March 15th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Jan Fijt, a Flemish Baroque painter known for creepy still life of hunting dogs and dead game but also responsible for beautiful flower paintings and food still lifes such as A Lobster in a Porcelain Dish was born in 1611.
• Theodore de Mayerne, a Swiss physician who cared for Henri IV of France, James I, Charles I and Charles II of England died in 1655 from an excess of drinking of bad wine.
• John Snow, the father of modern epidemiology, anesthesia and hygiene who proved that the cholera outbreak in London in 1854 was associated with one water pump was born in 1813. During the 1830s he became a vegetarian and teetotaler until his health deteriorated and returned to meat and wine.
• Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820.  Vineyards in the State often make fruit, or country wine or with those of cold-hardy grapes.
• In the Parliamentary Debates of March 15, 1824, the Marquis of Lansdowne makes a motion to support the independence of South America by remarking that, “The time was, when Spain had the power to root up the vineyards of Mexico, that the inhabitants might rely on the mother country for wine“
• Beware the Ides of March!  Try drinking wines from Lazio, the region surrounding Rome, Greek wines that were said to be Caesar’s favorites and Beaujolais from the village of Juliénas which was named for him.

March 14th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• In the History of the 4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment:(late East Norfolk Militia) includes lists of bets among the officers including one: Dated March 14, 1813 from Limerick that Mr. Love bets Mr. Steele a bottle of wine that the place at which the Major commanded the left wing to fire with their arms shouldered was Mallow.  To be paid when decided.  This bet was lost by Mr. Steele.
• John Adlum, an American viticulturist famous for cultivating Catawba died in 1836.  His residence, named “The Vineyard” was located in Georgetown in the District of Columbia.
• English writer, wine-merchant and Master of Wine, Pat Simon was born in 1920.
• Spain's Valdepeñas DO was created in 1995.

March 13th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• The cargo of the ship Jameson and Peggy included James Anderson’s March 13, 1776 order of 5 Pipes (713 gallons ) port wine.  The jameson and Peggy was later taken by American forces during the Revolutionary War by James Munro.
• The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal for March 13, 1884 contains an ad for the “Choicest and Purest Hungarian Wines ever brought to th is country Strictly for Medicinal Use”
• The Recreation and Cultural Association of Vale do Souto (ARCVASO) was created in 1989 in part to promote Vinho Calum and other cultural treasures.
• William Vere Cruess, food scientist responsible for rebirth of the California wine industry after prohibition died in 1968.  He is also viewed as the inventor of fruit cocktail (in a can).
• It is the feast of St. Ansovinus.  He is a patron of gardeners and is invoked for good harvests.

March 12th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Dr. David Hosack (above), Professor of Botany and Materia Medica in Columbia College wrote a letter to Dr. James Gregory, Professor of the Practice of Physic in the University of Edinburgh on a Case of Tetanus cured by Wine, March 12, 1799.
• Isabella Beeton, author of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management was born in 1836.  Her book included all elements of household management including, the manufacture or wine, beer, cordials and cocktails.
• Evolutionary Biologist, Francisco J. Ayala was born in 1934. He owns a vineyard in Lodi.
• Luxembourg's Marque Nationale, the appellation for the nation was instituted in 1935. 
• California's Pacheco Pass AVA was designated in 1984
• The French have a saying, « À la Saint-Grégoire, tailler sa vigne, c'est de l'or. » or “At St. Gregory's, to prune his vineyard is for gold.”

March 11th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Lawrence Welk, the creator of champagne music, was born in 1903 in North Dakota.
• The Juliénas  AOC was named in 1938. 
• The Texas Davis Mountains AVA was designated in 1998.
• Spain's Mondéjar DO was created in 2007.
• Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley AVA was designated in 2008.
• The French have a saying, « Qui a bu à la Sainte-Rosine, boira à la Sainte-Blandine. » or “He who drank at Sainte-Rosine, will drink at Sainte-Blandine (June 2).

March 10th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Johann Rudolf Glauber was born in 1604.  He was a German-Dutch alchemist who wrote about improvements in wine making and is considered an early chemist or chemical engineer.
• Parliament passed a duty of 7l. per tun of Madeira and 10s per tun of Portuguese and Spanish wine in 1764.
• William Shilling of Baltimore, MD received a patent  in 1868 for an apparatus for distilling spiritus liquors… specifically “low” wine.
• Paul Draper winemaker at Ridge Vineyards in California was born in 1936 .
• Hugh Johnson OBE, British author and wine expert was born in 1939.
• It is the feast day of St. Himelin.  He became while returning from a pilgrimage to Rome.  He ask a girl for water and was refused due to plague in the area.  When she relented, the water, miraculously turned into wine.  He died of the plague three days later.  

