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 owns 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 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.
• Carl Michael Bellman, a Swedish composer, musician, poet, and songwriter was born in 1740.  He is best known for Fredman’s songs and Fredman’s epistles which included themes of pleasure, drunkenness, and sex.
• The Alsace - Klevener of Heiligenstein AOC was created in 1997.
• 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 people by abstaining from all meat products and wine. 

January 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.

• Francis I of France was crowned in 1515.  He undertook many construction projections, including the Chateau at Fountainbleu which included a fountain that sprayed watered wine.
• The State of Maine in 1871 revised their weights and measures to include a bushel, a half bushel, peck, a half peck, ale quart, wine gallon, a wine half gallon, wine quart, wine pint, wine half pint, and wine gill.
• Maria Louise Ramé died in 1908.  The grand-daughter or a wine merchant, she was an English novelist better known as Ouida.
• French Football star, David Ginola was born in 1967.  He is in partnership with the Coste Brulade co-op at Puget-Ville in the Côtes de Provence in the Coste Brulade winery.
• “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” by Marvin Gaye was the number one song in 1969.

December 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.

• George Washington died in 1799.  He was a member of the Virginia’s House of Burgesses from 1758-1765.  He plied the voters with 170 gallons of rice punch, beer, wine, hard cider and brandy.
• Pierre-Cécile Puvis de Chavannes the French painter was born in 1824.  He is known for his work, The Wine Press.
• ‘I heard it Through the Grapevine’ by Marvin Gaye was #1 on the charts in 1968.
• Spain's Conca de Barberá DO was created in 1989.
• Chile's Declaration of Appellations was approved in 1994.
• Oregon's Applegate Valley AVA was designated in 2000.

November 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.

• Guillaume Du Fay, the Franco- Flemish Renaissance composer died in 1474.  He is noted as the Canon of Cambrai in documentation when he received 36 lots of wine for the feast of St. John the Evangelist.
• Illinois' Shawnee Hills AVA was designated in 2006.
• Oregon's Chehalem Mountains AVA was designated in 2006.

November 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.

• Charles Collé the French dramatist and songwriter died in 1783.  He wrote for his patron, the Duke or Orleans with jovial and bawdy often on the subjects of love and wine.
• In 1916, the Swedish schooner, the Jonkoping, heading for Finland was sunk by a German submarine. The ship was discovered and 2500 bottles of champagne were recovered and found to be in excellent condition.
• It is the feast day of Saint Martin de Porres.  He is the patron saint of Lima, Peru and innkeepers who have poured many a dram of wine and whisky.

October 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.

• Virgil born today in 70 BCE wrote the Georgics, whose second volume deals with viticulture matters and includes a description of early ice wines.
• Mata Hari the Dutch courtesan, dancer and spy was executed by firing squad in 1917.  While she was awaiting execution she was brought a steady supply of champagne and meals from nearby restaurants.
• ‘Red Red Wine’ by UB40 was number 1 on the charts in 1988.

October 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.

• The Roman Senate bans the Bacchanalian rites with the Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus in 186 BCE.
• ‘Sherry’ by the 4 Seasons was #1 on the charts.
• The National Wine Centre of Australia opened in 2001.
• The Bonnezeaux and Coteaux-de-l'Aubance AOC were revised in 2003.

September 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.

• “Wine, Women And Loud Happy Songs" (Larry Kingston) and recorded by Ringo Starr was released in 1970.
• Spain's Terra Alta DO was created in 1985.
• The Cirò DOC was created in 1989.
• Happy California Wine Month!

September 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.

• The movie, Wine of Youth was released in 1924.
• Sherry, by The Four Seasons hits number one in the US.
• It is International Grenache Day.
• Happy California Wine Month!
• The French have a saying, “La rosée de Saint-Albin est, dit-on, rosée de vin.” or The dew of St. Albin is, it is said dewy with wine.

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 Volturnus, god of the waters and fountains is celebrated with feasting and wine drinking at the pools near the temple of Vesta.
• The Internal Revenue Record and Customs Journal issues 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 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 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 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.

• Guillaume Du Fay, the Franco- Flemish Renaissance composer was born in 1397.  He is noted as the Canon of Cambrai in documentation when he received 36 lots of wine for the feast of St. John the Evangelist.
• The Sannio DOC was named in 1997.  The region, in Campania produces red, white, rose and sparkling wine from Aglianisco, Barbera, Coda di Volpe, Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, Moscato, Piedirosso, Sangiovese, Sciascinoso and Trebbiano.

July 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.

• Phylloxera was discovered for the first time in Meursault in 1878.
• The Carso DOC was created in 1985.
• "Wine in the Afternoon" a song written by Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand was released in 2006.
• California's Lodi sub-appellations of Alta Mesa, Borden Ranch, Clements Hills, Cosumnes River, Jahant, Mokelumne River, and Sloughhouse were designated in 2006.
• California's Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA was designated in 2006.
• Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills AVA was designated in 2006.

April 13th - 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.

• Krum, Khan of Bulgaria died in 814.  He used the skull of the Byzantine Emperor as a wine cup.
• Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and wine lover was born in Virgina in 1743.
•  Baron Philippe de Rothschild was born in 1902.
• "Red Red Wine" written and performed by Neil Diamond was released in 1968 it was and later covered by UB40.

January 25th - This Date in Wine History

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Francis I of France

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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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• Francis I of France was coronated in 1515.  He undertook many construction projections, including the Chateau at Fountainbleu which included a fountain thatsprayed watered wine.
• “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” by Marvin Gaye was the number one song in 1969.