Carl
ANNOUNCING THE GERMAN WINE SOCIETY’S POTOMAC WINE CRUISE!
Get ready to cast off on the Potomac for a German wine cruise! Yes, the Capital Chapter of the German Wine Society is once again holding our Potomac wine cruise this summer, back by popular demand after a series of successful voyages. As we did in July 2021-2025, and also regularly for several years in 2010-2013 and earlier, we will enjoy the traditional GWS summer wine cruise past the beautiful river banks and monuments of our nation’s Capital. Please join us to taste many wines from Germany as we cruise along the Potomac for two hours, from 3 pm to 5 pm on Saturday, July 25, 2026. We will board Capitol River Cruises’ Nightingale from the Georgetown waterfront, at 3050 K Street N.W., Washington, D.C. – the end of 31st Street, by the Fiola Mare restaurant. Be sure to be on the wharf before departure time – the cruise boat cannot wait for late arrivals! We can accommodate only 60 guests on the Nightingale for this event, so reserve early to avoid disappointment. Reservations for this event are due by Monday, July 20, 2026, to give us sufficient time to have enough wine and supplies for all aboard.
Parking is readily available in garages along the Georgetown riverfront, and it is possible to walk from Metro at the Foggy Bottom station as well (if you are a good walker). We will be providing all the wines for this event, as well as disposable plastic glasses and cutlery, paper plates and napkins, and will also bring deli sandwiches or other snacks and desserts. Guests are also welcome to bring their own favorite cheeses, breads or other food on board, but there will be enough food even if you do not choose to do so. This will be a relaxing cruise, with no presentation, allowing everyone to concentrate on the wines, good company and atmosphere. There are many outdoor and indoor dining establishments along the Georgetown waterfront for dinner after the cruise, which we encourage you to try.
The Nightingale is a boat we have used for several previous cruises. It is all on one level, with tables and chairs, two bathrooms (heads), and a bar area from which we can serve wines (and where you can buy other drinks too if you choose). It also has protection against inclement weather, though we have been fortunate with most of our past wine cruises (sometimes we have weathered rain or a brief storm) and reasonably hope for a sunny afternoon once again. The cruise will take place rain or shine, unless weather conditions do not allow the cruise to set out safely, in which case we will reschedule or provide refunds.
THE WINES: The wines for our cruise will be mostly whites but with a few reds. This year, they will all be German! Both dry and sweet wines will be offered, including several Kabinett and Spätlese prädikat wines. Seven of Germany’s thirteen wine regions will be represented. Because this is not a formal presentation, and we will only have one or two bottles on hand of each of the wines listed, everyone will not get the same wines, but all on the voyage should have the chance to savor around 10-12 different wines, out of the 21 types and 29 bottles available. We look forward to sharing the lovely qualities of these German wines with our members and guests again. Here’s the wine list we have planned (wines are single bottles unless two bottles are noted):
German Whites (including sparkling)
NV Dr. Loosen “Dr. L” Riesling Sekt Mosel – 2 bottles
NV Hild Elbling Brut Mosel – 2 bottles
2022 AJ Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Kabinett Mosel
2023 AJ Adam Dhroner Hofberg Riesling Kabinett Mosel
2017 Bollig-Lehnert Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Mosel
2023 Dönnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett Nahe
2017 Dr. Heyden Silvaner Old Vines Trocken Rheinhessen
2022 Dr. Burklin-Wolf Weissburgunder Trocken Pfalz – 2 bottles
2016 G.A. Schneider Niersteiner Hipping Riesling Spätlese Rheinhessen
2023 Willi Haag Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese Mosel
2022 Hermann Ludes Riesling Mosel
2023 Hexamer Meddesheimer Rheingrafenberg Riesling Nahe – 2 bottles
2012 J.J. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett Mosel – 2 bottles
2016 St. Christopher Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese Mosel
2023 Vollenweider Felsenfest Riesling Trocken Mosel
2021 Vols-Ayler Kupp Riesling Spätlese Mosel
2017 Weingut Carl Ehrhard Rüdesheim Feinherb Riesling Kabinett Rheingau – 2 bottles, 3 if needed
2017 Weingut Carl Ehrhard Burg Roseneck Riesling Kabinett Rheingau – 2 bottles
2023 Weiser Kunstler Estate Riesling Feinherb Kabinett Mosel
German Reds
2021 Shelter Winery “”Lovely Lilly” Spätburgunder Baden
2014 Meyer-Näkel “S” Spätburgunder Ahr
PRICE AND RESERVATIONS: Our event price is $72 for members and $79 for non-member guests, payable in advance online through our website using PayPal or by check. There has been no increase in prices since last year! 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).
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. Cut the reservation form below and send with your check – do not mail the entire page.
If you have questions about the event, please contact Carl Willner by email at carl.willner1@verizon.net.
HEALTH AND SAFETY: We are not requiring any special health precautions to participate in this event, but if you do contract covid-19 or other communicable disease before this event, please respect our other guests and stay home to recover. Refunds can be provided in these circumstances if we are notified prior to the day of the event (otherwise, cancellations must be received by the registration deadline to receive a refund). 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 or rely on a designated driver, and if those are not available, taste the wines in moderation rather than finishing them.
We are eagerly anticipating seeing all of you in person again for this comfortable afternoon on the Potomac!
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RESERVATION FORM for Saturday, July 25, 2026, German Wine Society Potomac Wine Cruise