The Dr. Loosen Wine Dinner will be held April 22 at 7 p.m.in Old Hickory Steakhouse, National Harbor, Md., pairing wines and foods from Germany’s Mosel Valley.

German-born Executive Chef Wolfgang Birk welcomes Ernst Loosen, head of the Dr. Loosen Estate and an internationally acclaimed winemaker who was named among the “World’s 50 Most Influential Winemakers” by Wine & Spirits Magazine.

Guests will embark on an epicurean journey featuring Dr. Loosen’s wines, and a five-course dinner showcasing Birk’s inventive, German-influenced cuisine, including Crisp Turbot Filet with Ginger Sauerkraut, Reisling-Poached Goose Liver with “Kugelhopf,” and “Kaiserschmarn” Caramelized Berry Pancake.

The Wine Dinner is priced at $95 per person, and includes complimentary valet parking ($28 value).   Reservations are required and limited; call 301:965-2718.

The Menu:

Passed Canapés
Jl. Wolf Pinot Gris, Pfalz, 2007

First Course
Duo of Crawfish with Sorrel and Corral Sauce
JL Wolf Wachenheimer Riesling Kabinett, Pfalz, 2007
Dr. Loosen Blue Slate Riesling Kabinett, Mosel Saar Ruwer, 2007

Second Course
Crisp Turbot Filet, Ginger Sauerkraut, Veal Jus
Dr. Loosen Gracher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese, Mosel Saar Ruwer, 2006

Third Course
Riesling Poached Goose Liver, “Kugelhopf,” Black Pepper Caramel Sauce
Dr. Loosen Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Auslese, Mosel, 2007

Fourth Course
Braised Veal Cheeks, Gratin of Salsify
Dr. Loosen Two Worlds Pinot Noir, Pfalz NV

Dessert Course
“Kaiserschmarn” Caramelized Berry Pancake, Maple Walnut Ice Cream
Dr. Loosen Riesling Beerenauslese, Mosel, 2006

About Ernst Loosen and Dr. Loosen Estates
Ernst Loosen was born into a great tradition of German winemaking, since the Dr. Loosen Estate on the Mosel River has been in his family for over 200 years.  Ernst took over the estate in 1988, and since then, Dr. Loosen wines have received countless awards and glowing reviews in the wine press.  The estate has become a member of the prestigious VDP, Germany’s association of top-rated wine estates, and has been named one of the 10 best estates in Germany by nearly every wine publication worldwide. Ernst was named Germany’s Winemaker of the Year in the 2001 edition of Gault Millau’s Weinguide Deutschland.  The vineyards of Dr. Loosen owe their excellent quality to three major factors: the cool climate of the middle Mosel area, the mineral-rich slate and volcanic soils, and the extreme age of the estate’s ungrafted Riesling vines.  The Estate boasts a production of 70,000 bottles per year.

About Executive Chef Wolfgang Birk
Overseeing the culinary staff of Old Hickory Steakhouse,  Wolfgang Birk has drawn from 20 years of experience working in Germany, Spain, Italy and North America.  Most recently, he served as executive chef of Miami’s famous five-star, five-diamond Casa Casuarina.  Birk has also worked alongside many of the world’s top chefs and taught at New York’s illustrious New School.  He has been honored with a certificate of appreciation from the James Beard Foundation in 1998 and 2004; a best chef nomination in Food and Wine magazine in 2001, 2002, and 2003; and honorable mentions in the New York Times, New York Daily News and many international food magazines.