As we count down to the US Presidential election I have begun to wonder if you can tell a Democrat from a Republican by what they drink? A quick Google search made me realise I’m not the first to have pondered this question, in fact, there’s been a lot of research into the matter.

In 2014 two economists from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh reviewed data from 1952 to 2010, comparing relative shipments of alcohol to each state with citizen ideologies. They concluded that:

“Holding everything else constant, our findings suggest that when a state becomes more liberal politically, its population consumes more beer and spirits per capita”

A 2019 Gallup poll revealed that while 39% of Democrats like the occasional beer, only 31% of Republicans do. For wine 37% of Dems enjoyed the odd glass as opposed to 31%.

The best article was from the Washington Post which plotted politics by favourite tipple. Overall, a vodka drinker will vote Democrat (Communist infiltration?) while a Republican will prefer whisky or bourbon. Champagne and Prosecco denote Democrat, Kendall Jackson and Robert Mondavi, Republican.

Now, we all know Trump doesn’t drink, but it seems there’s nothing new in the political drinking divide. Prohibition was passed in 1919 against a veto by Democrat President Woodrow Wilson and the US went dry on January 17, 1920. It remained so (in theory) until another Democrat President, Franklin D Roosevelt repealed the Volstead Act in 1933.

To this day, there are over 500 ‘dry counties’ in the States and some pretty convoluted state laws when it comes to licensing. In Pennsylvania, a Quaker stronghold, you can only buy alcohol from state run bottle shops. While in Utah, a Mormon hang out, you can drink, but you can’t order a double. Which is pretty lenient when you consider that Mormons don’t drink alcohol. The state tourism website explains all the rules to ensure thirsty travellers will still visit.

Speaking of drinking I’ve been enjoying the Rose from my local bottlo, Le Pont. I think it was $17 and a very quaffable drop. I tried a Pinot from there too, down from $57 to $30. Why? Because the guy in the shop said he didn’t think it was worth nearly $60. WOW. He was right, but for $30 the 2015 Staindl, from the Mornington Peninsula is a pretty good Pinot, on the lighter ‘strawberries in the spring’ style. They have two stores, my local in Clareville and another on Milson’s Point, which explains the name. They also had (I think they’ve all gone now) a couple of very pleasant Rhone wines for just over $20, Le Clairon des Anges, Costieres de Nimes 2016 and Les Courtilles Cotes Du Rhone 2015, which is made by Bernard Schurr – I’ve mentioned a couple of his wines before on this blog. Both worth trying if you see them.

Either one would suit a French voter, no matter who they picked at the ballot box. Perhaps the Americans could learn better drinking habits from them?

Your health.