Sonoma County’s WindRacer chardonnay to be served at Wednesday’s White House state dinner

A Sonoma County winery is “thrilled” that its chardonnay will be poured for White House guests at Wednesday’s state dinner in honor of Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

WindRacer Wines’ 2019 Alexander Mountain Chardonnay is one of three wines to be poured during the dinner, alongside a 2019 Sequel Syrah from Columbia Valley, Washington, and a 2012 brut from Argyle Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

WindRacer, founded in 2006 by Jackson Family Wines proprietor Barbara Banke and wine industry veteran Peggy Furth, crafts small-batch chardonnay and pinot noir from locally grown grapes.

“We are deeply honored to represent American craftsmanship and share this momentous occasion with the President and First Lady as they welcome Prime Minister Albanese,” Banke said in an email Wednesday.

As reported by The Associated Press, the state dinner’s courses include farro and roasted beet salad, butternut squash soup and sarsaparilla-braised short ribs. Hazelnut and chocolate mousse cake and creme fraiche ice cream will be served for dessert.

While Banke did not know the specific pairing details, she said the the versatility of the chardonnay’s “bright acidity and nuanced flavors” complements a wide range of dishes.

Banke also added that Jackson Family Wines has a long-standing relationship with the White House wine directors, “cultivated through previous inclusions of wines from our portfolio of wineries.”

To create Wednesday’s menu First Lady Jill Biden recruited Katie Button, chef and owner of acclaimed Asheville, North Carolina, restaurants Cúrate and La Bodega, to work with White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford and White House Executive Pastry Chef Susie Morrison.

The Bidens have now served North Bay wines at each of the administration’s four state dinners.

In June, The White House hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a vegetarian state dinner that included two Napa Valley wines, a PATEL Napa Valley 2019 red blend and a Domaine Carneros brut rosé. In April, the White House hosted a state dinner honoring South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife that featured wine from Calistoga’s Schramsberg Vineyards. Last December, the White House honored French President Emmanuel Macron during a state dinner that featured several local wines as well as a Humboldt County cheese.