea service at end, with bottled still and sparkling water provided at tables We anticipate being joined by members of the German Embassy staff. Please take the opportunity to mingle with them and share your interests in German wines and Germany! The price for this event will be $148 for members, and $158 for non-members. There will be a 60-person limit on attendance at this event, including Embassy guests, so reserve soon to avoid disappointment. For this event, we are no longer requiring that guests provide proof of vaccination against covid-19, or wear masks when arriving. We do encourage our members and guests, however, to be up to date in vaccinations, and request that if you contract covid-19 or another communicable illness, or test positive for covid-19, you refrain from attending the event and protect the health of others. We can refund payments if you notify us that you are not able to attend the event for this reason prior to the start of the event. All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation to events, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them. The event coordinator for the Oktober Weinfest is Carl Willner, Capital Chapter President and Secretary, and National Vice President and Secretary. Please send any questions to Carl at carl.willner1@verizon.net . We look forward to seeing you for our October Weinfest! Please check our Capital Chapter website and register soon. If registering by mail, please fill out and cut the reservation form below with your check – do not mail the entire notice. REGISTRATION FORM FOR GERMAN WINE SOCIETY OKTOBER WEINFEST EVENT ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY $148.00 Members / $158.00 Non-Member Guests Member(s) Names: _________________________________________________________________ Guest(s) Names: _____________________________________________________________________ Total Enclosed: ______________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________ E-Mail: _______________________

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Holiday Dinner at the Cosmos Club
2024-12-07 18:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Cosmos Club, 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN FOR THE GERMAN WINE SOCIETY HOLIDAY DINNER AT THE COSMOS CLUB, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2024, 6 pm – 10 pm

Ho, Ho, Ho, German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wines, it’s nearly time to hang the stockings and dream of delicious German wine! We can gather in person again in Washington, D.C. amidst all the elegance of Embassy Row.

So, please plan to attend the GWS Holiday paired dinner at the Cosmos Club, Saturday, December 7, 2024 for dinner starting at 7:00 pm, with registration and service of welcoming sekt and hors d’oeuvres beginning at 6:00 pm. We are very fortunate to have access to this elegant and festive venue again this year. The Cosmos Club is no longer requiring proof of vaccination against covid-19 for all staff, members and guests in the mansion, and we have also lifted this requirement, though we still encourage guests to be vaccinated.

The paired dinner includes a variety of seven German wines, one sparkling, five whites and a red, among them two high-prädikat dessert selections, accompanied by a three-course meal preceded by hors d’oeuvres. This year, we are offering a choice of three different entrees with different prices, beef, salmon and duck, as well as a vegan “Chef’s Choice” alternative. Be sure to register for the one you want, and if there are multiple people on your order, register separately for each different entree choice and let the Secretary know by email who is having each choice for the place cards.

In addition, there will be entertainment – a holiday piano trio featuring Christine Kharazian on violin, Irina Ponomareva on cello, and Nina Willner on piano, with an opportunity to sing some German and other traditional songs together!

Location: The address for our holiday dinner is 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, just a few blocks from Dupont Circle. Metro is near (Dupont Circle Red Line) and parking is available to the rear of the club. The stunning venue is, as in past years, the wood-paneled Members Dining Room on the 2nd floor in this landmark building. This year, both the opening reception and the dinner will take place in the same room – please come into the Members Dining Room when arriving to sign in rather than waiting in the Long Gallery outside. With fireplaces lit, perfect for a special holiday wine event with family and friends! There is a coatroom on the first floor free for members and guests – no need to bring heavy bags and coats upstairs to the event.

Safety Precautions: While we are no longer requiring proof of vaccination as indicated above, if you contract or test positive for covid-19 or other communicable disease in advance of the event, we request that you not come for the safety of our other guests, and request a refund which we can provide if notified ahead of of the day of the event, to give us a chance to offer the place to another guest. Mask use when arriving is optional.

Menu: The paired menu will be as follows:

Welcome Reception with passed hors d’oeuvres

Thai Curry Chicken Skewers with coconut sauce

Smoked Salmon Latkes – potato latke, dill creme fraiche, crispy capers

Goat Cheese Spheres, with salted candied pecans, apricot chutney

nv Loosen Bros. “Dr. L” Sparkling Riesling (Sekt), Germany (12% alc.)

First (Appetizer) Course

Seared Day Boat Scallops with smoked cauliflower puree, bacon lardon, celery, crispy prosciutto, and basil brown butter emulsion

(A custom starter alternative can be provided to meet dietary restrictions, request by email when registering)

Cosmos Club Popovers with sweet creamery butter

2023 Vollenweider Wolfer Goldgrube Riesling Kabinett Mosel, Germany (8% alc.)

2023 Keller vom Muscheligen Kalk (blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Silvaner) Rheinhessen, Germany (12.5% alc.)