March 9th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy was born in 1213.  He gave up the Barony of Salon for the counties of Chalon and Auxonne to expand the Duchy which improved the wine trade in the region.  
• Amasa Leland Stanford was born in 1824.  He was a tycoon, industrialist, politician and founder of Stanford University.    He also owned two wineries, the Leland Stanford Winery in Alameda County and the Great Vina Ranch in Tehama County.  
• The Franco-American Cookery book; or How to live well and wisely by Felix J. Déliée in his menu for Friday, March 9th  includes a recipe for Baked Cod with Smelts that includes cod, chopped only, parsley, salt, pepper half a pint of white wine and water, topped with butter, flour bread crumbs smelt and lemon. The book was published in 1907.
• Spain’s Cigales DO was created in 1991.
• The Snake River Valley AVA was designated in 2007. Evil Knievel jumped a canyon over the Snake River in 1974.

March 8th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• The Annotated Book of Common Prayer published in 1548 added the English Order of Communion to the Latin Mass.  This required that people receive both bread and wine as part of the Communion Rite.
• Johannes Kepler discovered the third law of planetary motion in 1618.  Three years earlier he wrote Nova stereometria doliorum vinariorum on using math to measure the volume of wine barrels.
• The Companhia Geral da Agricultura das Vinhas do Alto Douro O Provedor e Deputados published a royal decree respecting the price of wine in 1804.  The company was founded by the Marquis of Pombal.
• CA Trundy of 61 Court Street, Boston wrote a testimonial as to the efficacy of Theobroma Wine which is found in a prospectus for the Theobroma Wine Co. in 1887.

March 7th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Parliament investigated the Duke of York’s behavior with Mrs. Clarke, a courtesan and his mistress.  As the Duke was unable to maintain her in the proper style, she sold commissions to the army with his permission, as Commander in Chief of the army.  In his defense, The Duke said he had met Mrs. Clarke several times and would drink wine with her. 
• Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular published a report from 1890 about the growing season at Hèrault.
• The California Wine Association received a patent for a Hock-type wine in 1911. Hock is style of German white wine and thought to come from Hochheim Germany.
• Robert Mondavi inducted into the Vintner's Hall of Fame in 2007.

March 6th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• The final assault in the Surge of Chandax occurred in 961.  Previously, a  Byzantine forces had scoured the countryside in search of supplies which them to become drunk only to be attacked by the Emir’s troops.  The final sign on modern Heraklion was a success for the Byzantine forces.
• Australian viticulturist, Dr. Richard Smart was born in 1945 .
• Max Schubert, Australian winemaker responsible for Penfolds Grange Hermitage died in 1994.
• Colorado's West Elks AVA was designated in 2001.
• Ernest Gallo died in 2007.

March 5th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Lisa Gherardini married Francesco del Gioconda in 1495. She was the daughter of a Chianti vineyard owner and later married Florentine silk merchant.  She was the model for Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, The Mona Lisa.
• Frederick S. Cozzens publisher of Cozzens' Wine Press was born in 1818.
• It is the feast day of Saint Ciarán of Saigir the first saint born in Ireland. Legend has it that he blessed a well that the tasted of wine and honey.
• It is also the feast day of St. Thietmar of Minden (Bavaria).  He requested water from a servant who brought him wine.  After being brought wine several times by the same servant, he eventually followed the servant and watched as the water gathered by the servant transform into wine.

March 4th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Frederick I Barbarossa was elected King of Germany in 1152.  He died during a a swim in the Saleph River during the third Crusade and his soldiers tried to preserve his body in a cask of vinegar.  It didn’t work.
• Charles Dibdin, a British composer, musician, writer and actor was born in 1745.  He is famous for the song and pantomime, The vineyard revels.
• Vermont was admitted to the union in 1791.  It’s first commercial winery opened in 1997.
• Oh, the humanity!  The Hindenberg had its maiden voyage in 1936.  Before the famous crash that ended Zeppelin flights, the Zeppelin Company provided food and drinks for the passengers including Zeltinger Rothlay Auslese, Moulin à Vent and Mumm, Cordon Rouge.
• The V. Sattui Winery in Napa Valley was opened to the public in 1976.

March 3rd, This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Florida joined the union in 1845.  It has been producing wine since the 1500s when the French settled Fort Caroline in what is now Jacksonville, Florida.
• The Frascati DOC was created in 1966.
• The Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG designation was established in 1966.
• Spain's Somontano DO was created in 1984.
• It is National Mulled Wine day.

