September 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.

• The Basel, Switzerland council resolved in 1482 to present to to Duke Phillip of Savoy an honorable reception upon his arrival including a gift of 8 pitchers of wine, six sacks of oats and salmon.
• The London Chronicle date 1763 contains news from the Hague on the quality of wine being produced in Saxony.
• In a letter dated 1842 from Downing Street, London, Henry Goulburn requested the opinion of the wine trade regarding tariffs on Port wine.
• California was admitted to the union in 1850.  It is home of the largest number of wineries in the United States.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 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.

• Pedro Julião was elected Pope John XXI in 1276.  During his 8 month papacy, he reversed the rules that limited the food and wine available to Cardinals as they deliberated during conclaves.
• The Chianti Classico DO designation was established in 1967.
• The Niagara Escarpment AVA was designated in 2005.
• It is the feast of Our Lady of the Grape Harvest in Beaujolais France.  The best place to celebrate it is at Notre-Dame-aux-Raisins.
• Happy California Wine Month!
• The French have a saying, “À la Nativité commence la maturité (du raisin)“ or “At the Nativity begins the maturity of the grapes.”

September 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.

• According to Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular indicates that the ship Germanic left Liverpool in 1887 with passenger and wine cargo bound for NYC.
• The Ohio River Valley AVA was designated in 1983.
• Spain's Tacoronte-Acentejo DO was established 1992. 
• It is the feast day of St. Gratus of Aosta.  He is the patron saint of vineyards and against storms, insects and lightning.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 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 town records of Marblehead, Massachusetts granted Moses Maverick the right to sell a tun (252 gallons) of wine to the inhabitants of the town in 1638.
• The Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of California received a shipments of Tinto Amarella grapes from the Tulare Station in 1892.  They were in good condition except “for a little mold.”
• It is the feast day of St. Magnus of Füssen.  He is the patron saint of crops and against pests.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 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.

• Peter IV of Aragon was born in 1319.  He once had a friendly dispute with his Jewish physician about why Jewish people were not allowed to drink kosher wine touched by a Christian.  The Doctor had water brought to wash the king’s feet which he then drank to prove that impurity was not the reason for the prohibition.
• Nicholas Trübner, noted German writer and linguist reports on the hotel prices in Stockholm, Sweden in 1889.  For instance, The Grand Hoteloffers rooms between 3-5 crowns (local currency) per night and the table d’hôte will cost 4 crowns, wine not included.
• Spain's Bullas DO was created in 1994.  The region is located around the town of Bullas and the wines are made mainly of Monastrell.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 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.

• In a report dated 1894, Charles Bundschu of Gundlach Bundschu presents the financial report for the Viticultural Palace at the California Midwinter International Exposition.
• Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular indicates the “Egyptian Monarch” set sail from London in 1887 loaded with wine to be shipped to New York.  A year later the ship would sink (hopefully not with wine aboard).
• Apremont AOC was named in 1973.  Wines from Apremont in Savoie are made using the Jacquére grape.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 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.

• San Marino the world’s oldest republic still in existence was founded in 301 by Saint Marinus.  Their leading agricultural exports are wine and cheese.
• The U.S. Government submitted a remittance to the estate of Filippo Mazzei in 1822.  Mazzei was an Italian physician, importer pamphleteer and friend of Thomas Jefferson who with Jefferson established the first commercial winery in Virginia.
• The Mamertino DOC was established in 2004.  This wine region is from Messina, Sicily.
• The French have a saying, “À la saint Grégoire, taille la vigne pour boire” or On St. Gregory’s Day cut the vine to drink.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 2nd - 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.

• Francesco Landini, an Italian musician and instrument maker died in 1397.  One of the records that has survived about him are receipts for wine drunk by himself and Andreas da Florentia over the time tuned an organ.
• The city council of Baza, Spain in 1521 banned the sale of wine in taverns to prevent drunkenness.
• G.H. Mumm filed an application for a trademark in 1876.
• The Australian Geographical Indication "McLaren Vale" was registered in 1997.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 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.

