Wine and America on the 250th Anniversary of the United States
By Karen MacNeil
June 30, 2026
The Statue of Liberty was crumbling. But in 1986, after five years and $250 million, the statue—an extraordinary gift from France—was “relit” in a thrilling nationwide celebration presided over by then President Ronald Reagan. No matter what your political persuasion today, the relighting of the Statue of Liberty was a magical event in America.
I was, at the time, the first food and wine editor of USA Today, based in Washington DC, and I had what I thought was a simple but potentially exciting idea. What if, The following content is accessible for members only, please sign in.