Entree Course (choose one dish when registering)

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with truffled potato puree, carrot, asparagus, red wine sauce

Coriander Duck Breast with grilled parsnip, kabocha squash, zucchini, blackberry-fig gastrique

Griller Atlantic Salmon with young carrots, roasted Yukon potato, rutabaga, parsnip, honey mustard sauce

“Chef’s Choice” Gluten Free Vegan Meal (specific dish to be determined)

2022 Enderle & Moll Pinot Noir Baden, Germany (12% alc.)

2020 Thomas Haag Schloss Lieser Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Mosel, Germany (7.5/% alc.)

Dessert Course

Honey Citrus Creme Brûlée, with Vanilla Tuilles, Blackberries

2021 Keller Rieslaner Auslese Rheinhessen, Germany (8% alc.)

2021 Karl Erbes Ürziger in der Kranklei Riesling Beerenauslese Mosel, Germany (6% alc.)

Coffee and Tea Service

Parking: Club parking is off Florida Avenue behind the club. There is a small white sign showing the parking entrance. Parking is included in the event price and there is no tipping at the club including the valet parking. Parking is limited and club members have preference. It is highly advisable not to arrive late in case there are other functions going on at the club that evening.

Dress Code: The dress code for the Cosmos Club is strict – jackets and ties for men, comparable business or evening attire for women. No jeans or tennis shoes are allowed.

Prices: The dinner price, varying by entree selected, is: Grilled Beef Tenderloin $245 members/$255 non-membersAtlantic Grilled Salmon $235 members/$245 non-membersCoriander Duck Breast $235 members/$245 non-membersVegan “Chef’s Choice” $225 members/$235 non-members

If you are not sure of your current membership status, please contact the Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, at carl.willner1@verizon.net before ordering to confirm. Membership costs $35 annually for an individual or couple, and can be paid online using our website and PayPal, or by check, in the same way and at the same time as registering for the event.

When and How to Register: The deadline for reservations is Saturday, November 30, 2024 so that we may provide the chef with an accurate count of total guests as well as the entrees chosen for each guest, and allow time for place cards for each guest to be made. No late reservations can be allowed for this event due to these club requirements. This promises to be a wonderful event so please make your reservations right away and don’t miss out!

There are two ways to join in the fun. You can register on our website, http://germanwinesocietydc.org , and pay online for the event using PayPal. If you do not already have an account on our website, you will need to set one up. There are separate buttons to choose each entree menu option, and for members and non-members, to reflect the varying prices. An email message to the Secretary at carl.willner1@verizon.net to let us know who is having each entree option is requested, if there are multiple guests on the reservation with different entree preferences – otherwise, we will need to reach out to you. Or, you can submit a check for the event to our Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, payable to the German Wine Society, at the following address and using the form below, and making sure to note your entree preference for each guest. Any member dues that may be owed can also be paid online or by check. Please include names, number of guests, email and phone number.

Carl Willner1014 Reserve Champion DriveRockville, MD 20850

Tours: The Cosmos Club has advised us that tours of the historic club mansion for interested guests are once again possible, as in past years. Availability of tours will depend on willingness of members who are also Cosmos Club members to conduct them, but we understand that one or more Cosmos Club members will agree to lead tours. If you would like to participate in a tour, please reply to this message and let us know of your interest, and you will be advised at a later date when to arrive for a tour (usually either an hour before the event, or at the end of the event).

Questions about Event: The event organizer is Carl Willner, who can be reached by email at carl.willner1@verizon.net, or at 202-674-9044. Please contact him with any questions, including current membership status, or correspondence in response to this email.

All Society Members and guests are reminded that drinking alcohol 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 alternative modes of transit to driving where available, or mostly to taste rather than fully consume alcohol where such drivers or alternative modes of transit are not available.

If you no longer wish to receive our announcements, please reply to this email to our Secretary, Carl Willner.

If registering by mail, please cut and return the reservation form portion of the notice below – do not mail the entire notice.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Reservation form for GERMAN WINE SOCIETY HOLIDAY DINNER AT THE COSMOS CLUB, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2024, 7 pm – 10 pm (with registration and welcome beginning at 6:00 pm)

Member Name(s) ______________________________________________________________

Guest Names(s) _______________________________________________________________

Total Enclosed ________________________________________________________________

Daytime Phone Number _________________________________________________________

Email Address _________________________________________________________________

Dietary Alternative Requested for Appetizer Course and Number_______ (if not requested, will receive scallops; indicate which guests to receive if multiple people on order)

Entrees and number of each chosen: Beef _____ Salmon _____Duck _____ Vegetarian ______

Please indicate who is having each entree, if multiple guests are on the reservation.

