Red, white and blue wine: a wine lover’s guide to the presidential primaries

With the Iowa caucuses (finally!) happening tonight, we need a wine lover’s guide to the presidential election.

Mitt Romney: According to the NYT, he is so “vigilant about nutrition” (read: boring!) that he eats the same meals every day. Anathema to the wine lover! Added bonus: teetotaler. No love from wine geeks.

Mike Huckabee: He’s reputedly a charmer, plays guitar, knows (or knew) how to eat, and jogs every morning. But he’s also a southern Baptist minister, so he doesn’t dance and is a teetotaler. So close, yet so far. Wine pick: “Fre,” a de-alcoholized wine.

giuliani.jpgRudy Giuliani: Rudy used to like Long Island merlot but 9/11 changed everything. Now he’ll drink whatever is local, as long as it is American.

John McCain: He used to be more of a loose cannon eight years ago. Now, the fire in the belly appears as mere embers. His wine is a 10 year old Turley Zinfandel, fiery in it’s youth, now sadly without vigor.

obamaclinton.jpgBarack Obama: This man has got style. Heck, one commentator even said he was the “wine track” candidate some time back. So he’s our man for the White House. He’s also quite a blend himself, born in Hawaii to a mother from Kansas and a father from Kenya and lived early on in Indonesia. This eloquent American blend could be none other than one of the finest wines in America, with structure and spice: Ridge Monte Bello.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: We know Hillary hearts New York but is she cold as ice? Wine pick: Standing Stone, Vidal, ice wine 2005, Finger Lakes.

John Edwards: he’s made it far on his “two Americas” theme. We know what that means–beer America and wine America. We’ll split the difference and put him down for a Franzia box wine.

The wild cards

goldbottle.jpgRon Paul: this guy may be crazy–he wants to eliminate the IRS, the Federal Reserve and a host of government departments and restore the gold standard–but if he is, then he is rich and crazy thanks to his $19 million in fund raising last quarter. Wine pick: Armand de Birgnac, Ace of Spades, “gold bottle,” non-vintage Champagne $300.

Fred Thompson: This Tennessean seems like a natural fit for Bourbon. No love from wine geeks.

kucinichwife.jpgDennis Kucinich: Given his hhhhot young wife (born 1977), he clearly likes youthful reds. We’ll put him down for a California Pinot, most recent vintage available.

Christopher Dodd: His move to Iowa in a desperate attempt to score fourth place makes him seem pandering. And nothing tries harder to be a crowd-pleaser yet fails to inspire more than Merlot.

Bill Richardson: He’s big and he claims to have the most foreign policy experience. Wine pick: the brawny 2004 Numanthia from Spain.

Related: “Bush-Kerry 2004: an election guide for wine lovers

7 Responses to “Red, white and blue wine: a wine lover’s guide to the presidential primaries”


  1. Is that a six pack of Ridge Monte Bello? I’ll take a case – go Obama!


  2. What is Sarkozy drinking? Blue Nun? Do mormons drink? I have a dream! Bier drinkers can eat the same meal every night! May I suggest Monk’s Ale from Pecos New Mexico. (The Pecos river feeds Rocky Mountain water into the Rio Grande river). In TEXAS St. Arnold is very good! (ALE-Houston) [now you can drink while you pray!) Remember the grapes of France have the roots of the US. Maybe that’s what Sarkozy knows! CHEERS


  3. I was raised Southern Baptist, and trust me, they drink. But you Never EVER acknowledge each other in the liquor store.


  4. […] Red, white and blue wine: a wine lover’s guide to the presidential primaries File this in the “hoot” category, with photos to emphasize selections. […]


  5. I’m a former NYer and not exactly a fan of Hill, but you ought to giver her props: She was the first in 1600 to serve a red with fish (an Oregon Pinot with Arctic Char & Mushroom Risotto, if memory serves).


  6. […] Oh, my friend and colleague, Peter Liem and I both had our blogs mentioned on Tyler Coleman’s Dr. Vino the other day. Thanks, Tyler! For those of you with an interest in learning more about the world we call wine, I suggest spending some time at Dr. Vino. Here you can learn about everything from wine’s carbon footprint to the wine lover’s guide to the presidential primaries. […]


  7. […] country first and decide which wine is best suited to each of the three other candidates! I already had my say during the primaries, so now it is your […]


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