We now have a new commander in chief, and in the days leading up to the inauguration, I received e-mails from various wine Web sites touting the picks for the vino being served at the various functions.

For 20 years, and through the last seven presidents, the choice for bubbly at the inaugural luncheon has been Korbel.

The tradition started in 1985 with the inauguration of Ronald Reagan. Korbel was already anticipating Barack Obama's choice by printing special neck labels with the presidential seal commemorating the event. Also proud to be chosen were the people at Duckhorn with the 2007 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc served with a seafood stew and the 2005 Goldeneye Anderson Valley Pinot Noir paired with pheasant and duck. This got me to thinking about the past presidents and the wine and spirits they made popular.

Going back to our first president, George Washington, wine has been a part of presidential history. A liquor order made by Washington in August 1776 included cases of claret, muscat wine and cordials as well as a keg of brandy, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Washington toasted the end of his presidential term at New York City's famous Fraunces Tavern by filling his glass with wine and saying, "With a heart full of love and gratitude I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable."

Alexander Hamilton would also visit the well-known tavern that still serves customers to this day. One of the most popular beverages of the day was Madeira. You don't hear much about Madeira anymore although chefs everywhere are familiar with its flavorful addition to sauces.

The Madeira Islands lie 625 miles from Portugal and were a hub for the ships traveling the world. One of the reasons Madeira was widely popular at the time is because it was one of the few wines that could hold up on the long ocean voyage to the new world. As a matter of fact, the wine fortified with alcohol actually improved with the rocking of the ship and warmth of the tropics. It is said that Thomas Jefferson, probably the most passionate presidential oenophile, used Madeira to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson most likely started his infatuation with fine wine in 1760 at the age of 17 when he befriended the governor of Virginia, Francis Fauquier, who often hosted lavish parties where they drank imported wine. He then wrote that while living in the home of his law tutor, George Wythe, he had enjoyed many fine wines. Later as ambassador to France, he acted as an agent procuring wines for himself and friends.

Jefferson was so into his wine that he built a wine cellar at Monticello and even installed wine elevators on either side of the fireplace leading directly down to his wine cellar.

John F. Kennedy and his first lady Jacqueline are said to have leaned toward French wine but, in more recent years, starting with Lyndon B. Johnson, it has been an unspoken tradition to serve only American wines at official White House events (although there is a rumor that Richard Nixon would hide a private bottle of Margeaux under a napkin for his own consumption).

Nixon played a part himself in putting another American winery on the map, when in 1972 he chose the 1969 Blanc de Blancs by Schramsberg Vineyards to be served in Beijing (then called Peking) at the "Toast to Peace" with China's Premier Chou En-lai, a very historic event.

Support our economy and buy your favorite American wine, just as our new president would.

• Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc, $36.

• Goldeneye Pinot Noir, $78.

• Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, $48.