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SPARGELFEST AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY
2025-06-13 17:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | German Embassy House, 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC, 20037, United States
It is a pleasure to announce that the German Embassy has invited us once again to hold an event at the German Embassy House! And for this event, our asparagus-themed Spargelfest dinner, we will also have the opportunity to enjoy once again the cuisine of the German Embassy’s new chef, Mikko Kosenen of Mikko Nordic Fine Foods. Chef Mikko also operates a restaurant in Washington, D.C., and was formerly executive chef for the Ambassador of Finland. Please plan to join us to share our love of German wine paired with asparagus dishes, at the German Embassy where the German Wine Society began. Spring in Washington announces itself with cherry blossoms, migrating songbirds, and tasty ramps at farmers’ markets. In Germany, nothing epitomizes Spring like the revered white stalks of Spargel (asparagus)! The green variety is more popular in North America and tends to be available in supermarkets year-round. Germans, however, prefer the white variety that is harvested from mid-April to near the end of June (St. John’s Day), and often is harder to find in the United States. The Germans have given this harvest season its own name – Spargelzeit – and celebrate it with passion. Though our event is taking place in June this year rather than May, we are still within the Spargelzeit period in Germany. Rich in nutrients and very low in calories, asparagus has become a culinary status symbol for many Germans. To produce white asparagus, soil is piled up into knee-high banks, which give the fields their characteristic appearance. White asparagus grows entirely surrounded by earth, which protects the slender stalks from sunlight exposure and keeps them from turning green. This also affects the subtle flavor of it. The popular vegetable is cultivated in almost all federal states as well as in neighboring countries. In fact, Germans consume more white asparagus than their country produces, so it is necessary to import it. Please join the German Wine Society’s Capital Chapter on the evening of Friday, June 13, 2025, from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm, for a five-course asparagus-themed dinner in the German Embassy House, plus an outdoor reception with served hors d’oeuvres on the Embassy House patio (weather permitting). Our Spargelfest dinner will feature not only the elegant vegetable in both its green and white versions, but also fine German wines, including Silvaner, known for its affinity with asparagus. We will have ten wines including eight whites, of which two are the classic Franken Silvaners, a red, and a sparkling wine, representing five of Germany’s wine regions (Ahr, Franken, Mosel, Nahe and Rheinhessen). It has been a tradition of the German Wine Society to hold Spargelfest dinners at this time of year at various locations, including the German Embassy House, Cafe Mozart (now regrettably closed), and Cafe Berlin two years ago We look forward to our return to the Embassy where our Society began 48 years ago, in 1977. Registration for this event must be received by Monday, June 9, 2025. You can register and pay for events in either of two ways. First, you can register below on this website and make payment by PayPal. You will need to create a GWS account for the website if you do not already have one, and you will also need to have a PayPal account, as we cannot accept payment by other forms of credit or electronic transfer. If you are coming as a couple or other group, you can either register and pay for each individual separately, or do it as part of a single transaction and complete the payment on PayPal together. If you do a single transaction, please also email the Secretary of the GWS Capital Chapter at the address below to provide the names of each individual coming,. We will need a complete list of all attendee names in advance for Embassy security, and the individual names will not all appear on the website form for multiple persons registering together. Second, if you prefer to register by mail and pay by check for the event, please clip off the registration form attached to this notice, indicate the names of all who will be attending, and mail a check made out to the German Wine Society in the proper amount along with the form to: Carl Willner President and Secretary, GWS Capital Chapter 1014 Reserve Champion Drive Rockville, MD 20850 You can also reach the Secretary by e-mail at carl.willner1@verizon.net . Whether you are registering by mail or online, please be sure to provide the names of all persons for whom you are registering, and pay the appropriate price depending on whether each person is a member of the German Wine Society (either the Capital Chapter, or one of the other active chapters in the U.S. or an at-large member with annual dues paid), or a non-member. You