Mr. Putin: Wine Drinker

     Vladimir Putin: wine drinker.  That's the obvious new title for Russya's leader.   Did you see the foto?  Mad Vlad strolling through the cavernous vault of a Crimean winery, formally part of Ukraine, now annexed by Vlad because he wants to drink more wine.  Actually, because of hhis military takeover of Crimea and the Donbass region of Ukraine, the EU/NATO countries cut off Russya's access to fine European wines.  Now Vlad has developed a taste for Bordeaux,starting when he was the deputy mayor of St. Petersburg/KGB Lt. Col.  He can appreciate Left Bank and Right Bank vintages; blends and mixtures put out by premium French winemakers.
      So, what to do?  Hire some American winemakers?  We believe that some Americans are already on scene to evaluate this year's crop of local wine grapes.  Will these advisors make a difference?  Well, if you believe the tenets of terroir, trying to make a silk purse form a sow's ear is next to impossible.   But, modern chemistry(modern wine making) has done wonders not only in America,but also in Italy and France.  But, do Russyans really want to give up the White Gas(vodka) for vino nobile?  Hmmmm?  Seems like an uphill battle for the Russyan wine palate.  After all, will the Russyan State want to forego all its vodka profits by promoting wine consumption by the Les Miserables?   Doubt it.
       So, we will keep monitoring the wine making efforts of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, president of the largest country in the world.