Longtime CBS Reporter and DC Wine Fixture Bill Plante has died. Whether he was Emceeing Heart’s Delight or just enjoying a night on the town, Bill always had a smile and a question about the next great bottle. He will be missed.
“When he wasn’t covering the White House, Plante was usually talking about fine wine. He was known as one of Washington’s most knowledgeable wine aficionados whose prodigious collection was thought to be one of the best in the nation’s capital. Plante soon became known as the White House press corps’ sommelier. He reported on wine occasionally for the “CBS Early Show” and “CBS Sunday Morning.””
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CBS Sunday morning did a tribute to him yesterday. A couple shots featured wine. One was a Rancho Zabaco. Is that still being made? Have not seen it in ages.
Semi-related…Brick House owner/winemaker is Doug Tunnell, also a former CBS news person who covered the Vietnam War. He’s got some good stories about covering the war and the good times in Saigon at hotel bars frequented by correspondents.
Finally, another CBS newsman was Don Kladstrup who worked in the Twin Cites and New York, then was moved to Paris. He loved it and stayed…and wrote the book “Wine and War.” It is a decent read, mainly about how the Germans looted French wineries and how the wineries tried to outsmart them with hidden walls and secret cellars.
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So funny. Realized I have a double mag of the 1997 vintage of it, mostly for decorative purposes. Wonder if it is still drinkable.
Doug Tunnell was indeed a news person for CBS, but his beat was the Middle East. His tenure at CBS happened after the end of the Vietnam War. He does have all sorts of great stories about his time in that business.
