Comments on: State dinner numero dos: Brut-al wine pairings

By: Daniel James

Daniel James — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:10:12 +0000

Daniel Shanks is the best for the job. You should read his choices listen and learn from his expertise !

By: WineFashionista

WineFashionista — Sat, 28 May 2011 20:27:12 +0000

Tyler, you should check with Robledo Family Winery. Reynoldo Robledo, Sr. was invited to the White House in 2010 when the Mexican President was visiting the White House.

By: Buckingham Palace pours the good stuff for Obama | Dr Vino's wine blog

Buckingham Palace pours the good stuff for Obama | Dr Vino's wine blog — Fri, 27 May 2011 14:24:30 +0000

[...] 1990 Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Grands Echezaux; and a 1963 port. Just a tad better than the selections at the White [...]

By: State dinner menu with Hu Jintao: “quintessentially American” | Dr Vino's wine blog

Sat, 22 Jan 2011 14:43:48 +0000

[...] curry prawns – an “impossible” pairing from the White House state dinner” “State dinner numero dos: Brut-al wine pairings“ Permalink | Comments (11) | | American wine, leaders and liters This entry was [...]

By: British government tops up 39,500 bottle cellar | Dr Vino's wine blog

British government tops up 39,500 bottle cellar | Dr Vino's wine blog — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 13:54:00 +0000

[...] The White House wine cellar is pretty small, less than 500 bottles, which has led to an (abysmally executed) ad hoc approach to formal dinners. But almost 40,000 bottles? That seems a little high, especially [...]

By: Drink Me Mag

Drink Me Mag — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 19:30:12 +0000

Interesting! Did you get to go?
There are more and more wines actually coming out of Mexico too!

By: Stu Wilde

Stu Wilde — Thu, 27 May 2010 08:46:14 +0000

DC retailers can purchase directly from the winery — don’t know how that affects the White House… they obviously don’t sell wine, but the wine laws in DC are quite liberal.

Also, CEJA does make some great wines that are very food friendly and they figure prominently among Mexican-American winemakers/vineyard owners.

My 2 cents on the pairings:
Matanzas Creek Sauvingnon Blanc
Peter Michael Les Pavots
Bonny Doon Dessert Muscat

By: El sueño americano, hecho realidad « Gota a gota

El sueño americano, hecho realidad « Gota a gota — Sat, 22 May 2010 19:23:38 +0000

[...] los vinos descorchados, todos californianos, que da cuenta Mr. Tyler Colman en su reconocido blog Dr. Vino, me llamó la atención un “sombrerudo” que no tuvo la delicadeza de despojarse de su [...]

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 21 May 2010 20:23:10 +0000

Tyler, while I was writing, your note appeared. Nice. Call the White House and ask. And WSWA. Bon courage.
Is anyone monitoring the Spanish blogs?
PS Happily, Chris agreed with my note on the Ceja family.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 21 May 2010 20:10:59 +0000

Everything in DC is politics. Everything. NVVA, WSWA, Mexico, encore. They all have lobbyists. (To promote or kill HR 5034, to negotiate trade tariffs).
Were there reporters in the wine world, I’d tell them to call the Valdez family and ask who promoted them. Ask them whether the salad goes their wine. Ask if they tried to replicate the dinner. Ask if they were there.
Then call WSWA and NVVA. And Thompson and the Wine Caucus and the White House sommelier.
(Maybe someone has done this but I am busy…)
Still, huge congrats to the Valdez family. It will be interesting to see the notes on a wine no one would have paid attention to otherwise.

By: Dr. Vino

Dr. Vino — Fri, 21 May 2010 20:01:07 +0000

Thanks for your comments. Especially the funny ones!

For more information on the Cejas that Chris proposes, here’s a piece on them from 2004:
http://bit.ly/dkJwuT

But, really, the role of Mexicans in the California/American wine industry is such a rich and important topic that the wine steward could have spun it in a lot of ways, especially to have both symbolism and the pleasure of a harmonious pairing. Although the tip of the toque approach to the menu is a nice touch in many ways, in the instances of both India and Mexico (the two state dinners thus far), it does ratchet up the degree of difficulty on the wine pairings, and would certainly make me think beyond chardonnay, cabernet and celebrity brut sparkling (of note: the last menu also featured a brut sparkler with dessert). But I would start with quality and style and then filter the wines by symbolic choices. Incidentally, it has been protocol for several decades to only pour domestic wines at the White House. http://bit.ly/ajuzaN

Also, I wonder how they sourced the unreleased Valdez wine? Shanks told Bloomberg in that link above that they only buy from local wholesalers.

But when I spoke with the previous executive chef at the White House, he said that they bought directly from wineries.
http://www.drvino.com/2006/11/02/bipartisan-meal/

Perhaps they are buying directly again? Would this help HR 5034 meet with a veto then if it ever got voted out of Congress?

By: Wineontheway.com

Wineontheway.com — Fri, 21 May 2010 17:21:24 +0000

So many choices and this is what they come up with. The Obamas need a new wine guy!

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 21 May 2010 13:38:07 +0000

Honestly, without having tasted the dishes or knowing the wines, I don’t see how people can dissect the selections that were made. Wine pairings are funny like that…sometimes things that don’t sound like they would work do and vice versa.

Interesting idea to come up with your own pairings though…

By: Serge

Serge — Fri, 21 May 2010 08:23:23 +0000

With fresh oil bubble in Gulf choice of Exxon Valdez Chardonnay has ultimate perverse in the pairing! Real sommelier can be only the Dick Cheney! Don’t be so naive!

By: Ron Saikowski

Ron Saikowski — Fri, 21 May 2010 03:06:38 +0000

I would have chosen wines entirely differently, starting off with the attitude of an Alexander Valley Vineyard Gerwurtz, followed by one of Mexico’s oaked Cabs and finish with a Texas Port from Bernhardt Winery which has a well aged Cab finished with a 20 year old Brandy. Mole and Mexican Cab MMMMMM. Who cares about immigration when you have such diversification!