When the wines for the inaugural lunch were announced, I wasn’t surprised that those selected were ones that would never be on my table, in my newsletter or in my glass. The White House has little history in sensitivity when it comes to selecting wines on taste and quality. This year, it was no different. However, in analyzing the Trump selection from J.Lohr, Delicata and Korbel (talk about a strong lobby) I did come up with something positive out of this commercial lot of wines.
All are still family owned.
But on the negative, they are examples of wineries that took the wine out and plunked the brand in. Think top of the line Nabisco cookie. The cookies have their fans but those who want something home- baked would rarely grab a second or even a first. Faux gilt instead of true gold is in line with the Trumpists. And in addition the wines were not reflective of America first, but California.
It turns out I can’t blame the wine insult on our newly elected dictator in wolf’s clothing. The wines did not trickle down from Trump regime but from the Inaugural Committee. And on that committee? Roy Blunt, Kevin McCarthy, Charles E. Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi and Paul D. Ryan.
Now you might not know that Pelosi owns some small and very expensive acreage on Zinfandel Lane in Napa, sells off her grapes and probably considers herself someone who knows something about wine. Paul Ryan, stepped into it for drinking two bottles of $350 wine a pop at a DC resto with two others. (He claims to have had a glass, that’s a little like saying he didn’t inhale.) I have no idea what Chuck drinks, though I bet I could turn him onto natural wine easilly. No matter who was on that committee, the choices were doomed. Why? They shifted responsibility to the Wine Institute—the California wine marketing arm—and then the bi-partisan team made their decision from there.
While each day another horror unfolds from the current, administration hell-bent on debilitating the United States of America, life and liberty, as they push forward on cloaking the country in a pea-soup fog of hate and lies, it is easier for me to focus on this small event then being attached to my angst-inducing Twitter feed, so indulge me in why there's so much wrong with the way this wine decision was made. For one, there is American wine outside of California. Like in all 50 states. Hear of Oregon, for example?
However, considering the moment, the wines were poetically pitch perfect. The regime ended up with the kinds of recommendations that suit their platform, the vinous equivalent of Make America Drink Plonk Again. As a past good friend would have said, the choices were very ‘esque.’
But the concept here is bigger than they got what they deserved. It's about the continued misunderstanding of wine and it's power to be a symbol of humanity.
Here’s my hope: after the group of self-interested billionaires, Alt-Truthers get booted from their big house we can work on wine being embraced by the next administration that will respect mankind, arts, philosophy, literacy and culture. Dealing with the wine is a small way to make a difference.
Even with this current administrations embracing fantasy as fact, if they had handled the wine decision this way, it could have had impact. but it should be conducted this way:
The inaugural wines should start at a reputable local wine shop.
Take the recommendations back to a conference room.
The bi-partisan team would start to taste, debating something safer than the President’s nominees—the taste of wine.
Selections done by secret ballot. Then discuss.
This could even become the next reality TV segment and it would be one I might even watch.
Then, the wines should be paid out of the budget. If they were serving European they could keep the cap under $20, but as this is an American wine show, they could keep it under $30 a bottle. $2160 will not break the budget and anyway they would have received a 10-15% discount if they chose wisely. It could be a vote for organic, for taste, for enjoyment and celebration, peace, tranquility, joy and a true bonding experience.
Ecstasy being laced through the water supply might have a more profound effect,and I heartily support its potential to bring upon all sorts of world peace, but this little wine idea of mine, might not be so bad a small step to promote reaching a common goal.
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