Obama presents N.C. wine to Italian president

[supernova]

Source: WRAL.Com

RONDA, N.C. — A North Carolina wine was part of a gift President Barack Obama presented to Italian President Giorgio Napolitano before he attended the G-8 summit.

Obama gave Napolitano a variety of American wines packaged in a custom-made box crafted from the wood of former Oval Office flooring, and a bottle of 2008 Raffaldini Vineyards Vermentino was among the wines in the package.

Raffaldini is a family-owned vineyard in Wilkes County that produces a variety of wines. It was among the first U.S. vineyards to plant Vermentino vines, which are cultivated in coastal districts of Italy and on the island of Sardinia.

“Raffaldini Vineyards is honored to have been selected to represent the U.S. and is proud that our preservation and promotion of our Italian heritage and culture have been recognized,” Barbara Raffaldini, co-owner and general counsel, said in a statement.

Read more: http://www.wral.com/news/local/noteworthy/story/5539271/

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:wow:

This is a huge leap for NC wines. I'm definitely going to go find this one.

edit: Maybe POTUS's gift-giving skills are improving.

[Robb]

1. So...

"...wines packaged in a custom-made box..."


So, box wine. :evilgrin:

[supernova]

2. PFffffft!

:P

:D

I suppose Midlo is going to show up now?

[On the Road]

3. They Could Have Chosen a Better Name

"Vermentino" sounds like a Mafia rat in a cartoon.

[Cant trust em]

4. Better gift definitely. The iPod full of music for the queen was pretty lame. nt

[AlbertCat]

5. Well, there goes Italy.....

....if it tastes anything like the swill from Duplin Cellars. Sweet cough syrup.

Biltmore House makes a nice champaign though.

[libnnc]

10. Duplin is crap

Wines from the Yadkin Valley are much, much better.

[WriteDown]

6. Please tell me its not made with scuppernong grapes...

When I was in NC, it was waaaay too sweet.

[Mari333]

7. oh dear. I used to work in a fancy wine shop

and tried many Italian wines. like Barolo. god, they were so damned good. I hope they forgive us for our wines here. eek.

[truthisfreedom]

8. ""in a custom-made box crafted from the wood of former Oval Office flooring..."

That's nice and green, there. Recycled White House. I love it.

[libnnc]

9. the wine industry will save NC

Raylen Vinyards is my personal fav

[Psephos]

11. Vermentino grapes make a wine best used fresh, like Beaujolais Nouveau

The most noble example of Vermentino probably comes from Sardinia.

So, given its varietal character, the 2008 "vintage" is actually a good thing for a fruity, simple wine.

If it were up to me, I would not send an unsophisticated wine like this to the president of one of the world's finest wine-producing countries. Especially when the US has such a bounty of superb wines to offer in its place.

Kinda amateurish.

[Cass]

12. "...a custom-made box crafted from the wood of former Oval Office flooring..."

That is very cool. Nice gift!