The effect Reagan had on wine lists

Let us indulge in a slight paraphrase. What rough beast slouches towards the White House to be reborn? The inauguration ceremonies remind us that many Americans still hanker after monarchical splendor. Even as contentious a figure as Donald Trump is accorded the dignities appropriate to a head of state. The same of course is true of Mr. Macron, who carries them off better. The dignified portion of the constitution, or the efficient one? It could easily be argued that President Trump is better in the latter role. In his early phase, President Macron wanted us to see him as a Napoleonic figure. Indeed. Napoleon le Petit.

If a bottle was old enough to drink, restaurants might even apologize and offer a discount

When the Trumpians hit town four years ago, comparisons were drawn. The general view was that Washington had seen nothing like it since Andrew Jackson, as the era of the Virginia squires ended, replaced by the rule of the roughnecks who bunked together in cheap lodging houses and were never far from a spittoon. Thomas Jefferson’s claret gave way to the crude corn liquor of the frontier.

Mr. Trump’s festivities may be the most expensive celebrations of all time, though there could have been an earlier rival. In 1971, the Shah gave a party in Persepolis to celebrate 2,500 years of Persian history and proclaim his own imperial grandeur. It was said that the world ran out of caviar. Only one item was lacking: Daniel, to translate Mene, Mene, Tekel, Uparsin. But the American system is more stable than the Shah’s was… surely.

As for inaugurations, I recall Ronald Reagan’s first one when I realized that the Americans know how to organize a ball. Despite his opponents’ whinings, the new President had graciousness and style. He knew how to behave like a commander-in-chief, and also how to make Americans feel good about themselves — unlike Jimmy Carter. There has been a lot of de mortuis about that recently departed president and he did try to do his best. Only one problem: it was not good enough.

1981 was a good moment for a British conservative to be in DC. The world seemed to be moving in the right direction and the pound was trading at 2.40 to the dollar. Wonderful, especially as many restaurants with a limited understanding of wine failed to grasp that newer did not mean better. If there was a bottle old enough to drink, they might even apologize and offer a discount. Moreover, at least in Washington, Californian wine was often still undiscovered.

Alas, by the time I got back to Washington eighteen months later, the terms of trade had changed. The pound was virtually at parity with the buck and the Californians had arrived. These were not latter-day Jacksonians. They knew about their own wines and spread the knowledge. Restaurants and hostesses rushed to please the Californian palate and anything old had been drunk up. But one would have to concede that the Reagan presidency was more important than its effect on wine lists.

Apropos wine, there is one extraordinary phenomenon. President Trump does not drink. It is surprising that the lefties have not made more of this. After all, their hate lists include another teetotaler whom, one assumes, they regard as even worse than the Donald: Adolf Hitler. But the question remains. What would Mr. Trump be like if he did quaff?

Apropos nunc est bibendum I have come across a charming book: Decline and Fall of Macready’s Club. The author concealed his identity but is said to be a distinguished KC. There may be elements of roman-à-clef. It is about the delights of clubland conviviality but also touches on silly attempts to force through unnecessary changes. Piles of copies are prominently displayed in a bookshop hard by the Garrick. Surely that must be a coincidence?