Politics and wine
Julian Hitner uncovers the wines behind the minds – the intriguing tales (or legends) behind some of history’s most noted politicians and their favourite tipples
The world’s political elite have long found an affinity with the fermented grape, reports Julian Hitner
Reflecting on the political havoc of this past year, whether pro-Brexit Britain or election-frenzied US, many could be absolved for posing the following question: could a good number of the world’s dilemmas be solved over a good bottle of wine? Simplicity aside, there’s more to this query than meets the eye – at least as far as politicians are concerned.
fine wines have been used by some of history’s most prominent figures for both personal pleasure and diplomatic leverage, and there are countless stories of famous names mindfully employing vast quantities of wine types in all sorts of political situations.
in the UK, the potent combination of fine wine and politics has for centuries remained a time-honoured tradition, with no one more adept at this than Sir Winston Churchill. While renowned for his love of Champagne, what is likely less known is the late Prime Minister’s fondness for elaborate dinners at which he could present his favourite wines – frequently Pol Roger (see p36), assorted clarets (often St-Emilion, according to surviving accounts) and graham’s Port – to honoured guests, family members and friends, simultaneously forming alliances, keeping apprised of current events, as well as entertaining people with his vast knowledge of military history, politics and other topics.
in Dinner with Churchill: Policy-Making at the Dinner Table, author Cita Stelzer notes: ‘Dinner parties were an important means by which Churchill rewarded friends, won over rivals and gathered information on all subjects, from diplomatic secrets to social gossip.’ in short, there was no finer setting, in Churchill’s mind, at any rate, for advancing personal and political interests, especially during the war years, when the stakes of the day were so high.
fast forward to today, and very little has changed. Although politicians in the UK and elsewhere are generally much more heedful of the importance of reining in government wine expenses (the contents of the Westminster cellar were heavily sold off five years ago), the uninhibited use of select wines for political benefit remains unabated. in october 2010, for instance, outgoing Conservative party treasurer Michael Spencer is reported to have privately hosted a sumptuous dinner at a deluxe restaurant for then Prime Minister David Cameron and fellow colleagues.
To mark the occasion, ‘heroic quantities’ of Château Pétrus were purportedly uncorked from Spencer’s own personal collection; a clear indication of the significance placed on the event for members of the nation’s most powerful political party. intriguingly, though, only a few hours earlier, Cameron had made an impassioned speech about the importance of nationwide belt-tightening in the face of the great Recession.
Bad image management notwithstanding, it would appear both Churchill and Cameron (via Spencer) were equally mindful of the potential profits to be made by enhancing personal and political position with the aid of sufficient, if not copious, quantities of spellbinding wine at lavish soirées.
United tastes
Across the Atlantic, scores of politicians have also long understood the potential of amalgamating fine wine with state affairs. of early examples, Thomas Jefferson was one of the most legendary connoisseurs of his day, remembered for his extensive wine-growing travels throughout france, as well as his unsuccessful attempts (due to phylloxera) at cultivating ungrafted french vine cuttings on his Virginia estate. like Churchill and Cameron, President Jefferson habitually held private dinners for political purposes, from enhancing key friendships to entertaining important individuals, including many rivals.
in a letter to his wife, New hampshire representative (and opposition member) William Plumer wrote of one such dinner: ‘The wine was the best i ever drank, particularly the Champagne, which was indeed delicious… i [only] wish his french politics were as good as his french wines; but to me, at least, they have by no means so exquisite a flavour.’
in all likelihood, there were very few Americans who knew as much about wine,
‘In Britain, the potent combination of fine wine and politics is a time-honoured tradition’
especially French wine, as Jefferson, who, as an aside, and much to the chagrin of visiting dignitaries of rather haughty demeanour, always hosted his private dinners at round tables in a show of then Republican egalitarianism (slavery excepted).
Conversely, the use of fine wine in the presidential arena has, in more modern times, assumed somewhat different appearances. Richard Nixon was immensely fond of firstgrowth claret, particularly Château Margaux (also a favourite of Jefferson), which was often served at state functions, yet with one caveat: that it be clandestinely poured into his glass only, whereas other guests were to be given less grandiose offerings. Such an act of duplicity and selfishness was a hallmark of ‘Tricky Dick,’ an man of extraordinary intellect and ambition, yet unreservedly jealous of what he perceived to be other persons’ scorn of his modest upbringing and less polished manners. Naturally, then, it was only fitting in Nixon’s mind that ‘those sons of bitches’ (a choice phrase of his) attending official dinners be allocated poorer-quality wine.
In contrast, many of his successors have been somewhat more generous (and patriotic) at state events, making a point, since the Reagan administration, of serving Americanproduced wines in lieu of French versions. For instance, at a White House state dinner in March 2016 for Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife, the following wines were presented: Pence’s Sebastiano Vineyard Chardonnay 2013; Cliff Lede’s High Fidelity 2012 and Chateau Chantal’s Ice Wine 2013. And while Barack Obama has always been coy about his personal wine preferences (preferring beer in photo-ops), he has developed a well-regarded reputation for his gracious hosting abilities and customary use of locally produced goods at the table.
Gallic essential
Unsurprisingly, the usage of fine wine in France for political purposes enjoys almost unrivalled pedigree and significance, particularly when considering the number of benchmark-type bottlings the nation produces.
With the impending arrival of Pope Pius VII in Paris for Napoleon’s imperial coronation back in 1804, the latter gave orders that the pontiff and his entourage be treated as generously as possible. The pope, however, being a consummate teetotaler, drank only water. His hangers-on, on the other hand, were anything but, requiring five bottles of Chambertin grand cru every day.
Genuine Chambertin (there were plenty of fakes) was all the rage at the time: it was the declared favourite of the ‘Corsican upstart’ himself and thus the choice wine of persons with a penchant for luxurious living. As such, Napoleon, eager that his historic coronation proceed without fuss while recognising the
‘Fine wines have been used through history for both personal pleasure and diplomatic leverage’
inestimable value of indulging a profligate papacy, was more than mindful of the importance of spending whatever was necessary on the Vatican’s visit.
Ironically, however, for such a nation as France, leaders of late appear to have had a much harder time juggling wine approbation and state interests. At the start of 2016, for instance, President François Hollande was, after months of negotiation, scheduled to have lunch at the Elysée Palace with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during the latter’s historic visit to Paris. The problem? The presence of wine on the table, which Mr Rouhani, a practising Muslim, refused to abide. The result? The cancellation of the gathering, possibly (and plausibly) due to a realisation on the part of Hollande that the exclusion of wine – a pivotal part of his nation’s identity – from a diplomatic meal could, perhaps, run contrary to the hardened cultural principles of his constituents.
A similar incident also occurred back in 2009, when visiting former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki refused to dine with then French President Nicolas Sarkozy because wine would be served. Paradoxically, Sarkozy is popularly understood not even to like wine.
Nevertheless, as with their historical and contemporary counterparts in other parts of the world, both Hollande and Sarkozy would seem all too aware of the importance of integrating fine wine with diplomatic affairs – as well as the potential political fallout of failing to do so when the public, even in their minds, expects it of their heads of state.
Julian Hitner is a wine historian, critic and consultant based in Toronto