Summit Wines for Xi and Obama

(WineSpectator) - The government may be watching you more closely than ever, but have no fear, dear reader—Unfiltered is watching the watchmen right back. At least, we're keeping an eye on what they're drinking, despite their best efforts to keep Pres. Barack Obama's most-favored wine pairings a state secret. Our Commander in Chief recently hosted a summit with Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping at the Annenberg Retreat at Sunnylands estate in Rancho Mirage, Calif., and Unfiltered's wine spies have reported back with all the juice details. At the June 7 dinner prepared by chef Bobby Flay in honor of Xi, Iron Horse 2004 Year of the Snake Chinese Cuvée was served with the first course, New Mexico lobster tamales with roasted corn sauce and green chiles. A porterhouse steak with new potatoes and Napa goat cheese followed, paired with Ridge Geyserville Sonoma County, a Zinfandel-based blend. Dessert was a California cherry pie with Kentucky Bourbon, vanilla and mint ice cream. This was not the first time Xi was treated to the Year of the Snake cuvée (Xi, who turned 60 this past Saturday, was born in a wood snake year on the Chinese calendar); Iron Horse was also served at a Valentine's Day White House lunch for Xi hosted by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice Pres. Joe Biden. Also on hand during the two-day summit was Moone-Tsai Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008. "As a winery proprietor and an American of Chinese descent, we are especially proud to have our wines enjoyed during the historic occasion of the presidential summit," said Larry Tsai in a press release.