February 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.

• King John of England (known as Lackland) invaded La Rochelle, France in 1214.  John was known as a connoisseur of jewels and his love of bad wine.

• Gotthold Ephraim Lessing died in 1781.  He was a German writer, philosopher, dramatist and art critic. He died during a visit to the wine dealer Angott in Brunswick.

• Ernest Shackleton, antarctic explorer was born in 1874.  During his Nimrod Expedition of 1907-1909 he packed 1600 lbs of “finest York hams,” 1260 lbs of sardines, 1470 lbs of tinned bacon, 408 lbs of ox tongues, 384 lbs of sheep tongues, 144 lbs of pork tongue.  For beverages, he included 25 cases of whisky, six bases of brandy, 6 cases of Champagne and 3 cases of Port.

• Drink some Red, Red Wine, Ali Campbell of UB 40 was born in 1959.

February 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.

• Happy Valentine’s Day.  St. Valentine has no reference to wine history, but sweethearts often toast their love with wine or Champagne!  Cheers!

• Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859.  It is home to the Applegate Valley, Chahalem Mountains, Columbia Gorge, Columbia Valley, Dundee Hills, Elkton Oregon, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Red Hills Douglas County Oregon,  Ribbon Ridge, The Rocks of Milton-Freewater, Rogue Valley,  Snake River Valley, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley, Walla Walla, Willamette Valley and Yamhill-Carlton

• Arizona was admitted to the union in 1912.  It is home to the Sonoita and Willcox viticultural areas.

• Drew Bledsoe was born in 1972.  He is owner of Doubleback Wines in Walla Walla Washington.

• New Mexico's Mesilla Valley AVA was designated in 1985

• The Côte Roannaise AOC was named in 1994

• The Bulgarian’s celebrate Trifon Zarezan (Vineyard Day).  It is an ancient custom that was Christianized but previously offered to Sabazius, Dionysius, Bromius, Bacchus and Lycurgus.  The vines are trimmed, watered with wine and thrown into the River.  Later a meal of chicken (specifically a hen) stuffed with rice or bulgar is served.

• The French have a saying, « Vigneron à la Saint-Valentin, doit avoir serpette en main. » which translates to "Winemakers on Valentine's Day, must have a serpette in hand.” (a serpette is an agricultural knife) 

February 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.

• Parentalia, the Roman festival of the ancestors was celebrated by offerings of flower-garlands, wheat, salt, wine-soaked bread and violets.

• Béla II of Hungary died in 1141.  Known as Béla the blind the Hungarian Illuminated Chronicle indicates that “After King Bela had been established in his rule of the kingdom, he indulged himself much with wine. His courtiers found that whatever they asked of the King in his drunkenness he would grant, and after his drunkenness he could not take it back.”

• The Challenge of Barletta was fought in Italy of 1503.  The tournament was provoked after Charles de la Motte of France, drunk on the local wine, insulted the Italians.

• Elizabeth Stuart died in 1662.  After her marriage to Frederick V, Prince of Palatine and the Rhine, they began their journey to Heidelberg, meeting people from his kingdom and sampling local foods and wines.

• Under a federal law passed in 1862, it was illegal to  “provide spirituous liquor or wine "to any Indian under the charge of any Indian superintendent or Indian agent appointed by the United States”. A fine of $500.00 was charged for each violation.

February 17th - 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 1662, Samuel Pepys describes a dinner with Sir William Batten, Captain Cocke and Captain Tinker where he drank wine “upon necessity, being ill for want of it, and I find reason to fear that by my too sudden leaving off wine, I do contract many evils upon myself”.

• Lola Montez, royal courtesan of Ludwig I of Bavaria, who's antics incited the people to rebellion by breaking a champagne glass over the head of a police officer was born in 1821. Despite her claims of being a Spanish dancer, She was in fact an Irish peasant born Eliza Rosanna Gilbert.

• John Martin, English romantic painter, engraver and illustrator died in 1854.  His most famous work, Belshazzar’s Feast depict’s the feast held by the Babylonians that used the defiled sacred vessels of the Israelites for serving wine.

