April 21st - 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.

• Parilia, a Roman agricultural festival honoring the founding of Rome by Romulus was celebrated with beverage burranica, a combination of milk and sapa (boiled wine), after drinking this the festival would draw to a close when shepherds ran through a ceremonial fire three times.
• Dutch painter Pieter Gerritsz van Roestraten was born in Haarlem in 1630.  He is known for painting “Still Life with Oysters” featuring a glass of white  wine as accompaniment. 
• In 1764, Samuel Johnson reported in his diary that as of the first of the year, “I have in some measure forborne excess of strong drink,” and even avoided wine on Easter Sunday.
• Virginia's Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA was designated in 1987.

April 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. 

• Jan van Riebeeck, who planted in the first grapes in Cape Town was born in 1619.
• The Cullen-Harrison Act went into effect in 1933.  This law was an amendment the Volstead Act and allowed the sale and taxation of low alcohol beers and wines.  It was signed into law by Franklin Roosevelt.
• Suzanne Valadon, artist model and painter died in 1938.  She was the subject of the Toulouse Lautrec painting, The Hangover.
• Director Francis Ford Coppola was born in 1939.  He owns Niebaum Coppola, Rubicon Estate, Inglenook, and the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.
• California's Yorkville Highlands AVA was designated in 1998.
• Spain's Penedés DO was created in 2002.

April 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. 

• Thomas Cavendish found 300 tuns of Spanish wine buried in the sand in a bay near Valparaiso, Chilean in 1587.  Given that he was a privateer, might be an exaggeration.
• Barbizon School painter, Jules Dupré was born in 1811.  He is known mostly for landscapes, but also for Still Life with a Grey Jug.
• Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular dated 1887 states a ship named Fortuna left Oporto bound for NYC with a cargo of wine.
• Andre Tchelistcheff , the dean of American Winemakers died in 1994.
• Louis Latour, 10th generation president of Maison Louis Latour died in 2016 at the age of 83.

March 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. 

• James VI of Scotland became James I of England and Ireland after the death of Elizabeth I in 1603.  Later in his reign James suffered from arthritis, gout and kidney stones and was described as having urine, “dark red color of Alicante wine”. (That ain’t right)
• Pieter de Hooch, a Dutch painter died in 1684.  He is known for “A Woman Drinking with Two Men” and “A Woman and Two Men in an Arbor”.
• The Coteaux-Varois AOC was created in 1993.  The primary grapes are Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsaut, Mourvédre, Syrah and Carignan.
• The Cour-Cheverny AOC was created in 1993. The only grape allowed for this wine is Romorantin.
• It is National Ag Week and Agriculture Appreciation Week.

March 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. 

• Jan Fijt, a Flemish Baroque painter known for creepy still life of hunting dogs and dead game but also responsible for beautiful flower paintings and food still lifes such as A Lobster in a Porcelain Dish was born in 1611.
• Theodore de Mayerne, a Swiss physician who cared for Henri IV of France, James I, Charles I and Charles II of England died in 1655 from an excess of drinking of bad wine.
• John Snow, the father of modern epidemiology, anesthesia and hygiene who proved that the cholera outbreak in London in 1854 was associated with one water pump was born in 1813. During the 1830s he became a vegetarian and teetotaler until his health deteriorated and returned to meat and wine.
• Maine was admitted to the Union in 1820.  Vineyards in the State often make fruit, or country wine or with those of cold-hardy grapes.
• In the Parliamentary Debates of March 15, 1824, the Marquis of Lansdowne makes a motion to support the independence of South America by remarking that, “The time was, when Spain had the power to root up the vineyards of Mexico, that the inhabitants might rely on the mother country for wine“
• Beware the Ides of March!  Try drinking wines from Lazio, the region surrounding Rome, Greek wines that were said to be Caesar’s favorites and Beaujolais from the village of Juliénas which was named for him.

February 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. 

• Robert Devereaux, 2nd Earl of Essex was executed in 1601.  Prior to his treasonous rebellion, Essex was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth I who gave the royal monopoly of sweet wines to him which provided him revenue from the taxes.
• Pierre-Auguste Renoir, the French impressionist painter was born in 1841.  He is known for Luncheon of the Boating Party and Bar du moulin de la Galette which feature revelers enjoying drinks…
• Rudolf Steiner, father of biodynamic wine making was born in 1861. Biodynamic agriculture is certified by an organization called Demeter.
• The Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA was designated in 2004.
• The French have a saying, « Vent fort à la saint Nestor, bon vin à la saint Marcellin.» or "Strong wind for Saint Nestor, good wine for Saint Marcellin.” (St.Marcellin’s feast is October 24th).

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, a 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.

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 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.

• Mary Randolph, author of the cookbook, The Virginia House-Wife; Or, Methodical Cook died in 1828.  She includes recipes for currant wine and mead and included recipes that included wine.
• The Menetou-Salon AOC was named in 1959.
• California's Clarksburg AVA and Virginia's Monticello AVA were designated in 1984.
• California's Sonoma Mountain AVA was designated in 1985.
• Salvador Dali dies in 1989.  The surrealist artist created a wine book, The Wines of Gala, as well as a cookbook, The Dinners of Gala. (Gala was his wife).
• Oregon's Rogue Valley AVA was designated in 1991.

January 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.

