My Kind of Governor

Gavinnewsom I've got to believe that THIS is a step in the right direction and appropriate: A winery owning governor of California.

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his candidacy for California Governor the other day, putting him in a position, I believe, to be the first Winery-owning governor in California's history. Newsom is part owner of Napa Valley's Plumpjack Winery. He is also part owner of the recently opened Cade Winery on Napa Valley's Howell Mountain.

It turns out that the San Francisco Mayor has had his fingers in food and wine for some time. He first dipped his toe in the Food and wine world with the opening of Plumpjack wine store in San Francisco's Filmore District. This would be followed by Plumpjack Cafes, Balboa Cafe and an upscale Squaw Valley resort. Newsom no longer has an interest in Business located in San Francisco, but remains partners in the two Napa Valley wineries.

It's hard to say what it will mean to the California wine industry and wine lovers if Newsom becomes our Governor. I suspect it might not mean that much. But perhaps he can help push CA wines when he takes his trade-related trips around the world. If Newsom does get the Democratic nomination, it is much more likely that his support for gay marriage will be the the focus of far more attention than his involvement in the California wine industry.

But I know this, I quite like the idea of a California Governor owning a CA winery. We've had two actors hold the post, and that seems appropriate. The only other thing that might be as elegantly representative of CA is if our new governor were gay beach bum with a employment history of wearing funny mouse outfits at amusement parks.


11 Responses

  1. fredfric koeppel - April 23, 2009

    he obviously has an appreciation of many of the fine things in life.

  2. Andy - April 23, 2009

    > putting him in a position, I believe,
    > to be the first Winery-owning governor in California’s history.
    As you might already know, Leland Stanford was both a governor of California (1862-63) and a winery owner….However, your statement is true, in that Stanford’s ownership of wineries came *after* he’d served as governor (and was while he was U.S. Senator). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leland_Stanford

  3. Samantha - April 23, 2009

    ” The only other thing that might be as elegantly representative of CA is if our new governor were gay beach bum with a employment history of wearing funny mouse outfits at amusement parks.”…he or she might also have to grow “medical” marijuana, a very prolific crop here in California…just sayin’

  4. Amy - April 23, 2009

    Hilarious photo! So proud to be a denizen of SF…

  5. Steve Heimoff - April 23, 2009

    The Gavinator is a true wine geek. I helped him select the wines that the first PlumpJack shop sold. Ah the good old daze.

  6. Bill McIver - April 23, 2009

    So wonder if Steve included MCW in that first tranch? I think we were, but would be surprised if you recommended us.

  7. Vinogirl - April 23, 2009

    Too right! Nice to know that he went through a substance abuse programme to make up for the fact that he slept with his best friends, and campaign managers wife….the Sauvignon blanc made me do it!

  8. Blake - April 24, 2009

    Though I’m in the wine business, we need a qualified balanced candidate to govern this state, and owing a winery doesn’t qualify him. I chose the wines for Grey Davis, during a fund raiser in so-cal, he was more qualified, and was thrown out. Being popular is not what this state need now. Haven’t we learned that from our current gov?

  9. Trellising & Orchard Supplies - April 29, 2009

    I dont think the Governator would be to happy to hear this. But if Mayor Gavin Newsom were to be elected in the future, the food and alchol industry could benefit from this.

  10. Vicki - May 2, 2009

    As a lesbian wine geek, Gavin’s got my vote!

  11. Ken - November 25, 2020

    Looks contrived, ‘everything is an imitatiin of an imitation of an imitation…’


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