can join the GWS Capital Chapter either by using the website and registering to pay annual dues of $35 through PayPal, or by mail using a check, in the same manner as registering for the event. If you have been a member of the GWS Capital Chapter in the past but are not sure of your current membership status, please email the chapter Secretary at the above e-mail to confirm your status. Here’s what we have planned for our Spargelfest: June 13, 5:30 pm (entry to Embassy compound passing through security beginning 5:30 pm): Reception and wine dinner at the German Embassy House. Enter at the main Embassy gate on 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, and proceed up the stairway alongside the main Embassy building depicted here to the Embassy House on the upper level. For those who have difficulty ascending the stairs, escorts from the Embassy staff can bring guests through the Embassy building and up an elevator. For security purposes, the Embassy requires a list of all attendees in advance; no walk-ins are allowed. Please remember to bring a valid picture ID. There is no parking available on Embassy grounds, but it should not be difficult at this time of day to find parking on the street nearby if you are driving. Be alert, however, to DC parking restrictions. The German Embassy is not near a Metro subway stop, but it is also possible to arrive by Metro bus (D6 to Foxhall Rd.) or by taxi/ride service. 5:30pm Welcoming menu: hors d’ oeuvres + Sparkling wine served at Patio Blackened Salmon on Toast with Tartar Sauce Asparagus Quiche Bites Grilled Prawns Skewers with Gochujang Sauce Bratwurst Bites with Spicy Mustard These hors d’oeuvres will be accompanied by the following sparkling wine: Nv Dr. Loosen Sparkling Riesling Dr. L Mosel 6:30pm Seated Dinner: inside cantina First (Soup) Course Cream of Asparagus with Whipped Feta Cream Served with the following white wine: 2023 Weiser Kunstler Estate Riesling Feinherb Mosel Second (Salad) Course Green Asparagus / Yellow Beetroot Salad with Gorgonzola Sauce Served with the following white wines: 2023 Dönnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett Nahe (VM 99) 2023 Thanisch Erben Thanisch Dr. H Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Kabinett Mosel Third (Asparagus) Course Grilled White Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce / Rye Crisp Served with the following white wines: 2021 Max Müller Silvaner Trocken QbA Franken 2021 Max Müller Volkach Silvaner Trocken Franken (in Bocksbeutel) Fourth (Entree) Course Crabmeat Crusted Cod with Browned Horseradish Sauce Redwine Braised Beef Short Ribs (boneless) with Seasonal Vegetables German Potato Salad Served with the following white and red wines: 2022 Meyer-Näkel Estate Spätburgunder Ahr 2023 JJ Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett Mosel (WA 94) Fifth (Dessert) Course Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova with Lemon Creme Served with the following sweet white wines: 2019 Weingut Keller Rieslaner Auslese Rheinhessen (1/2 bottles) 2023 J.J. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese Riesling Mosel (VM 96) Coffee and Tea service at end, with bottled still and sparkling water provided at tables We anticipate being joined by members of the German Embassy staff. Please take the opportunity to mingle with them and share your interests in German wines and Germany! The price for this event will be $188 for members, and $198 for non-members. There will be a 64-person limit on attendance at this event, including Embassy guests, so reserve soon to avoid disappointment. For this event, we are no longer requiring that guests take special health precautions. We do request that if you contract covid-19 or another communicable illness, or test positive for one, you refrain from attending the event and protect the health of others. We can refund payments if you notify us that you are not able to attend the event for this reason prior to the day of the event. All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation to events, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them. The event coordinator for the Spargelfest is Carl Willner, Capital Chapter President and Secretary, and National Vice President and Secretary. Please send any questions to Carl at carl.willner1@verizon.net . We look forward to seeing you for our Spargelfest! Please register soon. If registering by mail, please fill out and cut the reservation form below with your check – do not mail the entire notice. REGISTRATION FORM FOR GERMAN WINE SOCIETY SPARGELFEST EVENT ON JUNE 13, 2025 AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY $188.00 Members / $198.00 Non-Member Guests Member(s) Names: _________________________________________________________________ Guest(s) Names: _____________________________________________________________________ Total Enclosed: ______________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________ E-Mail: ______________________________________________________________________________

