The East Wing’s steady decline in promoting high-end American wines at presidential State Dinners has come to this Friday night: President Obama is serving a $30 screw top wine.
Among the four wines being poured is the Penner-Ash 2014 viognier. The Wine Enthusiast gave the 2013 a 92 point rating. It comes with a screw cap instead of a cork.
The others are a rice wine, a $80 Pride Mountian Vineyards 2012 Vintner Select Merlot, and for dessert, a $40 2011 Schramsberg Cremant Demi-sec sparkling wine.
While tasty, the wines are a step down from the far pricier choices picked for other heads of state when exclusive vineyards like Peter Michael Winery used to rule the roost.
And the wines aren’t even as exclusive as those Obama served in 2011 to former Chinese President Hu Jintao, who was provided a $115 Cabernet.
But at least the wines were revealed, though covered mostly by the Chinese media. The administration had corked the practice of naming the wines after it was hit for serving expensive wines.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