March 2nd - This Date in Wine History

Photo by USDA-Agricultural Research Service

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• St. Benedict of Nursia was born in 480.  He is the saint invoked against poison.  His monks tried to poison his wine and then his bread but he was saved by miracles.
• Henry Clay charged 14shillings for billiards and wine in 1804 from John Postelthwait in Lexington, KY.
• Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, the future Pope Leo XIII was born in 1810.  He appeared in ads for Vin Mariani a wine and coca leaf tonic.
• The Texas High Plains AVA was designated in 2003.

March 1st - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Sviatoslav I of Kiev died in March of 972.  The date is unknown.  This is unusual for this calendar but his story was too good not to tell.  He was killed by Pecheneg Khan Kurya who turned his skull into a drinking cup. Kurya and his wife drank from the skull and prayed for a son as brave as the cup’s owner.  
• Ohio was admitted to the Union in 1803.  It is home to the Grand River Valley, Isle St. George, Lake Erie, Loramie Creek and Ohio River Valley.
• John Adlum who is considered the father of American viticulture and promoter and possible developer of the Catawba grape died in 1836.  He also the owner of a farm called, The Vineyard in Georgetown.
• Nebraska was admitted to the union in 1867.  It has been home to bonded wineries since 1994.
• The Alsace AOC was established in 1984.
• It is Baba Marta Day in Bulgaria.  She is the wife or sister of January and February (represented as long-horned beetles) who is angry with them because they are drunk on wine.  Her anger is represented by the breaking of the weather and return of Spring.
• The French have a saying, « Qui taille sa vigne à la Saint-Aubin, aura de gros raisins. » or “He who prunes his vines on St. Aubin’s day will get big grapes”.

February 28th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Samuel Pepys drank a pint of wine at the Greyhound Tavern with Mr. Pierce and William Howe in 1660.
• Wine writer, Andre Simon was born in 1877. 
• Mario Andretti was born in 1940.  He is one of the founders of Andretti Winery in Napa Valley.
• California's Rockpile AVA was designated in 2002.
• California's Trinity Lakes AVA was designated in 2005.
• The French have a saying, « Beau ciel à la saint Romain, il y aura des denrées et du bon vin. » or "Beautiful sky at St. Romain, there will be food and good wine. "

February 27th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Henry IV was crowned King of France in 1594.  He was baptized with a spoon of Jurançon wine and some garlic..
• King George I of Greece survives an assassination attempt.  He built a summer villa called Mon Repos.[35] George developed Tatoi, building roads and planting grapes for making his own wine, Chateau Décélie
• Today in 2006 The Georgian Government offered Jennifer Lopez $500,000 to advertise Georgian wine. The singer/actress declined the offer.
• It is the feast day of St. Gregory of Narek who’s book of Lamentations contains:

“Look at me,
I am
unworthy of good, undeserving of favor,
incapable of love, drawn in by the strands of sin,
wounded in the depth of my inner organs,
a broken palm tree,
spilled wine,
damp wheat,
breached mortgage,
ripped up verdict,
counterfeit seal,
deformed image,
singed garment,
lost goblet,
sunken ship,
crushed pearl,
buried gem,
dried up plant,
broken beam,
rotten wood,
mutilated mandrake,
collapsed roof,
dilapidated altar,
uprooted plant,
oily filth on the street,
milk flowing through ash,
a dead man in the battalion of the brave. ”

— Lamentations, Prayer 67

February 26th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Samuel Pepys drank a draft of wormwood wine with Sir William Batten at the Steelyard in 1662.
• Musician Jonathan Cain was born in 1950. He is owner of Finale Wines in Sonoma County.
• California's Fair Play AVA was designated in 2001.
• Oregon and Washington's Walla Walla Valley AVA (shown above) was designated in 2001.

February 25th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Robert Devereaux, 2nd Earl of Essex was executed in 1601.  Prior to his treasonous rebellion, Essex was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I who gave the royal monopoly of sweet wines to him which provided him revenue from the taxes.
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the French impressionist painter was born in 1841.  He is known for Luncheon of the Boating Party and Bar du moulin de la Galette which feature revelers enjoying drinks…
• Rudolf Steiner, father of biodynamic wine making was born in 1861. Biodynamic agriculture is certified by an organization called Demeter.
• The Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA was designated in 2004.
• The French have a saying, « Vent fort à la saint Nestor, bon vin à la saint Marcellin.» or "Strong wind for Saint Nestor, good wine for Saint Marcellin.” (St.Marcellin’s feast is October 24th).

February 24th - This Date in Wine History

Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

• Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor was born in 1500. He was known for his preference for beer over wine.
• Spain's Valdeorras DO was created in 1977
• The Rosso Canosa DOC was established in 1979
• National Open That Bottle night 2018!  Treat Yo Self!
• It is the feast day of Saint Matthias, the patron of alcoholics, carpenters, smallpox, tailors, hope, perseverance, Gary, Indiana and Great Falls-Billings, Montana.