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HOLIDAY DINNER AT THE COSMOS CLUB
2025-12-12 18:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Cosmos Club, 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
﻿This event is now SOLD OUT. Ho, Ho, Ho, German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wines, it’s nearly time to hang the stockings and dream of delicious German wine! We can gather in person again in Washington, D.C. amidst all the elegance of Embassy Row. So, please plan to attend the GWS Holiday paired dinner at the Cosmos Club, Friday, December 12, 2025 for dinner starting at 7:00 pm, with registration and service of welcoming sekt and hors d’oeuvres beginning at 6:00 pm. We are very fortunate to have access to this elegant and festive venue again this year. The paired dinner includes a variety of nine German wines and New York Riesling wines, two sparkling, six whites and a red, among them three prädikat-level entree and dessert selections including a Beerenauslese, accompanied by a three-course meal preceded by hors d’oeuvres. This year, we are offering a choice of three different entrees with different prices, beef, salmon and duck, as well as a vegan “Chef’s Choice” alternative. Be sure to register for the one you want, and if there are multiple people on your order, register separately for each different entree choice and let the Secretary know by email who is having each choice for the place cards. In addition, there will be entertainment – a holiday piano trio featuring Christine Kharazian on violin, Irina Ponomareva on cello, and Nina Willner on piano, with an opportunity to sing some German and other traditional songs together! Location: The address for our holiday dinner is 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, just a few blocks from Dupont Circle. Metro is near (Dupont Circle Red Line) and parking is available to the rear of the club. The stunning venue is, as in past years, the wood-paneled Members Dining Room on the 2nd floor in this landmark building. This year, both the opening reception and the dinner will take place in the same room – please come into the Members Dining Room when arriving to sign in rather than waiting in the Long Gallery outside. With fireplaces lit, perfect for a special holiday wine event with family and friends! There is a coatroom on the first floor free for members and guests – no need to bring heavy bags and coats upstairs to the event. Safety Precautions: We and the Cosmos Club are no longer requiring proof of vaccination., if you contract or test positive for covid-19 or other communicable disease in advance of the event, we request that you not come for the safety of our other guests, and request a refund which we can provide if notified ahead of of the day of the event, to give us a chance to offer the place to another guest. Mask use when arriving is optional. Menu: The paired menu will be as follows: Welcome Reception with passed hors d’oeuvres Chicken Yakitori Skewers with sweet chili aioli Endive Boat with blue cheese, candied walnuts, anchovy-lemon vinaigrette Smoked Salmon Latkes – potato latke, dill creme fraiche, marinated cucumber 2022 Staatsweinkellerei Eberbach Riesling Sekt Brut (12.5% alc.) 2015 Raumland Blanc de Noirs Cuvee Marie-Luise Sekt Brut, Rheinhessen (12% alc.) First (Appetizer) Course Compressed Apple Salad with candied walnuts, local greens, dried cherries, crumbled feta, cranberry dressing Cosmos Club Popovers with sweet creamery butter 2022 Dr. Bürklin-Wolf Weissburgunder Trocken, Pfalz (12% alc.) WS 89 2024 Dr. Konstantin Frank Eugenia Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes, New York (12% alc.) WS 90 Entree Course (choose one dish when registering) Grilled Beef Tenderloin with carrot puree, roasted mushroom, crispy sun chokes, morel cognac sauce Fennel Spiced Duck Breast with fall squash risotto, plumped cherries, compressed fennel, pepita crumble Everything Crusted Salmon with roasted brussels sprouts, braised red cabbage, compressed fennel, dill, mustard barre blanc “Chef’s Choice” Gluten Free Vegan Meal (specific dish to be determined) 2024 Dr. Konstantin Frank Reserve Riesling Medium-Sweet, Finger Lakes, New York (11% alc.) 2022 Meyer-Näkel Frühburgunder, Ahr (13% alc.) WE 91 2014 Fitz-Ritter Gewürztraminer Spätlese, Pfalz (9.5% alc.) WE 87 Dessert Course Chocolate Mousse Cake, with berries, berry coulis 2023 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese, Nahe (8.5% alc.) JS 99, VM 97 2021 Karl Erbes Ürziger in der Kranklei Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel (6% alc.) WA 98 Coffee and Tea Service Parking: Club parking is off Florida Avenue behind the club. There is a small white sign showing the parking entrance. Parking is included in the event price and there is no tipping at the club including the valet parking. Parking is limited and club members have preference. It is highly advisable not to arrive late in case there are other functions going on at the club that evening. Dress Code: The dress code for the Cosmos Club is strict – jackets and ties for men, comparable business or evening attire for women. No jeans or tennis shoes are allowed. Prices: The dinner price, varying by entree selected, is: Grilled Beef Tenderloin $250 members/$260 non-membersEverything Crusted Salmon $240 members/$250 non-membersFennel Spiced Duck Breast $240 members/$250 non-membersVegan “Chef’s Choice” $230 members/$240 non-members If you are not sure of your current membership status, please contact the Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, at carl.willner1@verizon.net before ordering to confirm. Membership costs $35 annually for an individual or couple, and can be paid online using our website and PayPal, or by check, in the same way and at the same time as registering for the event. When and How to Register: The deadline for reservations is Friday, December 5, 2025 so that we may provide the chef with an accurate count of total guests as well as the entrees chosen for each guest, and allow time for place cards for each guest to be made. No late reservations can be allowed for this event due to these club requirements. This promises to be a wonderful event so please make your reservations right away and don’t miss out! There are two ways to join in the fun. You can register on our website, http://germanwinesocietydc.org , and pay online for the event using PayPal. If you do not already have an account on our website, you will need to set one up. There are separate buttons to choose each entree menu option, and for members and non-members, to reflect the varying prices. An email message to the Secretary at carl.willner1@verizon.net to let us know who is having each entree option is requested, if there are multiple guests on the reservation with different entree preferences – otherwise, we will need to reach out to you. Or, you can submit a check for the event to our Chapter President and Secretary, Carl Willner, payable to the German Wine Society, at the following address