• Nicholas Breakspear known as #Pope #AdrianIV died in 1159  when he #choked on a #fly in his #wine
• Louis François Joseph de Bourbon later Prince de Conti was born in 1734. He inherited the Romanée- Conti vineyard from his father and owned it until the National Convention stripped him of his property in 1793.
• The Dolcetto d'Acqui DOC, Dolcetto d'Ovada DOC and the Freisa d'Asti DOC were created in 1972.  These wine regions are all located in Italy’s Piedmont region.  Also in 1972 the Monica di Sardegna DOC was created.
• Happy California Wine Month!
• The French have a saying, “En septembre, la bruine, est toujours bonne à la vigne” or loosely, “September drizzles are always good to the vineyard.”

August 31st - 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 Baudelaire, a French poet, essayist and translator of Edgar Allan Poe died in Paris in 1867 at the age of 46. His poetry contained thematic elements including: sex, death, lesbianism, sacred and profane love, metamorphosis, melancholy, correction of the city, lost innocence, oppressiveness of living and wine.
• Per Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular shows that the ship, Martello left the port of Hull in 1887, loaded with wine bound for NYC.
• Len Evans, Australia’s leading ambassador of wine, was born in 1930.
• The Trebbiano di Romagna DOC was created in 1973.  The grape known as Trebbiano in Italy is referred to as Ugni Blanc in France.
• Missouri's Ozark Highlands AVA was designated in 1987.

August 30th - 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.

• Joseph Dennie, American author and journalist was born in 1768.  He was a Federalist who also published under the names Oliver Oldschool, Academicus and Sociais.  He was described as having health trouble throughout his life as well as a predilection for wine.
• Agoston Haraszthy, the "Father of California Viticulture" and founder of Buena Vista Vineyards was born in 1812
• The Pharmaceutical Journal for 1873 provided a general recipe for Iodine wine which is made by fermented grape juice in contact with powdered marine plants. 
• The Mississippi Delta AVA was designated in 1984.
• It is the feast day of St. Fiacre. He is the patron saint of gardeners.  
• Happy International Cabernet Day!

August 29th - 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.

• John the Baptist is thought to have been beheaded in 28/9AD.  A drunk King Herod promised the head of his stepdaughter Salome after she danced for him. John publicly reproved both Herod and Herodius for divorcing their spouses and then marrying each other. 
• William Cobbett in a letter to his Political Register dated 1818 indicates that claret wine costs only ten pence per quart while a similar amount would cost six to eight shillings.
• Stricter wine purity laws were passed in 1985 by the Austrian government in the wake of the scandal surrounding diethylene glycol contaminated wines.
• Coteaux de Saumur AOC was revised in 2002.  These wines semi-sweet and made of Chenin Blanc.

August 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.

• Jane Howard, second wife of  Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk died in 1693.  She was born Jane Bickerton, daughter of Robert Bickerton, Gentleman of the Wine Cellar for Charles II.
• Junipero Serra who brought the first cuttings of vitis vinifera to Northern California died in 1784.
• The Italian wine designation Malvasia of Casorzo d'Asti DOC was created in 1968.
• The Italian wine designation Sardinia Semidano DOC was established in 1995.
• The Italian wine designation Vin Santo del Chianti DOC was created in 1997.
• Foster’s Brewing of Australia bought Beringer Wine of Napa California in 2000.
• The Australian wine indication High Eden wine region was registered in 2001.

August 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.

• The Roman festival of Volturnalia was celebrated. dedicated to Jupitur Volturnus, god of the waters and fountains is celebrated with feasting and wine drinking at the pools near the temple of Vesta.
• Tiziano Vecellio, known as Titian died in 1576.  He is famous for painting red-haired women.  He also painted the Bacchanale of the Andrians and Supper at Emmaus. 
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel the German philosopher was born in 1770.  At one point in his career, he became the tutor for a wine merchant’s family in Frankfurt.
• The Internal Revenue Record and Customs Journal issued an opinion on the duty regarding the importation of glass wine bottles known as brown hocks. in 1872.
• Eric Burdon & War’s song, ‘Spill The Wine’ hit number 1 on the charts in 1970.

