A Riesling for a President

Yesterday, on the occasion of his state visit to Berlin, Barack Obama was presented with a gift of 2011 Piesporter Goldtröpchen Spätlese from the estate of Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt.

The same honour was bestowed upon John F Kennedy during his famous Ich bin ein Berliner visit to Berlin in 1963, when, according to the breakfast menu, he was served a 1959 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen feinste Spätauslese, also from Reichsgraf von Kesselstatt. I totally agree with this choice of breakfast wine, whereas a 16% Zinfandel at that time of the morning could easily have led to a serious political crisis!

Why von...