Topeka — Gov. Kathleen Sebelius uncorked the wrath of Kansas vintners after she criticized Kansas wines.
At a fundraiser in Seattle for Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire on Tuesday, Sebelius said, "You should be thankful we don't make wine in Kansas. If you ever see Kansas wine, don't drink it."
Approximately 1,000 people were at the event, and Sebelius' comment was published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
Kansas winemakers weren't happy.
"What it says to grape growers and winemakers in this state is she doesn't recognize the quality of what's here," said Michelle Meyer, co-owner of Holy-Field Vineyard and Winery in Basehor and president of the Kansas Viticulture and Farm Winery Association.
"I just think she probably misspoke and caused some hurt feelings in the state for people who have really tried to work hard and make a business," Meyer said.
Asked about the comment, Sebelius' spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said that the governor's remark was taken out of context and that she also fumbled a joke.
"She was talking about Kansas producing more wheat than Washington State does, and more planes than they do, but, they have us beat on wine. They produce more. She then made a poor attempt at humor but says she won't do that again," Corcoran said.
Comments
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nobody1793 (anonymous) says…
Kansas wine does suck.
toefungus (anonymous) says…
Well, she does like to smoke the vines. This confirms that Kathleen is really not interested in Kansas. She is trying to kill business here to further her enviromental chops for out of state Democratic offices, and by the time Kansas starts to suffer from her hateful neglect, she will be long gone.
Marshalus (Michael Stanclift) says…
Oh come on, it's a joke people.
imastinker (anonymous) says…
Holy field is quite good, and affordable.
cog_nate (Nate Poell) says…
It's not true that Kansas wines suck. Wines produced here are unlike Californian or most imported wines, but a lot of them are good in their own right. Smoky Hill and Holy-Field put together really decent wines. You simply can't expect grapes -- even of the same cultivar -- grown in such different climates to make a similar product.
As for the comment re: Sebelius trying to kill business in Kansas, well, that's just idiotic. Kansas's job growth was the third best in the nation last fiscal year: http://louisville.bizjournals.com/wic....
Confrontation (anonymous) says…
Who cares? Not everyone has to like the wine from Kansas. No one from Washington is going to import this imitation wine.
thanksforcoming (anonymous) says…
Wine makers upset with what the Governor said about thier wine? If you don't like what people say about your wine, see what you can do to make it better. Don't get butt hurt about it. If you suck at doing something and you want to be known for being good at it, don't you want an honest opinion about it. Sometimes an honest opinion isn't what you want to hear, but don't be hurt by it, don't take it personal. Make your product better.
Godot (anonymous) says…
This is just another in a long line of deprecating remarks Sebelius has made about Kansas. If this is what she let slip in public, imagine what she says in private. No wonder she curries such favor from Missouri poiticos.
PattieJ (Pattie Johnston) says…
Nothing good here? Holy-Field has "some" good wine? Both the Holy-Field and the Davenport Wineries have won national and international awards for their wines. Both have been recognized in Wine Spectator magazine. People from Washington State and California come here deliberately to get Holy-Field and Davenport wines. But, you think that there isn't anything decent to drink from Kansas? Apparently, Gov.Sebelius' speech writer is from around here.
seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says…
No reason why Kansas can not produce good wines. The process of winemaking is not that complicated. If you can grow good grapes you can produce good wines. The most difficult part will be overcoming the snobbery that is so rampant in the industry. California was looked down upon by European winemakers for decades. Now California snubs their noses at everything produced in the other 49 states.
Kontum1972 (anonymous) says…
well Marion your republicans havent faired well in the restroom arena and that stinking war, the draft will start very soon, they just lowered the standards for new recruits now u can have criminal record, its just like vietnam.....Gov Sebelius is alot smarter that boob in the white house, its just wine, not peoples lives.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
"...the draft will start very soon..." Don't hold a cork in your fundament while you are waiting. I'm just saying.
calvin (anonymous) says…
I'm not sure what this has to do with the draft, but the point is our Governor made fun of a product from our state. She must really appreciate the state she governs.
truthhurts (anonymous) says…
I'm glad to see she is working hard for Kansas by attending a political fundraiser in Wash.
seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says…
Really Marion, I don't know how one can rag on the democrats given the "performance" of republiCants. Were you even paying attention during the last election? Don't even start on resident Bush, I am counting the days when the worse "president" ever is no longer in office.
jmadison (anonymous) says…
Thankfully, when Hilary is elected president, Sebelius will be seen smiling as she views the Kansas state line in her rear view mirror on her way to Washington, where she rightfully belongs in Hilary's cabinet--perhaps SEC of Agriculture where she can oversee Oeneology across our fruited land.
janeyb (anonymous) says…
Maybe Kathleen shouldn't attempt a joke while drinking wine. How much wine was consumed before the joke fumbling?
BigDog (anonymous) says…
Did she use the state plane to attend this political fund raiser? Nice to see she is out attending political fund raisers in Washington state ..... and making poor jokes about the state she is governor of.
