When the US President visits the Queen , you ’ d expect only the finest wines to be served . But President Obama had to endure a vin very ordinaire at Buckingham Palace , as guests at the occasion of his state banquet were given a wine civil servants had secretly judged to be ‘ soapy ’ and ‘ harshly acidic ’ . Officials in charge of the Government ’ s wine cellar , which is managed by the Foreign Office , provided bottles of 2004 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos , despite the batch having been found wanting according to the Government hospitality stock report . Royal toast : The Queen and President Barack Obama during a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in May 2011 . Listing the drinks to be served to visiting dignitaries , the 60-page document has been obtained by this newspaper under Freedom Of Information laws . The Queen ’ s banquet for Mr Obama at Buckingham Palace on May 24 , 2011 , was the culmination of his first state visit to Britain . The 170 guests included Prince Charles , David Cameron and film stars Kevin Spacey and Tom Hanks . On the menu were dishes of sole , Windsor lamb and charlotte a la vanille mousse for dessert . The guests were given a selection of wines and ports , including the Chablis . Robert Alexander OBE , head of Government Hospitality , inspects a bottle inside the Government 's Wine Cellar . The stock report grades wines with a rating of A1 , A , B , or C and records what officials think of them after tastings . Bottles of 2004 Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos were served to President Obama despite the batch having been found wanting . The Burgundy is rated B and in October 2008 was described as being ‘ slightly soapy ’ . A tasting in February 2011 noted the wine , which can sell for up to £100 a bottle , had a ‘ harsh acidity ’ . But despite these concerns , it was served up at the banquet three months later . Shortly after the meal , the following note was added to the file : ‘ Used on US State Visit . Feedback from the Palace. ’ There is no explanation of what that feedback might have been , although a comment added a month later suggests it might not have been positive . An official wrote : ‘ Bottle variation , drink by 2013. ’ MoS Event magazine wine expert Olly Smith said : ‘ The notes seem to suggest there might have been issues with “ bottle variation ” which occurs as a wine ages . 'Individual bottles can be affected in different ways , depending on the amount of oxygen which has interacted with the wine. ’ The Foreign Office said : ‘ All wines for use on state visits are carefully selected… the Palace regularly offers informal feedback on wines supplied for state visits. ’ Bottles of Chassagne Montrachet Cru Virondot 2002 lined up in the Government 's wine cellar .
Barack Obama was served Chablis at a Buckingham Palace state banquet . The president is said to have enjoyed the wine and ordered another bottle for his wife Michelle.