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.

• 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!

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 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.

July 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.

• Samuel Pepys met and went out with the children Vice Admiral Sir George Carteret and were out so late they were unable to get a ferryboat back to the house, so they slept in a coach on the Isle of Dogs until one was available,  feasted on wine and snacks then headed home.
• The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction in 1824 reported on the Palace of the King of the Sandwich Islands, including the quote:

“But where to find that happiest spot below,
who can direct, when all pretend to know?
The shuddering tenant of the frigid zone
Boldly proclaims that happiest spot his own:
Extols the treasures of his stormy seas,
And his long nights of revelry and ease.
The naked negro, panting at the line,
Boasts of his golden sands and palmy wine, -
Basks in the glare, or stems the tepid wave,
And thanks his gods for all the good they gave.”

”

— Oliver Goldsmith - The Traveller

• President McKinley entered into a treaty with the King of Portugal to reduce tariffs on wine in 1897.

July 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.

• The History of Lloyd’s of London for 1710 shows that wines from the ship, Francis were advertised in the Tatler and were “To be sold by Tho. Tomkin broker, in Seething Lane between Tower-street and Crutched-Fryars.”
• The Duke of Wellington defeated the French at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812 during the Peninsular Wars. After the defeat Wellington’s men acquired King Joseph-Napoleon Bonaparte’s entire supply of brandy, claret, champagne and burgundy 
• The Lambrusco Reggiano DOC was created in 1971. The wine comes from the Italian province of Emilia-Romagna.

July 18th - 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 wildly rambling sentence written in 1665, Samuel Pepys discusses his day and how he bought a pint of wine for Ann and Miles Mitchell who were leaving London to escape the plague.
• The Sizzano and Boca DOCs were created in 1969. These regions are located in Italy’s Piedmont.
• The San Colombano al Lambro and the Colli Piacentini DOCs were created in 1984. San Colombian is near Milan and the Colli Piacentini are in Emilia-Romagna.
• The Fiano di Avellino and the Greco di Tufo DOCGs were established in 2003.  Avellino and Tufo are communes in the province of Avelino.
• French oenologist, Émile Peynaud died in 2004.

July 16th - 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 Review in 1864 had an ad from James L. Denman who was offering wines of Greece and Hungary.
• The Mission of San Diego de Alcalá was founded in 1769 by Junipero Serra.  The Mission included 55,000 acres and provided corn, wheat, barley, kidney beans, chickpeas and other vegetables and vineyards to provide grapes for wine. 
• The Dolcetto d'Alba DOC was created in 1974.  Alba is a city located in the Piedmont of Italy.

July 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 Wine License Office, of Lincoln’s Inn in 1761 issued multiple notices requesting that people who had retail wine licenses that expired midsummer to renew those licenses.
• The AOC Côtes du Rhone Villages was named in 1951
• Bulgaria was divided into five wine producing regions in 1960 (Danube River Plains, Black Sea Coastal, Valley of the Roses, Thracian Valley, Struma River Valley)

July 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.

• The Everyday Book of 1838 relays a story about Swan-hopping in the City (London) where a group of gentlemen were scammed out of the cost of lunch for a group of ladies (and their servants) during an expedition up river to watch the ceremony to mark the swans of London.  The gentlemen in question found that they had been left with bill by the ladies who claimed that “their husbands” would cover the costsof their dinner, dessert, wine,tea etc.  7£ 10 shilling.  By the way, London swans are still marked in London and are considered to be owned by the Queen, the dyers guild and the vintners guild.
• French eonologist, Alfred de Vergnette de Lamotte was born in 1806. He is best know for his work on wine preservation.
• The Australian Geographical Indication "Wrattonbully" was registered in 2005.

April 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.

• Per Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson, Johnson had dinner with Boswell at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in 1776 with Sir Joshua Reynolds, Mr. Langton, Lord Dunsinan and Sir William Forbes where they discussed the nature of wine and wit, JOHNSON. 'No, Sir: before dinner men meet with great inequality of understanding; and those who are conscious of their inferiority, have the modesty not to talk. When they have drunk wine, every man feels himself happy, and loses that modesty, and grows impudent and vociferous: but he is not improved; he is only not sensible of his defects.' 
• The Saturday Review of April 12, 1862 contains an ad for James L. Denman, Wine Merchant of 65 Fenchurch Street, London.
• União Vinícola Regional de Carcavelos was created in 1934.

April 9th - This Date in Wine History

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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.

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• Simon Fraser, 11th Lord Lovat was executed in 1747 for his participation in the Jacobite uprising and the Battle of Culloden.  “The British Chronologist”, describes his Lordship is having three glasses of watered wine on the morning of his execution but declined a 4th because no warm water could be found to mix with the wine.
• The Imperial Wine Company of London advertised in the April 9, 1864 issue of “The Spectator”.
• The Bramaterra DOC was created in 1979
• The Girò di Cagliari DOC was created in 1979
• The Australian Geographical Indication "Currency Creek" was established in 2001

February 22nd - This Date in Wine History

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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.

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• According to a rule passed in 1792 of the St. Dunstan's Club in London (126 Fleet Street), Any member elected to the position within the club was required to buy a bottle of Port for the other members to share.
• Actor Kyle MacLachlan was born in 1959.  He owns Pursued by Bear Wine in Columbia Valley.
• Drew Barrymore was born in 1975.  She is a partner in the Carmel Road Winery.