August 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.

• Robert Walpole, The Earl of Orford and Prime Minister of Great Britain was born in 1676.  He proposed that the tariff on wine and tobacco be replaced by an excise tax.  Revenues had fallen due to smuggling.
• Percy T. Morgan of the California Wine Association sent a telegraphic dispatch to John W. Yerkes, Commissioner of Internal Revenue to complain about the regulations on fortified sweet wine.
• Gala Dalí was born in 1894. She was the wife of artist, Salavador Dalí who  created a wine book, The Wines of Gala, as well as a cookbook, The Dinners of Gala in her honor.
• The Coteaux-du-Loir  AOC was named in 1946. It is located in Sarthe and Indre-et-Loire and uses mainly the Chenin Blanc and Pineau d’Aunis.

August 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.

• Pliny the Elder 1st century AD naturalist and author of the Roman encyclopedia Naturalis Historia (Natural History) that discusses viticulture methods, died in A.D. 79.
• James Douglas, Lord Douglas died in 1330.  He is known for the Douglas Larder.  Douglas troops were hidden until the local garrison left for mass on Palm Sunday.  The troops burst into the church dragged the garrison out beheaded them and burned them on the wood from destroyed wine casks.
• Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular reports that the ship Powhatan left the Port of Geneo for New York City in 1887 loaded with wine.
• It is the feast day of St. Louis IX.  He is a patron saint of distillers.

August 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.

• Henri, Count of Chambord, pretender to the French throne died in 1883.  He was named for Henri IV by his mother in the hopes that he would be King of France and was even baptized like his name sake with wine and garlic.  (He never became King of France).
• Crement d'Alsace was named an AOC in 1976.
• California's York Mountain AVA was designated in 1983.
• It is the feast day of St. Ouen of Rouen.  He is a patron saint of innkeepers who have poured their fair share of wine.

August 23rd - 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 London Public Record office records receipt of delivery of 12 pipes of Canary wine at Potomac Landing in 1633.
• The Muniments of the Royal Burgh of Irvine for 1681 lists payments for 9 mutchkins of claret between Bayliffe John Mountgomrie and Edward and Robert Wallaces.
• The 1894 records of the Ohio Dairy and Food Commissioner describes the case of the State v. Casper J. Vandrau who was charged with with selling grape wine adulterated by benzoic acid.  Vandrau pled guilty.
• It is the feast day of St. Rose of Lima.  She is a patron of gardeners.  No gardens?  No wine.

August 22nd - 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.

• Agoston Haraszthy on a fact-finding mission for the State of California had a conversation with a clergyman in Germany about vines and vineyards and the use of hydraulic pressing for wine grapes.
• Dorothy Parker, who once memorable said, "Three be the things I shall never attain: envy, content and sufficient champagne" was born in 1893.
• The American Wine Company in St. Louis Missouri received a trademark in 1905 for their sparkling wine.
• Eric Burdon & War’s song, ‘Spill The Wine’ hit number 3 on the charts in 1970.
• The Cisterna d'Asti DOC was created in 2002.  These wines are produced around the town of Cisterna d’Asti and is made with the Croatina grape.

August 20th - 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.

• Wine, a silent film starring Clara Bow opened in 1924.
• German winemaker, Egon Müller was born in 1959.
• The Controguerra DOC was created in 1996.
• Spain's Arabako Txakolina-Txakolí de Álava DO was created in 2002.
• The French have a saying, « S'il pleut à la Saint-Bernard, tu peux dire adieu à ton vin.» or "If it's raining in the Saint-Bernard, you can say goodbye to your wine. "