Chain Bridge Cellars, owned and run by Doug House, is a leading wine store in the greater Washington DC area, a few blocks away from where Annette and I live. In the recent newsletter I was very happy to see the announcement that Gernot Kollmann, co-owner and winemaker at Weingut Immich Batterieberg in the Mosel valley, was coming to the store for ...

In contrast to the other American Wine Society chapters in the Northern Virginia area, the NoLoCo (Northern Loudoun County) chapter meets at the home of one of the members and the tasting is always followed by a pot-luck dinner. The April 2024 tasting took place at our home in McLean, Virginia, and Annette was the presenter. In terms of the pot-luc...

Pictures: 45th Anniversary of the German Wine Society at the German Embassy in Washington DC, October 7, 2022, Germany/ USA ANNOUNCING THE GERMAN WINE SOCIETYS SPRING FESTIVAL CELEBRATION AT THE GERMAN EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON MAY 3, 2024! German Wine Society Members and Friends of German Wine,It is a pleasure to announce that the German Emb...

At the suggestion of Roland Young, we went to The Elkridge Furnace Inn and Garden House in the Greater Baltimore area for a Loire Wine Dinner. In contrast to other events, there was no winemaker present nor an importer or distributor presenting his portfolio. The wines were the personal choices of Chef Dan Wecker, who also presented the wines along...

Two months ahead of Loire 2024 by ombiasy, organized and led by Annette Schiller, Annette and I attended a fantastic winemaker dinner with Clment Berthier, Sancerre, at Bastille Brasserie in Alexandria. We will spend the last 2 nights of the tour in Sancerre and hopefully also visit Clment & Florian Berthier.This outstanding wine dinner was org...

In preparation of the forthcoming Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTours, Annette and I spent 2 nights in Angers in order to visit various wine fairs. See here: Salons des Vins - all with a Focus on Natural, Organic, Biodynamic and Low-intervention Producers in the Loire Valley and elsewhere in France and Europe - in February in Angers an...

On November 26, 2020, the German parliament passed a new wine law, which took effect on January 27, 2021. Importantly, the new German wine law introduces a new hierarchy to determine the quality of wine - the Romanesque model of origin. The emphasis shifts from the sugar level to the wines geographic origin. The bottom line is the quality promise: ...

The Michelin Guide Deutschland 2024 was released in March 24. In total, 340 chefs got 1, 2 or 3 star(s) in Germany. I was in particular pleased that winemaker Christian Stahl was awarded a Michelin star.See: Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl, Franken, Germany: Star Winemaker for some Time, now also a Michelin-starred Chef (March 2024) In Frankfurt,...

The Loire Valley is not only a paradise for castle buffs and wine enthusiasts, but also .... for cheese lovers.On the 2024 Loire Valley by ombiasy WineTours in June 2024, we will indeed spend lots of time visiting castles and wineries. Towards the end of the tour, when we are for 2 nights in Sancerre and will visit winemakers in the AOC Sancerre...

Another memorable wine dinner at Belga Caf on the hill in Washington DC, with the (in my view) Michelin star level cooking of Chef Bart Vandaele, the #worldclass wines selected by Olivier Lotterie of Vineyard Brands and a very enjoyable ambiance. InvitationJoin me for a wonderful Wine Dinner on March 28th for $129++ per person and welcome Spring w...

Announcement Jennifer Crafts, NoLoCo Chapter Chair: Annette Schiller will present on the topic of Wines from the Loire Valley. As a leader of wine tours through the various wine regions of France, she is an expert on these wines. She and Christian will host at their house in McLean. Attendance will be capped at 22. If needed, I will keep a waitlis...

When the 2024 Michelin Stars in Germany for the best chefs of the country were announced, something spectacular happened that I have not yet seen before. One of the say 400 German star winemakers became one of Germany`s 340 Michelin-starred chefs: Christian Stahl, Winzerhof Stahl in Franken, Germany, Winemaker of the Year 2018 (FAS, Stuart Pigott),...

On Tuesday, March 26, 2024, Annette Schiller led a Loire Valley tasting at the Washington Wine and Cheese Seminar. The event was well attended with about 70 participants. Invitation Dear wine friends,I would like to remind you to join us tomorrow Tuesday, March 26 at 7.45 pm at St. Patricks Episcopal Church at 4700 Whitehaven Pky, Washington DC...

Tenuta Torciani, a wine producer based in the Chianti region in Italy, presented its wines at the March 2024 meeting of the of the John Marshall Chapter of the American Wine Society. Tommaso Saltarelli led the tasting. The John Marshall Chapter meets at Pearmund Cellars in Virginia. Douglas Beakes is the Chapter Chair.Tenuta Torciani uses an unusua...