and using the form below, and making sure to note your entree preference for each guest. Any member dues that may be owed can also be paid online or by check. Please include names, number of guests, email and phone number. Carl Willner1014 Reserve Champion DriveRockville, MD 20850 Tours: The Cosmos Club has advised us that tours of the historic club mansion for interested guests are once again possible, as in past years. Availability of tours will depend on willingness of members who are also Cosmos Club members to conduct them, but we understand that one or more Cosmos Club members will agree to lead tours. If you would like to participate in a tour, please reply to this message and let us know of your interest, and you will be advised at a later date when to arrive for a tour (usually either an hour before the event, or at the end of the event). Questions about Event: The event organizer is Carl Willner, who can be reached by email at carl.willner1@verizon.net, or at 202-674-9044. Please contact him with any questions, including current membership status, or correspondence in response to this email. All Society Members and guests are reminded that drinking alcohol 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 alternative modes of transit to driving where available, or mostly to taste rather than fully consume alcohol where such drivers or alternative modes of transit are not available. If you no longer wish to receive our announcements, please reply to this email to our Secretary, Carl Willner. If registering by mail, please cut and return the reservation form portion of the notice below – do not mail the entire notice. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Reservation form for GERMAN WINE SOCIETY HOLIDAY DINNER AT THE COSMOS CLUB, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025, 7 pm – 10 pm (with registration and welcome beginning at 6:00 pm) Member Name(s) ______________________________________________________________ Guest Names(s) _______________________________________________________________ Total Enclosed ________________________________________________________________ Daytime Phone Number _________________________________________________________ Email Address _________________________________________________________________ Entrees and number of each chosen: Beef _____ Salmon _____Duck _____ Vegan ______ Please indicate who is having each entree, if multiple guests are on the reservation.
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SPRING GALA CELEBRATION AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY
2026-05-29 05:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | German Embassy, 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, 20007, United States
ANNOUNCING SPRING GALA CELEBRATION AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON MAY 29, 2026!Jointly Hosted by the German Wine Society and the International Club of DC It is a pleasure to announce that we have once again been invited to hold a spring event at the German Embassy! The German Wine Society’s Capital Chapter has held several asparagus-themed Spargelfest dinners at the Embassy, but this’s year’s Spring Gala event will offer something more, combining festive music with the pleasures of wine and food. We are collaborating this year with the International Club of DC to host this event, and so it is possible to register for the event through either organization at the same price. And this year, we are offering not only a dinner including white asparagus and with several German wines at the Embassy House, but also a reception and concert in the Carl Schurz Hall of the main Embassy building before dinner, with a selection of hors d’oeuvres and German sparkling, white and red wines. Guests will have the opportunity to attend just the reception, or the reception and dinner. For both the reception and dinner, cuisine will be provided by the German Embassy’s chef, Mikko Kosenen of Mikko Nordic Fine Foods. Chef Mikko also operates a restaurant in Washington, D.C., and was formerly executive chef for the Ambassador of Finland. Please plan to join us to share our love of German wine paired with white asparagus and other dishes, at the German Embassy where the German Wine Society began – and this year, to enjoy beautiful music and song at the start of our unique event, and to meet members of the International Club as well as those from our own Society! Please join our two groups at the German Embassy on the evening of Friday, May 29, 2026, from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm. Our event will begin with a reception, introductory remarks, concert and wine tasting with hors d’oeuvres at the Carl Schurz Hall of the main Embassy building from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. After this, guests who have also opted to attend the dinner will ascend the stairs to the Embassy House (or use escorted access to the Embassy elevator for those needing assistance) for our buffet dinner and dessert from 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Our dinner will feature not only white spargel and an array of other dishes, but also seven fine white and red German wines, including Silvaner, known for its affinity with asparagus. Overall, seven of Germany’s thirteen wine regions will be represented in our reception and dinner, including the Mosel, Rheingau, Nahe, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, Ahr, and Franken. Registration for this event must be received by Friday, May 22, 2026. We can accommodate a maximum of 120 guests for the reception in the Carl Schurz Hall, but only 80 for the dinner at the smaller Embassy House. When registering, please decide whether you want to attend either the reception only, or both the reception and dinner (the price of the dinner includes the reception, and attending the dinner without the reception is not an option). For the first two weeks after initial announcement of this event, we are reserving half of the dinner places for those who register through the German Wine Society, at the listed price. After that time, all of the places will be available for purchase by members of either group, and prices will be subject to revision without prior notice. The initial price to attend the Spring Gala for members of the German Wine Society is $95 for the reception alone, or $195 for the reception and dinner; for non-members, the initial price will be $105 for the reception alone, or $205 for the reception and dinner. Reserve early to avoid disappointment! We anticipate being joined by members of the German Embassy staff, some of whom will provide introductory remarks at the reception. Please take the opportunity to mingle with them and share your interests in German wines and Germany! Here’s what we have planned for our Spring Gala: 5:30 pm: entry to Embassy compound passing through security (plan to enter no later than 6:30 pm); Reception and concert at the German Embassy. Enter at the main Embassy gate on 4645 Reservoir Road, NW, Washington, DC 