Wrote a little piece on Bastille Day, and drinking wine. Wont make my blog as my boss hates the French. Thought I would share it with you all.
The other week I penned a piece about how to properly raise a toast on our Independence Day, July 4th. I did so by declaring the need to look back at some of the drinking habits of our Founding Fathers and Presidents New and Old and extolling them as the American way. Much fuss was made about drinking wine and Madeira over beer, likely to much head shaking and muttering that I was a bit daft, which I very well might be. However, I am happy to report that on the 4th, I celebrated with both tipples, having wine with dinner and toasting to American Idealism and the fireworks with a glass of Madeira in a historic fashion. It felt marvelous. You should try it sometime, and lucky for you, if you missed out on proper historical toasting over the 4th of July, you have another chance. As July contains not one but two dates for such wine filled toasting. The second day for wine filled chalice raising is approaching with gusto. No I am not talking about raising a glass for the upcoming World Cup final, a subject which I could go into immense detail on, and someday I just might. No, I am of course talking about Bastille Day.
It is not an American Holiday, it is a French one (gasp). And yes I know, I know, celebrating the French is sometimes viewed in a negative light and is sometimes seen as a rather un-American thing to do, but hang on a minute. We did need the French assistance in order to gain our independence from that tyrant, King George III. We lauded and celebrated General. Lafayette so much that we names a rather prominent street after him in New York City. Speaking of New York City, Lady Liberty, who greets visitors and welcomes immigrants to our shores, was a gift from the French. In fact they even have their own, much smaller version in Paris, along the Seine.
It goes farther than iconic streets and structures. Beyond assisting us gain our independence, it continues onto our vineyards and into our glasses. You see, chances are that the varietals which with you are most familiar with are French in origin: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir. Still it goes farther. Chardonnay, America’s most adored white wine, is French and not in name only. You see, some 94% of all Chardonnay in North America can be traced back to the Wente Clone, which was grafted from Dijon rootstock, from you guessed it, Dijon France. Doesn’t that just cut the mustard? I think so.
So you see, it is not just that I have a soft spot for the French, although I do, but rather, there is much to celebrate. You see it was our Deceleration of Independence which influenced and impacted the French populace in such a profound manner that it sparked another revolution and this time not in a colony an ocean away but in France itself. When I toast to our Independence Day, I am toasting to an idea, for that is what July 4th represents. Ideas of independence from tyranny and the rights one is born with; a worthy idea. However, when I raise a glass on Bastille Day, I am toasting not an idea but to an action. This may seem more American and less French in some minds, as usually the French are described by their idealism and we, Americans, are looked upon as a nation of action, in a very Teddy Roosevelt way. Our idealism and democratic zeal had awoken the minds and hearts of a country that didn’t know that it needed waking. And when they awoke it changed the world.
Just in case your history teachers let you down or you have just forgotten what Bastille Day is all about, let me quote one of my old history teachers/friends: “For those who may have forgotten, today commemorates the time filthy Parisian commoners successfully overthrew a snotty, bloated, oppressive and unjust regime. Specifically, they overcame and ransacked a prison known for harbouring political prisoners, but also shit tons of ammo. Anyway, it was a crucial moment in the history of democracy so if you are fortunate enough to live somewhere where some lip service is paid to the notion of liberty and the rights of man, raise a glass to the doughty and courageous French who stuck it to the Man on this day back in 1789” -K.Baker.
So open up some French wine today and dwell upon the ideas of Liberte, Egalite, Fraternite (Liberty, Equality ,and Fraternity). For these lofty ideals led to action and to the spread of democracy and freedoms from here in America to Europe and beyond.
Happy Bastille Day
Santé
Also here is a link to my latest blog which replaced the Bastille Day one, much to my dismay.
https://www.oaktonwineshop.com/single-post/2018/07/12/Sometimes-Things-Stand-Out 