The White House's G20 Summit kick-off dinner featured $500 wine, smoked quail, rack of lamb...

[Amerigo Vespucci]

November 14, 2008
World leaders dine in style as they discuss financial crisis
Posted: 07:30 PM ET



Shafer Cabernet “Hillside Select” 2003 can go for as much as $500 a bottle.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/

(CNN) – The global economy may be undergoing a significant downturn, but the White House's dinner budget still appears flush with cash.

After all, world leaders who are in town to discuss the economic crisis are set to dine in style Friday night while sipping wine listed at nearly $500 a bottle.

According to the White House, tonight's dinner to kick off the G-20 summit includes such dishes as "Fruitwood-smoked Quail," "Thyme-roasted Rack of Lamb," and "Tomato, Fennel and Eggplant Fondue Chanterelle Jus."

To wash it all down, world leaders will be served Shafer Cabernet “Hillside Select” 2003, a wine that sells at $499 on Wine.com.

The exceedingly pricey wine may seem a bit peculiar given leaders are in Washington to discuss a possible world financial meltdown, but Sally McDonough, a spokeswoman for Laura Bush, said it "was the most appropriate wine that we had in the White House wine cellar for such a gathering.

McDonough also said the White House purchased the wine at a "significantly lower price" than what it is listed at.

"Of course the White House gets its wine at wholesale prices," she said. "Given the intimate size of the group, it was an appropriate time for The White House to use this stock."

The leaders of the U.K., France, Russia, China, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey and 11 developing economies have all come to Washington at the behest of President Bush in an effort to express confidence in the fundamental underpinnings of the world's economy.

[az chela]

1. And we are turning into a 3rd world country

People are losing their jobs,thier homes and savings ,going hungry sleeping on the streets.This is not the america i knew and loved

[Sugar Smack]

7. And those jackasses promiscuously throwing around the word "appropriate"

with regard to, I don't know, WHY they're sucking down a ton of pricey-as-hell wine.

I'll be over here trying not to throw up.

[Sugar Smack]

2. Nothing says "kiss my ass" quite like a good Hillside Select, dahling.

& lots of nice too-too chatter to talk up the expense of it all, dahling.

[cliffordu]

3. World-WIDE revolution?????

[halobeam]

4. I thought this bastard was the guy to have a BEER with!

[ben_meyers]

5. Can't wait until these totally lacking in social graces hillbillys

are out of our White house. First they serve France's former President Jacques Chirac hot dogs and hamburgers (a world class insult as was pointed out with great indignation here) and now this.

Why I'll bet the state dinners in the Obama administration will be pot luck because he's a man of the people.

[alittlelark]

6. Obama needs to hire a wine steward

that appreciates the MANY small wineries producing world-class wine.