GERMAN WINE SOCIETY 25TH

GERMAN WINE SOCIETY
25th Anniversary Celebration
May 17–19, 2002, Washington, DC

Photos from the Event

If you have Adobe Acrobat, click here instead for the PDF flyer we produced

Programs and wines for Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Bio of German Wine Princess, who opened the three day celebration

The German Wine Society celebrated its 25th Anniversary May 17-19, 2002 in Washington, D.C., the founding city.

We celebrated as well the renaissance of Riesling with classical wines and the new generation of German wine makers. Those who attended this international event, and met German wine lovers from our chapters in Washington, DC, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Dallas, Little Rock, Atlanta, and New England, as well as from wine-related associations and German heritage organizations.

The Friday reception was held in the charming German Embassy House, 1900 Foxhall Road, NW, Washington, DC.

All events on Saturday and Sunday were in the beautiful Park-Hyatt Washington Hotel, 24th and M Streets, NW, in Washington, DC, conveniently located within walking distance of many hotels. All cuisine at the wine events was prepared under the direction of Executive Chef Brian McBride, of the famed Melrose Restaurant, who has become widely renowned for marrying German wines with foods to achieve sumptuous results.

View the flyers and the publicity, linked at the top of the page, that we produced at the time to see how it all went.

Peter Sichel, a founding member, sent this gracious note:

I had intended to be with you for this week end, but circumstances and airline schedules have made this impossible. I can not tell you how much I regret this. Though I have been out of the German wine business for six years, they continue to be my favorite white wines. I have never stopped promoting them and am working currently on organizing an Institute of Masters of Wine event to introduce people to the new classifications. German wines had their ups and downs in this market in the last 50 years, caused by changes in taste, by foreign exchange rates and also by an inability of the German Wine Industry to be able to speak with a clear voice. Throughout these years, however, such luminaries as Jancis Robinson and Hugh Johnson have continued to carry the flag for German Riesling, declaring them the finest wine whites in the world. During the last couple of years, not only caused by the fatigue with Chardonnay, but also by a clearer message from German producers and simpler labeling, we have seen a slow comeback, particularly of finer wines. I expect this to continue so they will eventually occupy their rightful place in all major markets. I was one of the founders of the German Wine Society and it is my hope that the present membership will become as important as the Confrerie du Tastevin and the Commanderie de Bordeaux, willing to spend the money necessary to serve the finest wines at the most elegant functions. With such leadership German Wines should prosper in this land. My best wishes to all of you. Warm Greetings Peter Sichel