Invitation Please plan to join the German Wine Society on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 7:00 pm for a presentation on the Pinot grapes of Germany, and tasting of nine wines to illustrate the varieties using these grapes, by our own Annette Schiller, who has brought some of these wines back from Germany just for us. This is our first in-person ev...

Pictures: In the Top-10: Weingut Dr. Loosen. See: Tasting at Weingut Dr. Loosen in Bernkastel-Kues, Middle Mosel, with Ernie Loosen- Germany-North Tour 2019 by ombiasy WineTours: Quintessential RieslingSteffen Schindler(Deutsches Weininstitute): 55 German wine producers now have more than 10,000 followers on @instagram! The newcomers are @meyernae...

Pictures: Moon - Monks - Michelin: Overnight stay and 1-star Michelin Dinner at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, with Chef Thibaut Ruggeri (February 2024)The Loire Valley is not only a paradise for castle buffs and wine enthusiasts, but also .... for cheese lovers.On the 2024 Loire Valley by ombiasy WineTours in June 2024, we will indeed spend lot...

Melissa Rion of Domaine Armelle et Bernard Rion Vosne-Romane was at The Buttery at Locke Store in Millwood, Virginia, for a fantastic wine maker dinner.This was our first visit of The Buttery at Locke Store. We were quite impressed and liked it very much. It was a 1 1/2 hour drive from McLean, Virginia. By contrast, we have been several times at D...

NO Reservation required. You just show up! I would like to invite you to join us next Tuesday, March 26 at 7.45 pm at St. Patricks Episcopal Church at 4700 Whitehaven Pky, Washington DC, for a journey through the vineyards of the Loire Valley. The Loire belongs to France's Crown Jewels. For centuries, French kings have spent their summers on the ba...

Initially, Annette had planned to let 2024 Loire Valley by ombiasy WineTours end in Orlans. But during the February 2024 "scouting trip", Annette decided to let the tour end in Paris and have the last group dinner in Sancerre. Our last dinner will be at La Tour Restaurant right in the center of Sancerre. It is a Michelin-listed restaurant, which wa...

The Consular Conference 2024 took place on March 13 -15 at the German Embassy Washington DC, which was attended by 44 German Consuls General and Honorary Consuls from all over the USA. As part of this conference, Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, was asked to do a 1 1/2 seminar about "The Wines of Germany". Annette presented 8 wines, 2 red w...

One of the wineries we will visit when we spend 2 days in Sancerre during 2024 Loire Valley by ombiasy WineTours in June 2024 is Domaine Famille Bourgeois in Chavignol. On the pre-trip in February 2024, Annette and I already had the chance to meet Jean-Marie Bourgeois and Jean-Christoph Bourgeois.See: Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy Win...

The Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024 was released recently, presenting Vinum's choice of Germanys best 1,000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10,500 wines on 1,080 pages. 5 out of 5 stars (world class) was awarded to 20 estates. In addition, there are 32 estates with 4.5 stars, and 76 estates with 4 stars.PostingsThis posting is the 18th...

Chteau de Chambord is the most visited Loire chteau. For any Loire Valley Tour, a visit of Chteau de Chambord is a must. Consequently, on the forthcoming Loire Valley Tour by ombiasy WineTours, we will spend half a day at Chteau de Chambord.See: Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024) The cht...

Picture: Tour and Tasting at Niche Wine Producer Weingut Herr & Frau Lttmer, in Vitzenburg, Saale-Unstrut, with Klaus Lttmer - Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Wrttemberg) by ombiasy WineTours Pictures: Walk in the Vineyard, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Rudolf May (VDP) in Retzstadt, Franken,...

The Northern Virginia Chapter of the American Wine Society meets every first Friday of the month in Falls Church. In March 2024, the subject was "A Journey through the Loire Valley". Annette Schiller presented 11 wines from the Loire valley. We had 2 bottles of each wine. Attendance was capped at 40 people. We were honored by the presence of Bill S...

The Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024 was released recently, presenting Vinum's choice of Germanys best 1,000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10,500 wines on 1,080 pages. 5 out of 5 stars (world class) was awarded to 20 estates. In addition, there are 32 estates with 4.5 stars, and 76 estates with 4 stars.PostingsThis posting is the 15th...

In preparation of the forthcoming Loire Tour by ombiasy WineTours, Annette and I spent a night at Chteau de Pray and had dinner at the 1-star Michelin restaurant of this beautiful chteau. On the tour in June, we will will also spend a night there and have dinner there. Since the main restaurant is closed on Sundays we get served a light fare on t...

Carl Willner: The German Wine Societys Capital Chapter held its annual membership meeting online using Zoom on Saturday, February 17, 2024, between 4 pm and 6:30 pm. We had 22 persons registered to attend, on 18 distinct email accounts with some couples sharing an account. ... At the start of the meeting, which commenced at 4:13 pm, I introduced...

The Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024 was released recently, presenting Vinum's choice of Germanys best 1,000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10,500 wines on 1,080 pages. 5 out of 5 stars (world class) was awarded to 20 estates. In addition, there are 32 estates with 4.5 stars, and 76 estates with 4 stars.PostingsThis posting is the 15th i...

I am an oyster lover. I eat Virginia oysters on the half shell regulary, when they are available. Typically, I buy them at the local supernarket in a bag containing a dozen oysters for less than US$10, shuck them myself at home, put on a record from my extensive LP collection and eat them with a dry white wine from my cellar.Occasionally, I eat oys...

As part of the 27th Rheingau Gourmet & Wein Festival, the 34 members of the VDP/ Rheingau presented their wines at the Eberbach Monastery. They welcomed 38 producers from California as their guests. The tasting took place in the impressive lay dormitory. Kloster Eberbach, one of Europe's best-preserved and important medieval monasteries, lies ...

Emma Metzler is one of my favorite restaurants in Frankfurt, Germany, with a focus on sustainability in terms of food and wines, located in the Museum fr Angewandte Kunst/ Museum of Applied Art. The Flag.de: The Emma Metzler Restaurant is located in the Museum of Applied Arts. Here, directly on the shoreline of the Main, visitors are rooted in a ...

Dinner at home in Frankfurt. I opened a 1969 Weingut Hans Ernst, Eltviller Langenstueck, Riesling, Cabinet, Rheingau. I noticed that the fill level of this bottle had fallen significantly and decided to open the bottle. The wine was fine. Dark brown, quite dry, no Sherry notes as one might have expected, short finish. A very emotional wine. It is o...

Pictures: Annette Schiller at recent tasting events in the Angers (France), Washington DC (USA) and Frankfurt (Germany)Please plan to join the German Wine Society on Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 7:00 pm for a presentation on the Pinot grapes of Germany, and tasting of nine wines to illustrate the varieties using these grapes, by our own Annette S...

Extraordinaire Wine Dinner with Chef Frank Buchholz and Winemaker Philipp Wittmann/ Rheinhessen in Mainz/ Germany (February 2024). It was very intimate, with just 13 guests sitting with Philipp at one large table and talking with him about his #worldclass wines, FC Bayern Mnchen and other things. Philipp poured 7 wines, including a Morstein GG and ...

As part of the pre-trip in February 2024 for the Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTours in June, Annette and I stayed a night at the hotel of the UNESCO classified Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud and had dinner at its high-end restaurant. Richard the Lionheart and his parents Eleonore of Aquitaine and Henry II are buried here. Michelin-starred C...

At the invitation of Spyros Andre and organized by Christine Scharrer 6 of us met at the WineBank Frankfurt for a Sunday afternoon blind tasting of Bordeaux grands vins and other wines from our cellars.As I realized through the tasting only, the main purpose of this event was to see how 3 Ridge Vineyards wines, which Spyros had smuggled into the ta...

Our day ended in Saumur where we will spend 2 nights with the Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTours in June 2024. We stayed at the Mercure Saumur, where the group will stay. The hotel is on an island in the Loire river with a breathtaking view of Saumur and its castle. We had dinner at a Michelin-listed restaurant, the Restaurant L'Alchimiste...

Initially, the Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTours in June 2024 was planned start in Nantes and end in Orlans. Now, following the pre-tour in January 2024 and at the request of the participants who have already signed up, the tour will end in Sancerre, followed by a bus transfer to Paris. The last two nights will be in Sancerre and from the...

As part of the "Stammtisch-Series", Giuseppe Lauria, Editor-in-Chief of the Weinwisser, presented 8 Wines of the Rheingau at the Rheingauer Weinkonvent in Geisenheim, February 2024.The wines ranged from an ultra-premium Sekt to high-end single-vineyard GG wines, both Riesling and Sptburgunder, from Lorch in the west to Hochheim in the east, from en...

Desche Otto of Louie und Claudia is "ma cantine" (as the Frensch would say), when I am in Frankfurt, Germany. See: Mainlust Desche Otto an Ultra Traditional Apple Wine Tavern, with an Innovative Twist, off the Beaten Track in Schwanheim, Frankfurt am Main, Germany From time to time, the place rocks and rolls. Claudia and Louie like music and hav...

The 2024 Annual Meeting of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, a Wine Brotherhood in the famous wine village Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, took place on February 16, 2024. This year, Annette Schiller and I were able to participate. The Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim was founded 45 years ago by 7 wine enthusiasts, including Franz Kuenstler, the founder of...

While we were in Angers to prepare the Loire Valley Tour 2024 by ombiasy WineTous, we had dinner at the Les Petits Prs right in the center of Angers. "Top Chef France" winner Samuel Albert is the owner and executive chef of this restaurant (and two other restaurants in Angers). The place was packed but we were lucky to get two seats at the kitchen...