Which US President Loves California Wine? Hint, It’s Not #46.
Straight from one of our favorite California Wineries, Scott Harvey Wines, Co-Owner Jana Harvey’s weekend email presents this fun look at the breadth of vino enjoyed by our White House residents. Guess what they shared at state dinners? Sign up for thoughtful and well written emails on SHW’s web site.
Our presidents were up to a lot more than just running our country. Several U.S. presidents had their favorite choices of wine, often reflecting the popular wines of their time or their personal preferences.
Thomas Jefferson Jefferson was an avid wine enthusiast and is often considered one of the founding fathers of American wine culture. He particularly liked French wines, especially those from Bordeaux and Burgundy. Château Lafite and Château d’Yquem were among his favorites.
George Washington -Washington preferred Madeira wine, a fortified wine produced in the Madeira Islands of Portugal. He also enjoyed other fortified wines, such as port and sherry. Washington was known to have a well-stocked wine cellar at Mount Vernon.
Joe Biden
Franklin D. Roosevelt: Roosevelt enjoyed a variety of wines, but he had a special fondness for Champagne. He often served Champagne during his presidency at White House events and diplomatic receptions. FDR began collecting stamps when he was eight years old. Even as president, he spent 30 minutes to an hour every evening looking over his collection, helping him wind down from the day.
Richard Nixon – Nixon enjoyed fine Bordeaux wines, particularly Château Margaux. Despite his public image, Nixon had a sophisticated taste in wine and enjoyed hosting elaborate dinners with carefully selected wine pairings.
Jimmy Carter is a skilled winemaker. The family recipe was passed down through the generations. He produced about 100 bottles every few years, mainly red wine from Georgia grapes. I’m not sure he served his wines at any state dinners.
Barack Obama: Obama preferred American wines, particularly those from California. He often served California wines at White House events and dinners. One of his reported favorites was the 2008 vintage of the Mayacamas Vineyards and Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley. Former First Lady Michelle Obama enjoyed Virginia’s RdV Vineyards Rendezvous Red so much it was served at a 2016 State Dinner.
Joe Biden: Our current POTUS is a teetotaler (interesting enough, so is Trump.) Biden toasts his guests while sipping sparkling water or juice. But, for his visitors he serves Oregon and California wine at state dinners. Newton Unfiltered Napa Valley Chardonnay by Roederer Estate, WindRacer Wines’ Alexander Mountain Chardonnay and Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Knights Valley’ have been served to the likes of French President Emmanuel Macron and Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Whether it’s wine, beer, or spirits, they all appreciate a well-deserved drink! Let’s make sure to raise a glass to our presidents this weekend.
Warmest wishes,
Scott & Jana Harvey
Scott Harvey Winery, Plymouth, CA
Scott Harvey Winery resides in the Shenandoah Valley in Amador County where Highway 49 runs through California’s Gold Country. Enjoy our review of their wines and tasting room.
We were curious about Jimmy Carter’s wine preferences (Georgia grape?) and found this reference in the San Luis Obispo ‘Wine History Project.’
‘In 2005 Journalist Ryan Issac interviewed Jimmy Carter who revealed he is a third-generation winemaker. His grandfather had 15 acres of vineyards on his farm in Plains, Georgia and he used the full harvest to make the sweet Scuppernong dessert wine, the first American wine served as a tradition in the White House.’
Carter said, “I just use local Scuppernong grapes and Muscadine grapes. I never have had regular vintners’ grapes. I generally get my children and grandchildren to come down to Plains, usually in August, and we go out into the local vineyards and pick around 50 gallons of grapes. I’ve got an ancient wine press – probably about 250 years old – that someone gave to me, and I’ve made the rest of my equipment myself.”
President Carter, our 39th president, has been in hospice since February, 2023. He was then 98 years old. Diagnosed with melanoma that spread to his liver and brain he is still living in Plains, Georgia….one year later. As the longest living POTUS he is still alive as of this writing.
Some notes on our wine ranking system.
Bill & Erin Hodge write about California Wine, the estates & winemakers producing them and educational information about Vino. Living in California Wine Country provides a front row seat to the places you want to visit the most here in the Golden State.
– -✰ means -What’s next on your list of wines
-✰ means -Not liking it too much
✰ means -We’ll drink this wine, especially if it’s hosted!
✰+ means -You’ve got our attention and we might buy this wine.
✰+ + means -We’re hooked and we’re going to buy this wine.
When you see -✰/✰+ with a slash, it means we disagree.