• California's Chiles Valley AVA was designated in 1999.

February 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.

• In 1502 Vasco de Gama set sail for his second voyage to India.  His ships stopped in Madeira to pick up water (a likely story).

• In 1664, Dominie Blom, of New Amsterdam, petitioned the magistrates of Wildwyck: "that the public, sinful and scandalous Bacchanalian days of Bastenseen (Shrove Tuesday), coming down from the heathens from their idol Bacchus, the god of wine and drunkenness, being also a leaven of Popery, inherited from the pagans, which the Apostle, in I Cor. 5, admonishes true Christians to expurge, May , while near at hand, be prescribed in this place by your Honors.”

• British Actress and courtesan, Lilly Langtry died in 1929.  She once owned a winery in California’s Guenoc Valley.

• In 2010, the last ransom note is sent to Domaine Romanée-Conti by Jacques Soltys.  He claimed to have poisoned the vines in the vineyard to ruin its reputation.

• It is the feast day of St. Julian the Hospitaller, the patron saint of innkeepers.

• The French have a saying, « Soleil qui rit pour sainte Eulalie fait des pommes et des prunes mais pas de vin. » or "A laughing sun for Saint Eulalia makes apples and plums but no wine.”

February 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.

• Emperor Claudius’ heir Britannicus is thought to have been poisoned by Nero in AD 55 by poisoning the water used to cool Britannicus’ wine.  The water had been previously tasted and found safe.

• Carl Michael Bellman, a Swedish composer, musician, poet, and songwriter died in 1795.  He is best known for Fredman’s songs and Fredman’s epistles which included themes of pleasure, drunkenness and sex.

• Lydia Maria Child was born in 1802.  She was an abolitionist, novelist, and activist for women’s and native American rights.  She is famous for writing “Over the River and Through the Wood” and the American Frugal Housewife which included recipes for food and cures that include wine as well as for wines themselves.

• The term Eiswin was coined on this day in 1830 to describe the wines of the 1829 harvest in Bingen-Dromersheim. 

• William Thomas Brande died in 1866.  A chemist, he was the first to be able to calculate the alcohol content of  wine, cider and ale.  He also believed that distilled spirits were toxic, while wine and beer, wholesome.

• Seyssel AOC was named in 1942.

February 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.

• The St. Scholastica Day riot was sparked by Oxford students complaining about the quality of the wine at Swindlestock Tavern in 1355.

• Birthday of Aaron Hill, English writer of “The Walking Statue; Or, the Devil in the Wine Cellar” He was born in 1685.

• Jefferson Davis is notified in 1861 that he has been made the provisional President of the Confederates States of America.  While at West Point, Davis was a participant in the Egg Nog Riots.  He was held under house arrest for  his role but allowed to graduate.

• Nicholas Longworth, American banker and winemaker died in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1863.  He was a noted winemaker known particularly for producing sparkling Catawba wines that were highly acclaimed in Europe.

• In a letter dated 1890 to Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular, the firm of Culbert & Taylor of 39 Broadway in New York, announce that they are the agent’s for Martini & Rossi.

• Golfer Greg Norman was born in 1955.  He owns Greg Norman Estates in South Australia and California.

February 9th - This Date in Wine History

Photo courtesy of Penfolds Grange Hermitage

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.

• English Protestant martyr, Rowland Taylor died in 1555.  He was a supporter of Lady Jane Grey who was overthrown by Mary.   He tried and found guilty of heresy for objecting to the doctrine of transubstantiation where bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.  He was burned at the stake. 

• Max Schubert, Australian winemaker responsible for Penfolds Grange Hermitage was born in 1915.

• Race Car Driver, Kevin Buckler was born in 1959.  He owns Adobe Road Wines in Sonoma.

• Connecticut's Western Connecticut Highlands AVA was designated in 1988.

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• The Australian Geographical Indication "Adelaide Hills" was registered in 1998.

• New Jersey's Outer Coastal Plain AVA was designated in 2007.

February 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.

