The official wine buyer for the White House carries what title?
A. Usher
B. Sommelier
C. Federal Taster
D. Secretary of Beverages
A.
The person whose job it is to buy wine for the White House carries the title of “Usher.” The practice dates from the mid-nineteenth century when presidents chose their own White House staff and paid for them. Doormen (or “Ushers”) tended to remain employed over the course of several administrations since they were the individuals who knew best how the White House worked. Today the White House has a formal Usher’s Office through which all wine is purchased. That wine, since the Carter Administration, has always been American, and no free samples or donations are allowed.