20007, and after passing through security, proceed to the Carl Schurz Hall in the main Embassy building, shown in the picture. For security purposes, the Embassy requires a list of all attendees in advance; no walk-ins are allowed. Please remember to bring a valid picture ID. There is no parking available on Embassy grounds, but it should not be difficult at this time of day to find parking on the street nearby if you are driving. Be alert, however, to DC parking restrictions. The German Embassy is not near a Metro subway stop, but it is also possible to arrive by Metro bus (D94) or by taxi/ride service. Welcoming menu: hors d’ oeuvres + Sparkling wine served at main Embassy Pretzel bites with beer- cheese dipping sauce German bratwurst pig in blanket with mustard Asparagus-cheese quiche Herring on potato with mustard mayonnaise Duck confit arancinis with cherry sauce These hors d’oeuvres will be accompanied by the following sparkling wine: Nv Dr. Loosen “Dr. L” Sparkling Riesling, Mosel. In Germany, sparkling wine is known as “sekt,” and the Loosen estate produces this distinctive dry sekt using the Charmat method, with a specific grape and region rather than a generic blend. Rated 91 points by Wine Enthusiast. Introductory remarks will begin at 6:00 pm, and the concert will run from about 6:20 pm until 7 pm. The program for our Spring Gala Concert will be a joyous chamber music celebration featuring various German, Austrian and Italian works, performed by the trio Cantabile (violinist Christine Kharazian, cellist Irina Ponomareva, and pianist Nina Willner) and soprano Angela Mariano. Biographies of the performers are listed at the end of this notice. Music will range from the Baroque and other classical pieces, including Bach, Vivaldi, Beethoven, Handel, Schumann, and Mendelssohn, to traditional German songs of the Mosel and Rhine on wine themes. The program will include the famed 17th century German hymn Schönster Herr Jesu (as arranged by Dawson Hull), brought to America in the 19th century by German immigrants, with its references to springtime. During and after the introductory remarks and concert, the following red and white wines will be served as well: 2023 Spreitzer Oestricher Lenchen Riesling Kabinett, Rheingau. The Rheingau region has long been identified with high-quality Rieslings, and this Kabinett, at the lower end of the scale of sweet wines, provides an off-dry or mildly sweet experience. Rated 92 points by Wine Spectator and Antonio Galloni. 2023 Kühling Gillot Spätburgunder Trocken, Rheinhessen. The Spätburgunder grape is better known outside Germany as Pinot Noir, and this is a fine example of a dry red from a leading estate. 90 points average critic reviews. Guests attending the dinner after the reception should proceed up the stairway alongside the main Embassy building depicted here to the Embassy House on the upper level, between 7 pm and 7:30 pm after the concert. For those who have difficulty ascending the stairs, escorts from the Embassy staff can bring guests through the Embassy building and up an elevator. Guests not attending the dinner, but only the reception, should exit from the Embassy by 8:00 pm, but may remain after the concert until then to enjoy the white and red wines and hors d’oeuvres. 7:30pm – 9:30 pm Buffet Dinner with Served Wines: inside Embassy House cantina and possibly on patio also if weather permits Assortment of bread Green salad with lingonberry dressing German style potato salad Pasta Salmon salad Grilled white asparagus with hollandaise sauce Roasted spring vegetables Chicken Schnitzel with lemon and capers Black forest ham Spaetzle with mushrooms, ham Sweets: Apple strudel with vanilla sauce Black forest cake Rice porridge with red berry soup The dinner will be accompanied by the following wines: Served as starters: 2023 Hexamer Helmut Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg Rieslling Quarzit, Nahe. A fine example of a barely off-dry Riesling from the Nahe region west of the Rhine, across from the Rheingau. Critic James Suckling rated the previous vintage 92 points. 2022 Rebholz Weissburgunder Trocken, Pfalz. The Rebholz estate in the Pfalz region is one of Germany’s top producers of dry “Trocken” wines, in this case made from the Weissburgunder grape better known outside Germany as Pinot Blanc. Reviewed at 92 points by critic James Suckling. Served with main buffet course: 2022 Meyer-Näkel Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) Estate, Ahr. The small Ahr region near Bonn is more heavily focused on producing red wines, especially Spätburgunder, than any other wine region of Germany, with distinctive slate tastes. The Meyer-Näkel estate represents the 5th generation of winemakers. Critics have reviewed at 91 points. 2024 Carl Loewen Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Kabinett, Mosel. Grown from vines over 120 years old in Devonian slate soil, and fermented in traditional wooden barrels (fuder). Rated 94 points by critic James Suckling. 2023 Wirsching-Iphöfer Silvaner Trocken, Franken. A dry Silvaner white wine, served in the fat “bocksbeutel” characteristic of the Franken region, is the classic accompaniment to a spargel (asparagus) dinner. Rated 90 points by Kristen Bieler, Wine Spectator. Served with dessert: 2023 Fritz Haag Braunberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese, Mosel. Spätlese wines are the next step up the sweetness scale in Germany from Kabinett, the term translating as “late harvest.” From the Sonnenuhr (“sundial”) vineyard., one of the iconic steep-sided vineyards lining the banks of the Mosel river. Rated 92 points in Wine Enthusiast. 2023 Dr. Loosen Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese, Mosel. The Mosel region, source of both dessert wines for this event, is one of Germany’s leading regions for the Riesling grape, and exports far more wines to the United States than any other single German wine region. From the Würzgarten (“spice garden”) vineyard in Ürzig. Rated 94 points by Master of Wine Anne Krebiehl, Vinous Media. You can register and pay for this event in either of two ways, if registering through the GWS. Guests can also register independently through the International Club of DC, which has issued its own announcement of the Spring Gala. First, you can register on our Washington, D.C. chapter website, https://germanwinesocietydc.org , and make payment by PayPal. You will need to create a GWS account for the website if you do not already have one, and you will also need to have a PayPal account, as we cannot accept payment by other forms of credit or electronic transfer. If you are coming as a couple or other group, you can either register and pay for each individual separately, or do it as part of a single transaction and complete the payment on PayPal together. If you do a single transaction, please also email the Secretary of the GWS Capital Chapter at the address below to provide the names of each individual coming,. We will need a complete list of all attendee names