• John Ruskin, writer, critic, artist and social thinker was born in 1819.  He was the son of a sherry and wine importer.  His father was the founding partner of Ruskin, Telford and Domecq.

• Jack Lemmon was born in 1925.  He starred in the movie, Days of Wine and Roses.

• The Morgon AOC and the Saint-Amour AOC were created in 1946. 

• Vince Neil of Motley Crue was born in 1961.  He owned Vince Neil Vineyards in Sonoma.

• The Bianco di Custoza DOC and the Colli Lanuvini DOC were created in 1971.

• The Salaparuta DOC was established in 2006.

February 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.

• Empress Matilda of the Holy Roman Empire was born in 1102.  She became a claimant for the English throne when her brother, William Adelin died when the vessel he was on, the White Ship foundered due to excessive drinking by the crew.  Eventually, The Empress’s son, Henry became Henry II of England.

• James Busby, father of Australian wine industry born in 1801.

• The 1863 The Saturday Review of Politics, Literature, Science and Art includes an ad from James L. Denman, Wine Merchant who sells  Greek, Hungarian, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Italian wines.

• In 1890 Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular reports that the Senate Finance Committee is “bent upon having the administrative customs bill become a law as soon as possible,” despite objections from New York importers.

February 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.

• Massachusetts ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1788.  It is home to the Southeast New England and Martha’s Vineyard viticultural areas.

• Isabella Beeton, author of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management died in 1865.  Her book included all elements of household management including, the manufacture or wine, beer, cordials and cocktails.

• The Malvasia di Cagliari DOC was created in 1979

• Feast day of St. Amandus, patron saint of beer brewers, innkeepers, vintners, merchants and the Boy Scouts.

February 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.

• In 1206 King John orders Ralph the Miller to let Richard de Redvers have two tuns of wine that the king had bought.

• In 1680, the Town of Irvine payed 8 Pounds 3 shilling 8d for “8 pints of claret wine two ounces of tobacco and eight pypes” to honor Granaries sons burial day.

• Wine in the Word: An inquiry concerning the wine Christ made, the wine of the supper,etc. was an address given by Abraham Coles before the Woman's Christian temperance union of Plainfield, N. J., 

• The silent film, Liebfraumilch was released in 1929.  It starred Livio Pavanelli and Henny Porten.

• The French have a saying, « À sainte Agathe va à ta vigne, si ce n'est pour y travailler, au moins pour y déjeuner. » which translates (loosely to "To St. Agatha go to your vineyard, if not to work there, at least to have lunch there.”

February 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.

• Samuel Pepys reports going to the Nag’s Head Tavern with several old acquaintances and drank a bottle of sack (Sherry) with them in 1664.  The term “sack” comes from the Spanish “saca” which means extraction from a Solera.

• Carl Michael Bellman, a Swedish composer, musician, poet, and songwriter was born in 1740.  He is best known for Freedman’s songs and Freedman’s epistles which included themes of pleasure, drunkenness and sex.

• The Alsace - Klevener of Heiligenstein AOC was created in 1997 Rose of Savignin is a permitted grape for this region.

• It is the feast day of St. John de Britto, a Portuguese Jesuit missionary to India who evangelized by adopting the dress and diet of the the people by abstaining from all  meat products and wine. 

February 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.

• In 1468 Johannes Gutenberg died. He invented the method of printing from moveable type. One of the important innovations in his method was a new press, similar to the screw presses used in winemaking.

• Samuel Pepys reports in his diary that he went out with this cousin Roger to Priors, a Rhenish wine-house and had a “pint or two of wine and a dish of anchovies in1660.

• Woodrow Wilson died in 1924.  He was President at the beginning of Prohibition, which restricted the SALE of alcohol but not the consumption.  At the end of his term as president, Wilson had his wine collection moved to his new residence.

• The father of Washington State wines, Dr. Walter J. Clore died this day in 2003.

February 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.

• "Wein, Weib und Gesang" ("Wine, Women and Song"), Op.333 by Johann Strauss II was performed for the first time in 1869.