• Cavalier poet, Edmund Spenser, died in 1599.  He wrote:

Poure out the wine without restraint or stay,
Poure not by cups, but by the belly full,
Poure out to all that wull,
And sprinkle all the postes and wals with wine,

- Epithalamion

• Jan Brueghel the Elder died in 1625.  He is the Dutch painter of One of, “The Senses of Hearing, Touch and Taste” show a huge feast with an assortment of wine cups. 
• Patent #37,424 was issued to A. Myers of Springfield, OH for Improved Sorghum Wine in 1863.
• The Chablis AOC was designated in 1938
• The French have a saying, « À la Saint-Hilaire, le vin gèle dans le verre. » which translates to, “On Saint Hillary’s Day, the wine freezes in the glass. "

January 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.

• Charles II of Navarre, known as Charles the Bad died in 1387.  At the end of his life, he was so decrepit that his doctor ordered him wrapped like a mummy in linen soaked in brandy (aqua vitae).  A maid dropped a candle and WHOOSH! This was seen as a sign of God’s justice.
• Pope Alexander VI, the former Roderic Borgia was born in 1431.  He was known for frequently poisoning the wine of rivals, using the Cup of Borgia, and then confiscated their wealth.
• Henry, Duke of Cornwall was born in 1511.  He was the first living child of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.  To celebrate guns were fired, bells were rung, fires lit and free wine was given to the public.  The baby did not survive.
• Pieter Claesz, Dutch golden age painter died in 1660.  Wine was often featured in his still life paintings.
• Gregory Blaxland, the first exporter of Australian wine died in 1853.

December 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.

• Emperor Nero who rose to power by poisoning Emperor Claudius’ heir Britannicus  through the water used to cool Britannicus’ wine was born in 37AD. 
• Johannes Vermeer, painter of "The Wine Glass, A Lady Drinking and a Gentleman" and "The Girl with the Wineglass" was died in 1675.
• In 1803 Lieutenant De Coetlagon was fined one bottle of wine for annoying Lieutenant Dowlin at mess according to the records of the infantry militia battalions of the County of Southampton.
• Pierre Marie Alexis Millardet who saved the vineyards of France from phylloxera died in 1902.

December 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.

• Edvard Munch was born in 1863.  He was a painter and photographer known for “The Scream” as well as “Self-Portrait with a Bottle of Wine”.
• In 1887. J.T. Doyle of Cupertino revealed that his plot of long-pruned Grossblaue produced a “Thin, dry wine with pronounced astringency.  It was racked and pasteurized for safety”  This wine improved considerably by June of the following year.  Grossblaue is also known as the Slovenian wine grape, Žametovka.
• Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular reported that Senator Henry W. Blair introduced a bill to create a commission to look at Alcohol and taxation.  The purpose of the commission would be to reduce alcohol usage.  
• California's Madera AVA was designated in 1984.

October 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.

• Flemish painter Jacob Jordaens died in 1678.  His painting, The King Drinks is a celebration of food, wine and merriment among family.
• California's Benmore Valley AVA was designated in 1991.
• Vincent DeDomenico died in 2007.  He was an inventor of Rice-A-Roni and the founder of the Napa Valley Wine Train.

September 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.

• Suzanne Valadon, artist model and painter was born in 1865.  She was the subject of the Toulouse Lautrec painting, "The Hangover".
• Cotes-du-Vivarais AOC was named in 1999.  These wines are produced in the French department of the Ardéche.
• Juneiperro Serra who brought the first cuttings of vitis vinifera to Northern California was canonized in 2015.
• Happy California Wine Month!

August 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.

• Hieronymus Bosch dies in 1516.  He was a Dutch painter known for his detailed works such as The Marriage at Cana; The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things, and the Allegory of Gluttony and Lust. 
• Mary Randolph, author of the cookbook, The Virginia House-Wife; Or, Methodical Cook was born in 1762.  She includes recipes for currant wine and mead and included recipes that included wine.
• William Vere Cruess, food scientist responsible for rebirth of the California wine industry after prohibition was born in 1886.  He is also credited with creating the formula for fruit cocktail.

July 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.

• Nicole-Barbe Ponsardin Cliquot, the Veuve Cliquot, died in 1866.
• Vincent van Gogh died in 1890.  He was famous for painting still life like Still Life Still life with Bottle, Two Glasses, Cheese and Bread.
• Opening of the 1999 Fête des Vignerons (Winegrowers Festival) in Vevey, Switzerland.  The next fete will be in 2019.

July 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.

• Peder Severin Kroyer, a Danish painter, who created a painting called “Hip, Hip Hurrah!” showing a toast at a family picnic was born in 1851.
• Robert Parker born in 1947.
• Pennsylvania and Maryland's Cumberland Valley AVA was designated in 1985
• It is the feast day of St. Phocas who is a patron saint of gardeners,agricultural workers, farm worker and others.  Remember.  No Farmers?  No wine. 

July 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.

• Lisa del Giocondo died in 1542. She was the daughter of a Chianti vineyard owner and later married Florentine silk merchant.  She was the model for Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, The Mona Lisa.
• James Busby, father of Australian wine industry died in 1871.  He brought the first grape root stock to Australia from France and Spain.
• The Gabiano DOC was created in 1983.  These wines are made primarily (90-95%) of Barbera.
• American wine critic, Jon Broneer died in 2006.

July 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.

• Camille Pissarro was born in 1830.  He was a Danish-French painter who is known for still life paintings such as Still Life with Apples and Pitcher.
• The Chemical News of 1874 has a report from the Committee on Adulteration who reports that “The man who sells us a blanket got up with a deliquescent salt, like chloride of magnesium, imperils our health just as decidedly as if he had putamylic or petroleum products in our wine, or red lead in our chocolate.”
• Madiran and Pacherenc of Vic-Bilh are awarded AOC status in 1948.  Both AOCs are for wines produced in the town of Madiran in Gascony, France. The Madiran wines are made of Tannat and the Pacherenc of Vic-Bilh of Petit Manseng and Corbu.