Winemakers send Obama bottles hoping to boost sales

French winemakers are sending President Obama a case of their vintage in hopes that it will boost its sagging popularity.

The group Expressions d’Origine, which is touring the U.S. to promote cru beaujolais wine, met at Rouge Tomate Monday night, where they told New York magazine they’d be sending the White House 14 bottles of the French regional wine.

The group is hoping to prevent the decline of their variety of wine to the White House, which is facing more competition from nouveau beaujolais, according the magazine.

Both red and white wines are produced in the Beaujolais region; there is no indication which kinds of wine the Obamas received.

Expressions d’Origine is hosting a tasting in the Washington, D.C. area on Wednesday evening, details about which can be found here.

Update (Thursday, 9:50 a.m.): The wine producers were put in touch with the food and beverage manager at the White house, and will be sending the case of wine along with a signed letter to the president.

The group of producers is an association of 14 front-running producers of cru Beaujolais (representing all 10 crus — like Julienas, Morgon, and Moulin-a-Vent).

The organization says that their many of their vintages come from an older vine and many are produced organically, with many importers and retailers expressing a strong demand for those that haven’t been imported.

The producers have even adopted Obama’s 2008 campaign slogan, “Yes we can” as their own, to inspire the fight against “the insurmountable association with Beaujolais Nouveau.

The producers are: Domaine Desvignes, Domaine Marcel Lapierre, Domaines Piron, Domaine Chignard, Domaine de la Madone, Chateau de la Chaize, Domaine du Vissoux, Clos de la Roilette, Clos de Haute Combe, Chateau des Jacques, Domaine Paul Janin & Fils, Domaine des Terres Dorees, Domaine Jean Foillard, & Chateau Thivin.