Congress Was Charged For 1,200 Bottles Of Wine Under This President

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Every president has had their drink of choice to take the edge off of a long day. George Washington was said to enjoy a port, and Theodore Roosevelt fancied a mint julep. And James Monroe, the 5th president and one of the founding fathers, loved his French wine. So much so that Congress was charged for 1,200 bottles of wine during his presidency.

Monroe previously served as the Minister to France, where he developed a taste for the country’s wine. More specifically, he had a fondness for French red wines and champagne. Naturally, he would have wanted to stock the White House with his favorite bottles, but the manner in which he did so was either illegal or a strange mistake. According to the American Prohibition Museum, the 1,200 bottles of Burgundy red wine and champagne were charged to Congress as a furniture expense. If one were stocking a wine cellar to fill up the collection, maybe it could pass as “furniture” — but it’s most likely this was meant for drinking.

It seems excessive, but this shipment was likely meant to serve a crowd. Thomas Jefferson, a certified wine snob, wrote in a letter to Monroe after his inauguration that he should have one bottle of wine for every 3.5 people. With that math, the 1,200 bottles would have served 4,200 people, which is not so outlandish considering the receptions, dinners, and events that would have taken place in the White House.

Details on James Monroe’s favorite French wines

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Burgundy wines refer to those that come from the region of the same name in eastern France. Wines from this region are typically made from pinot noir grapes for red or chardonnay for whites, so Monroe would have been drinking the pinot noir-based bottles. Champagne must come from a region that sits east and slightly north of Paris, and the most common grapes used for this sparkling wine are Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Meunier.

French Burgundy wines were already greatly valued before Monroe became president. According to Vins De Bourgogne, Louis XVI’s royal cellars tracked the best vintages of Bourgogne wines, including those from 1774, 1778, and 1779. The 19th century is referred to as the golden age for Burgundy wines, with some of the best vintages available near Monroe’s presidency, which was from 1817–1825. Bottles from 1815 and 1819 were exceptional, while 1811 was one of the most highly regarded Burgundy wines of this time. This one was called the comet wine for the comet that was seen in the sky all summer.

The 1800s were also a great time for Champagne: During this century, new techniques and innovations allowed winemakers to improve the flavor and quality of the sparkling wine. These advancements included being able to control the amount of effervescence in Champagne and removing yeast without losing much of the wine. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, some of the most famous Champagne houses, including Moët & Chandon, were founded. Seeing how both Burgundy and Champagne wines were prized during this time, it’s clear that Monroe had good taste — and it’s not surprising that he wanted to import bottles to the White House.