Controversy bubbles up over Korbel ‘champagne’ description for inauguration (by Jeremy Hay)

Time to get a life?

 

Left, right, center — in Washington, it pays to keep track. But the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies didn’t. That misstep has bubbled into a controversy with a Sonoma County winery at its center.

The placement in a press release of the word “California” to the right of the word “Champagne” — instead of the left — has French Champagne industry lobbyists up in arms.

The Champagne Bureau, the French industry’s U.S. lobbying arm, has objected to the committee’s announcement that “Korbel Natural, Special Inaugural Cuvée Champagne, California” is to be served with the dessert course of the 2013 Inaugural Luncheon on Jan. 21.

Quelle horreur!

“Champagne only comes from (the region of) Champagne, France,” the bureau’s director, Sam Heitner told The Hill, a newspaper that covers Congress. He vowed to write the committee to set it straight.

“Because at the end of the day, we want everyone to know where their wine comes from,” Heitner said.

The Internal Revenue Service tax code permits some American wineries to describe their sparkling wines as champagne only if the word is used after its appellation, or where its grapes originated.
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Also read:

• The 2013 Inauguration Wine Pairings (and Controversy) (by winespectator.com)

The 2013 Inauguration Wine Pairings (and Controversy) (by winespectator.com)

U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.

 

Plus, a slap on the wrist for Champagne fraudsters, a new wine supports marriage equality, and why professional athletes may want to hide their wine collections

In just 10 days, President Barack Obama will be sworn in for his second term as Commander in Chief, meaning we at Unfiltered have four more years of executive wine pairings to look forward to reporting on. (Check out the sidebar for some of the many wine stories featuring Pres. Obama that we’ve run in the past five years.) The 57th Inaugural Ceremonies are taking place Jan. 21, and the wine-and-food pairings have been announced. Korbel will be there, for the eighth time, with a special Inaugural-labeled edition of Korbel’s Natural Russian River Valley. “Such a historic celebration deserves to be toasted with American champagne with roots in our country’s most memorable occasions,” said Korbel president and owner Gary Heck in a press release, “We are honored.” Also on hand in Statuary Hall for the luncheon will be two New York state wines, Bedell Cellars Merlot 2009 from Long Island and Tierce Dry Riesling 2010 from the Finger Lakes. Tierce is a collaborative effort between three of the Finger Lakes’ top winemakers, Peter Bell of Fox Run, Johannes Reinhardt of Anthony Road and David Whiting of Red Newt Cellars.

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