I agonized over what to write this morning, the day after the U.S. Presidential Election. I didn’t want to turn this blog into my own personal political soapbox. But I know some of my followers were dying to know – what kind of wine goes with Election Night?
Well, wonder no more – Conundrum red blend was the choice of the evening because, well, it’s complicated. I don’t even have to spend time explaining what has been a long, difficult campaign for both candidates. A sharply divided electorate with disenfranchised voters resulted in a sea change that few were able to predict. But no matter what your political views are, many can agree that Election Night is a big deal. It’s a chance to watch democracy in action and be reminded of how our country governs itself.
It also can be a train wreck to watch. Last night, I stayed up until after 1 a.m. Those who know me know that’s late! I am normally in bed by 9:30 or 10 p.m.! Even though I turned in, I didn’t sleep well. My heart was pounding and I kept waking up to check the headlines. Finally, at 5:45 a.m. I woke up and headed in to work. I knew we would have reporters who would want expert commentary from our business professors on everything from the markets to the economy and more.
But I digress… back to the wine choice. Conundrum is a wonderful blend for when you just can’t make up your mind. Or for when you have made up your mind but you’re anxiously waiting to see if others shared the same conclusion. It’s easy drinking but complex enough to distract you from counting the available electoral votes. According to the winemaker, Charlie Wagner, Sr., “Conundrum was a bold experiment – today it’s still about doing things your own way and daring to explore.” I can’t think of a better accompaniment for exploring the future of our country.
For those of you who are looking for more guidance on how best to accompany your Election Night with alcohol, I leave you with the election night drinking guide from VinePair, because after all, it’s complicated.
This was just what I needed! I remember seeing the election night drinking game diagram, but the poli-sci student in me wanted to relish the moment (of what I thought would be herstorical), but now I wish I had a bottle of Conundrum with me, perhaps for the whole week…
I wish I had read this earlier. Seems like a bottle of wine is perfect for this weekend. I honestly didn’t think the election would affect me that much. I can totally feel it when you said your head was pounding. (By the way, I found a typo there, can I get extra credit for that? 😉 ) I admit that the freedom and openness in U.S. are the most appealing parts to me though they have been ruined after this election. I thought that the time is improving though it is not. I sincerely wish light will come after the storm.
LOL! You did find a typo! I meant to say heart! Anyway, I might consider giving you a 1/2 point extra credit for spotting it! 🙂 Thanks for sharing your views from an international perspective!
I have a couple of comments about this post. First, I arrived here because I am looking for a wine to buy for Easter weekend. My boyfriend will be visiting from California. Since moving to California he has become quite a bit of a wine snob. I mean that in the least offensive sense of the term. I personally love Chianti wine, but I could not find Chianti in your categories! So I started to look for something different and selected red blend.
I was pleased to arrive on this post because a part of me always wonders what my professors think about the election. Saying “it’s complicated” is a wonderful way of putting it. I will have to give this red blend a try, although my go-to for the election was something a bit stronger.
First of all, if he’s a “snob,” he may not enjoy Chianti as much as you! I don’t tend to drink it often because I find it needs to go with food and usually I’m just drinking wine in the evening long after dinner! Second of all, you are probably right about the strength of the alcohol needed to get through this past election, and really the political year thus far! 🙂