November 13th - This Date in Wine History

/
LouisVII-AdeleDeChampage.png

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.

  • Louis VII of France married Adela of Champagne in 1160.
  • Wine, a silent film starring Fatty Arbuckle was released in 1913. 
  • Casa do Douro was created in 1932.
  • Washington and Oregon's Columbia Valley AVA was designated in 1984.

October 4th - This Date in Wine History

/
Fiddletown-1Q_1024x1024.jpg

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.

  • Association of Chilean Wine Bottlers formed in 1950.
  • California's Fiddletownand Paso Robles AVAs were designated in 1983.
  • Washington's Puget Sound AVA was designated in 1995.

August 14th - This Date in Wine History

/
Cosimo III de Medici

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.

  • Cosimo III de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany was born in 1642.  Among his accomplishments was the establishment of the Chianti wine region.
  • Oregon Territory was created in 1848.  The territory now contains the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and parts of Wyoming and Montana.  There are bonded wineries in all of those states.
  • Wine educator, Michel Dovaz was born in 1928.
  • Fête du Vin à Madiran begins.

July 1st - This Date in Wine History

/
Lago Corbara

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. Walter Clore, father of Washington State wines was born in 1911 
  • Dan Aykroyd was born in 1952.  As well as being a Ghostbuster he is also owner of Dan Ackroyd Wines.
  • France’s Coteaux de Pierrevert AOC was created in 1998
  • Italy’s Lago di Corbara DOC was established in 1998
  • California's High Valley AVA, Minnesota’s Alexandria Lakes AVA,  Red Hill Douglas County, Oregon AVA and Washington's Horse Heaven Hills AVA were designated in 2005

Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley - Wine Region of the Day

/
Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley

Located near a series of ancient lakes near the banks of the Columbia River, the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley is an unusual region.  The lakes were formed when Lake Missoula, a prehistoric lake at the base of Cordilleran ice sheet burst through an ice dam creating a deluge that tore through the Columbia Valley.  Much of the rock was eroded creating benches on the banks of the  river while eddies  helped carve the rock deeper to create the Ancient Lakes and steep canyons called coulees in the area throughout.  The viticultural area is located between Beezely and Frenchmen Hills bounded on the west by the Columbia River and to the west by a range line to the east.  The soils and rocks in this area were washed away leaving hardpan and loess over basalt.

The climate is considered cold semi-arid meaning that it has warm to hot summers with cold winters.  The area is dry because it is located in the rain shadow of both the Olympic and Cascade Ranges and receives less than eight inches of rain per year.  

Created in 2012, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley is known for it's white wines.  In particular, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris which are prized for their bright acidity and minerality.

May 21st - This Date in Wine History

/
Fanueil Hall

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 Hancock gave an election dinner at Fanueil Hall in 1791 at which 163 bottles of wine were consumed
  • The Chevalier d’Eon died in 1810.  In 1764, the Count de Guerchy tried to poison the Chevalier d'Eon by poisoning his wine with opium. The Chevalier was a French diplomat, spy, soldier and Freemason who lived the first half of her life as a man and the second half as a woman.
  • The Clover Leap Wine Co. received a trademark for their Claret wine in 1907.

April 10th - This Date in Wine History

/
George_William_Russell_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_19028.jpg

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.

  • George William Russel who wrote under the pseudonym Æ was born in 1867.  About the Easter Risinghe wrote, 

“And yet my spirit rose in pride

Refashioning in burnished gold

The image of those who died

Or were shut up in penal cell

Here’s to you Pearse, your dream, not mine

And yet the thought- for this you fell

Has turned life’s water into wine.”

from To the memory of some I knew who are dead and loved Ireland (1917)

  • The Steuben County Wine Company of Chicago filed for a Trademark in 1905.
  • Port Wine Institute was created in 1933
  • Washington's Red Mountain AVA was designated in 2001

April 4th - This Date in Wine History

/
Frederick II of Denmark and Norway

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.

  • For circumnavigating the globe, Sir Francis Drake was knighted in 1581.  During the voyage he sacked the port of Valparaiso and captured a ship of Chilean wine.
  • King Frederick II of Denmark and Norway died in 1588.  He was considered a typical Danish king and was a lover of hunting, wine, women and feasting.
  • Washington's Yakima Valley AVA was designated in 1983.

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.

  • Musician Jonathan Cain was born in 1950. He is owner of delaCain Vineyards in Sonoma County.
  • California's Fair Play AVA was designated in 2001.
  • Oregon and Washington's Walla Walla Valley AVA was designated in 2001.

February 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.

  • 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.

February 16th - This Date in Wine History

/

Philipp Melanchthon   

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.

  • Philipp Melanchthon was born in 1497.  He was a collaborator of Martin Luther and helped create the early theology of the Lutheran Church, such asthe rejection of the idea of transubstantiation.
  • California's Covelo AVA and Washington's Rattlesnake Hills AVA was designated in 2006.

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

Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley - Wine Region of the Day

/

Map of Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley by Gretchen Miller Neuman for Qorkz.

Located near a series of ancient lakes near the banks of the Columbia River, the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley is an unusual region.  The lakes were formed when Lake Missoula, a prehistoric lake at the base of Cordilleran ice sheet burst through an ice dam creating a deluge that tore through the Columbia Valley.  Much of the rock was eroded creating benches on the banks of the  river while eddies  helped carve the rock deeper to create the Ancient Lakes and steep canyons called coulees in the area throughout.  The viticultural area is located between Beezely and Frenchmen Hills bounded on the west by the Columbia River and to the west by a range line to the east.  The soils and rocks in this area were washed away leaving hardpan and loess over basalt.

The climate is considered cold semi-arid meaning that it has warm to hot summers with cold winters.  The area is dry because it is located in the rain shadow of both the Olympic and Cascade Ranges and receives less than eight inches of rain per year.  

Created in 2012, Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley is known for it's white wines.  In particular, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris which are prized for their bright acidity and minerality.

December 7th - This Date in Wine History

/

Raise a glass to the heroes who died at Pearl Harbor, December 7th, 1941

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.

  • André Tchelistcheff, the "dean of American winemakers was born in 1901.
  • The Australian Geographical Indication "Lower Murray" was registered in 1996. 
  • California's Ramona Valley AVA was designated in 2005.
  • The Texoma AVA was designated in 2005.
  • Washington's Wahluke Slope AVA was designated in 2005.

Editor's Note:  We at Qorkz honor the sacrifices of the U.S. Navy at Pearl Harbor.  Our CEO is a Navy vet, while my grandfather missed dying on the USS Utah by missing the ferry out to his ship. At some point today, please raise a glass and toast those who died and those who survived.  God bless America.

November 13th - This Date in Wine History

/

Fatty Arbuckle

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.

  • Louis VII of France married Adela of Champagne in 1160.
  • Wine, a silent film starring Fatty Arbuckle was released in 1913. 
  • Portugal's Casa do Douro was created in 1932.
  • Washington and Oregon's Columbia Valley AVA was designated in 1984.