Wine Favorites of the Obamas

It’s not Wine Wednesday, but I saw this online and I thought this was interesting (reprinted with permission). Have a great weekend!

Wine Favorites of the Obamas
By Kent Campbell

Many winemakers and wine clubs have experienced gloomy times recently as sales have taken a hit due to the down economy, especially at the high end. Indulging a dose of magical thinking, winemakers and sellers are jubilant over the election of Barack Obama to the presidency because he and his wife drink wine. Experts believe winemakers and sellers have misguided hopes that their personal consumption will somehow boost sales for several reasons. This article looks at whether the popularity of President Obama and his enjoyment for wine will result in surge in wine sales.

The 2008 Soar In Sales

President George W. Bush abstained from drinking alcohol, but during his presidency wine sales soared to the point that in 2008 Americans consumed more wine than any other nation. Experts say it may not be a coincidence because although the economy began falling apart in 2008, people still had money to manage their denial with a good bottle of wine.

Even if President Obama were to be a more inspirational leader, causing people to want to imitate his lifestyle, no one really knows what wines he drinks. While wine sleuths are hard at work, they still don’t have any concrete information. They know the Obama home in Chicago has a 1,000 bottle wine cellar, but don’t know the number or types of wines stored there.

Considering President Obama’s propensity to think, many sleuths theorize he has stuffed his wine racks with books although he did tell People magazine that Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay was a staple in his house. Along with President Obama, legions of Americans buy Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay and most of it is mass-produced, generic wine, meaning the people that usually buy it don’t pay a lot of attention to what’s in the glass, at least not enough to cause an increase in wine enjoyment. Michelle Obama likes sparkling wine, specifically a $15 brut from South African producer Graham Beck. Experts believe this wine may be too obscure for many Americans.

White House Dinners

Whether or not the Obamas manage to increase the country’s wine sales in any noticeable way, their choices may influence the wine selections for state dinners at the White House. The Bush administration created a scandal in November 2008 when hosting an emergency economic summit for world leaders after the global economy began to unravel. Along with dinner, the White House served a Napa cult Cabernet, the Shafer 2003 Hillside Select that retails variously from $250 to $500 a bottle, depending on the seller. Although President Bush had no responsibility for this choice, Two Buck Chuck would have been a more appropriate selection for the occasion.

The three wine picks for the luncheon following President Obama’s Inauguration received high praise. These wines included $14 Korbel Natural California Champagne, $30 Duckhorn 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, and $50 Goldeneye 2005 Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Some people credit California Senator Diane Feinstein with those choices since she was the chair of the inauguration committee.

Winemakers and wine clubs hold out faith that President Obama can fix wine sales along with the economy. As the nation rebounds comes together once again, those in the wine industry have hope that wine sales will follow.

Kent Campbell is an author for the popular wine of the month club, Celebrations Wine Club. Celebrations Wine Club is one of the few wine clubs offering the wines of California and Italy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Campbell
http://EzineArticles.com/?Wine-Favorites-of-the-Obamas&id=2516838

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