in advance for Embassy security, and the individual names will not all appear on the website form for multiple persons registering together. Second, if you prefer to register by mail and pay by check for the event, please clip off the registration form attached to this notice, indicate the names of all who will be attending, and mail a check made out to the German Wine Society in the proper amount along with the form to: Carl Willner President and Secretary, GWS Capital Chapter 1014 Reserve Champion Drive Rockville, MD 20850 You can also reach the Secretary by e-mail at carl.willner1@verizon.net . Whether you are registering by mail or online, please be sure to provide the names of all persons for whom you are registering, and pay the appropriate price depending on whether each person is a member of the German Wine Society (either the Capital Chapter, or one of the other active chapters in the U.S. or an at-large member with annual dues paid), or a non-member. You can join the GWS Capital Chapter either by using the website and registering to pay annual dues of $35 through PayPal, or by mail using a check, in the same manner as registering for the event. If you have been a member of the GWS Capital Chapter in the past but are not sure of your current membership status, please email the chapter Secretary at the above e-mail to confirm your status. For this event, we are no longer requiring that guests take special health precautions. We do request that if you contract covid-19 or another communicable illness, or test positive for one, you refrain from attending the event and protect the health of others. We can refund payments for this reason if you notify us that you are not able to attend the event for this reason prior to the day of the event. Otherwise, refunds can only be given if requested before the registration deadline. All GWS members and guests are reminded that alcohol consumption can lead to intoxication. Members and guests should use public transportation to events, rely on a designated driver, or taste the wines rather than finish them. The event coordinator for the Spring Gala, on behalf of the German Wine Society, is Carl Willner, Capital Chapter President and Secretary, and National Vice President and Secretary. Please send any questions to Carl at carl.willner1@verizon.net . We look forward to seeing you for our Spring Gala! If you no longer wish to receive notices for GWS events, please respond to this email with a request to unsubscribe. If registering by mail, please fill out and cut the reservation form below with your check – do not mail the entire notice. Asparagus Season (Spargelzeit) in Germany Spring in Washington announces itself with cherry blossoms, migrating songbirds, and tasty ramps at farmers’ markets. In Germany, nothing epitomizes Spring like the revered white stalks of Spargel (asparagus)! The green variety is more popular in North America and tends to be available in supermarkets year-round. Germans, however, prefer the white variety that is harvested from mid-April to near the end of June (St. John’s Day), and often is harder to find in the United States. The Germans have given this harvest season its own name – Spargelzeit – and celebrate it with passion. Rich in nutrients and very low in calories, asparagus has become a culinary status symbol for many Germans. To produce white asparagus, soil is piled up into knee-high banks, which give the fields their characteristic appearance. White asparagus grows entirely surrounded by earth, which protects the slender stalks from sunlight exposure and keeps them from turning green. This also affects the subtle flavor of it. The popular vegetable is cultivated in almost all federal states as well as in neighboring countries. In fact, Germans consume more white asparagus than their country produces, so it is necessary to import it. Biographies of Musicians for Spring Gala Concert violinist Christine Kharazian began her career in Armenia, graduating from the Komitas State Conservatory in Yerevan, and playing in the Armenian National Opera Symphony and performing with the Sharakan Ensemble of Ancient and Medieval Music. Now based in the Washington, DC area, she has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Strathmore, Blues Alley, the United States Naval Observatory, as well as events for the German Wine Society. Her collaborations span a wide range of classical and contemporary genres, often blending music with theater and storytelling. In 2025, Christine released new music, including two original compositions: Valse Astolfi and Flamingo’s Dream. Soprano Angela Mariano, of Sicilian descent, is originally from New Orleans, LA. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland with a Doctor of Musical Arts, and has performed at various locations in the Washington, D.C. area, including with the Bel Cantanti Opera and at the Embassies of Germany, Austria, and Luxembourg. Reviewers have praised her sweet, mature and beautifully nuanced performances. Cellist Irina Ponomareva, born in Russia, is a graduate of the Rachmaninoff State Conservatory in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, and holds a postgraduate degree in chamber ensemble. She is the recipient of First Prize awards in international chamber music competitions. For nearly a decade, she played in the Orchestra of the Rostov State Musical Theatre. She is active as both a performer and educator in the Washington, DC area, and has appeared in other events of the German Wine Society. Concert pianist Nina Willner was born in Ukraine, and is a graduate and former member of the faculty of the Rachmaninoff State Conservatory in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. She performed with the Rostov Academic Symphony Orchestra and also worked with the musical theatre in Rostov-on-Don. She is an accompanist in the dance department of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., and has worked with various performing groups at the Kennedy Center, as well as performing at the Embassies of Germany and Luxembourg and at German Wine Society events. REGISTRATION FORM FOR GERMAN WINE SOCIETY SPRING GALA EVENT ON MAY 29, 2026 AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY $195.00 Members / $205.00 Non-Member Guests for Dinner and Reception $95.00 for Members / $105 for Non-Member Guests for Reception Only Member(s) Names: _________________________________________________________________ Guest(s) Names: _____________________________________________________________________ Total Enclosed with Events Attending: ____________________________________________ Daytime Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________ E-Mail: _______________________________________________________________________________
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Holiday Dinner at Cosmos Club - Save the date
2026-12-11 17:30 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Cosmos Club, 2121 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC, 20008, United States