• Teinturier Mâle grapes that had been grown from the J.T. Doyle, Experimental Plot in Cupertino were checked for the last time in 1891.  The wine was bright, with good color, no bouquet, slight acetic smell, and of fair quality.”  (It was reared with electricity in April and had deteriorated since then.)

• Tom Smothers of the Smothers Brothers was born in 1937.  He owns Remick Ridge Vineyards in Sonoma.

• Spain's Méntrida DO and Ribeiro DO was created in 1976.

• New Mexico's Middle Rio Grande Valley AVA was published in the Code of Federal Regulations  in 1988.

February 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.

•  "He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored" The Battle Hymn of the Republic is first published in 1862.

• In 1888, New York City Excise Board Commissioner revoked licenses for individuals with licenses to sell beer, ale and wine for selling “spirituous liquors”.

• The California Agricultural Experiment Station reports that the wine from Ploussard grapes from J.T. Doyle’s experimental plot in Cupertino was checked.  The lees were found to contain much lactic ferment in 1890.

• It is the feast day of Saint Tryphon. He was from Campsada in Phrygia (Turkey) and is the Eastern Orthodox patron saint of gardeners and winegrowers. His head is located in the Cathedral of St. Tryphon in Kotor, Montenegro.

January 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.

• The Boston Gazette in 1737 advertised that James Bowdoin had the richest good Canary wines for sale at 8 Shillings per gallon.

• Celebrating the conclusion of the American Revolution in 1778, William Ross, an Innkeeper in Lancaster, PA, hosted a party for 100, including General Mifflin, which included a cold collation, wine, punch and sweet cakes. The party lasted until 4 am on February 1st.

• The Economist reported that the UK imported 1,338,535 gallons of wine in the month ending January 31, 1875.

• Theodor Heuss, the first President of West Germany was born in Brackenheim in 1884.  Brackenheim is a the largest wine growing community in Baden-Württemberg.

• St. John Bosco died in 1888.  During his youth he worked at the vineyard of Louis Moglia to earn month for his education.

January 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.

• A Parisian Ordonnance of 1330, forbade the mixing of two wines together; no wine-seller was to give a false name to a wine, or to give a wrong description of its age ; the penalty was confiscation of the wine and a fine.

• Georg Friedrich Margrave von Baden-Durlach was born in 1573.  He founded an exchange bank in Upper Baden which was supposed to organize the wine and grain trade.

• Peter II of Russia died in 1730.  One of his early governesses was the wife of a Dutch vintner.

• Salvador Dalí married Elena Ivanovna Diakonova, better known as Gala in 1934. He later created a wine book, The Wines of Gala, as well as a cookbook, The Dinners of Gala in her honor.

January 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.

• Abraham Alfonse Albert Gallatin a Swiss American politician and diplomat and a member of Thomas Jefferson’s cabinet.  He was also owner of Friendship Hill in Western Pennsylvania where Gallatin operated a glassworks, gun factory, sawmilll, gristmilll, winery, distillery and boat yard.

• California's San Lucas AVA was designated in 1987.

• New Mexico's Middle Rio Grande Valley AVA was designated in 1988.

• Spain's Binissalem-Mallorca DO was created in 1991.

January 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.

• Charles VI of France almost dies during the Bal des Ardents in 1393.  During the celebration the King and five other nobles performed a charivari dance dressed as wild animals.  They were set ablaze accidentally by the King’s brother, the Duke of Orleans.  The only other noble to survive (besides the King) jumped into a vat of wine to save himself.

• Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette, known most often as just Colette was born in 1873.  Many of her books describe food and wine including Gigi and the Claudine stories.

• English writer and critic, George Saintsbury, author of Notes on a Cellar-Book died in 1933.

• The Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC was created in 1972.

• California's Napa Valley AVA was designated in 1981.

• The French have a saying, « Si on ne l'a pas fait pour sainte Geneviève, c'est à la saint Charlemagne qu'on met la vigne à sève. » which translates (loosely) to "If it has not been done for Saint Genevieve, it is to Saint Charlemagne that the vineyard is put to the sap.”