BigDog (anonymous) says…
Nate Poell
cog_nate (Nate Poell) says:
It's not true that Kansas wines suck. Wines produced here are unlike Californian or most imported wines, but a lot of them are good in their own right. Smoky Hill and Holy-Field put together really decent wines. You simply can't expect grapes - even of the same cultivar - grown in such different climates to make a similar product.
As for the comment re: Sebelius trying to kill business in Kansas, well, that's just idiotic. Kansas's job growth was the third best in the nation last fiscal year: http://louisville.bizjournals.com/wic....
----------------------------------------
The unfortunate thing is that most of Kansas' job growth in Kansas during the Sebelius administration has been in the public sector ... not the private sector.
jonas (anonymous) says…
"This confirms that Kathleen is really not interested in Kansas."
Errr. . . . it does?
"She is trying to kill business here to further her enviromental chops for out of state Democratic offices, and by the time Kansas starts to suffer from her hateful neglect, she will be long gone."
You read a lot into a small comment about wine.
jonas (anonymous) says…
"Marion (Marion Lynn) says:
I remember that when Howard Dean came to Lawrence, the DemonRats served box wine and pizza at the event."
Hey, that's pretty much what I served at my wedding. Well, it was a few kegs of free state beer and some Stone Hill wine, but what's wrong with pizza? It's tasty grubbins.
seattlehawk_78 (anonymous) says…
Wow Marion! At last count you have posted 8,461 times compared to my meager 14 posts. Apparently you subscribe to the theory that he/she who talks the most must by right. I think I'll concede this argument and return to that thing called life. Ciao.
hottruckinmama (anonymous) says…
heck with the wine bring on the tequila
sfjayhawk (anonymous) says…
Kansas is to good wines as George bush is to:
a) foreign policy
b) diction/grammar
c) honorable military service
d) all of the above
busymom (anonymous) says…
so it's not okay for a governer to make a joke about the state she governs, wonder if it would all the sudden be okay if she were republican who constantly appears retarded. Hmmmmm. Just a question to ponder on. :)
BigPrune (anonymous) says…
This reminds me of George Bush the 1st going to the grocery store and being amazed at the price scanner. Out of touch with the real world, just as Sebelius is today.
fetch (anonymous) says…
If she says something about beef, there will be a real jihad going on.
jumpin_catfish (anonymous) says…
she's gone soon, probably move out of the state so who cares what she said. she's a self serving politician so what's new.
MacHeath (anonymous) says…
The Holy-Field wines I have tried are quite good. They can compete with
anyone, and would, if Kansas laws were'nt designed to sifle in-state wineries. I don't remember specifically what the laws are, but somehow, they limit who you can sell to, and how. Thats why you have to go to the winery to buy it. The laws really throw a huge wrench in the works, by design.
The truth of the matter is; If you think all Kansas wines suck, you simply don't know what
you are talking about.
MacHeath (anonymous) says…
I meant to say "stifle" in-state wineries.
If you really like wine, and havn't visited Holy-Fields, check 'em out, I think you will be really surprised.
reasonmclucus (anonymous) says…
Maybe she's getting jokes from John Kerry.
ixamnis (anonymous) says…
When they say the comment was taken out of context, what they mean is that they didn't intend for anyone back in Kansas to hear about it. Instead of that B.S. remark, why not simply apologize? Do you think us Kansans to be completely stupid, as well as unable to make wine?
msz (anonymous) says…
The comments about Kansas' sweet wines is interesting because the majority (about 70%) of consumers prefer sweeter wines. However, making dry wine is easier than sweet because there is no concern about refermentation. Any grape can be made into a "sweet" wine (sometimes "fruity" is mistaken for "sweet") or a dry wine - regardless of where it is grown.
There is no "correct" wine taste just as there is no "correct" way to cook steak or "correct" amount of spice or salt in food.
Before a person decides they "know" good wine from bad, participate in a blind tasting. Without the label, most consumers can't distinguish California wine from wine made in "lesser" wine states. (See the Cornell University experiment with mislabeling: Wine mislabeled as North Dakota was given low marks by almost all participants while the same wine mislabeled as California was given high marks.)
Perhaps the wine industry should stage a blind tasting event for the Governor. It might help expand her palate to enjoy a wide range of wine tastes and help her graduate from the ignorance of wine snobbery which was so perfectly displayed in Washington state.
ixamnis (anonymous) says…
BTW, for those of you who want to think that it's "just a joke", consider: A joke should have two elements ... 1. A "set-up" which should have an element of truth; and 2. A punch line. This joke really had neither. The so-called set-up line was "You should be glad Kansas doesn't make wine." There is no element of truth to the set-up; Kansas does have about a dozen Vitners. Also, why should you be glad? Is the assumption that everything coming out of Kansas must be bad? Apparently so. Because the so-called punch-line is "If you ever see wine made in Kansas, don't drink it." Now, the only way that would be considered funny, is if you consider everything about Kansas to be a big joke. Apparently the Governor does.
Clearly Sebelius has political aspirations that extend beyond the state of Kansas, and she's willing to insult Kansas and Kansans to achieve those political goals. Good luck, Governor.