November 17th - 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.

  • Zeno becomes sole Byzantine Emperor in 474 when his son and co-emperor, Leo II dies in 474. Legend holds that he was buried alive after becoming insensible with drink and hist wife Ariadne refused to allow anyone to open his sarcophagus.

  • Louis XVIII was born in 1755.  After having spent  decades in exile after the death of his brother, Louis XVI, upon his restoration he promised the people that taxes on tobacco, wine and salt would be abolished.  He did not keep this promise.

  • The U.S. Army established Fort Buchanan in 1856.  The fort was created to protect the newly acquired Gadsen Purchase.  Today the land the fort is located on is part of Arizona’s Sonoita viticultural area.

  • União Vinícola da Região do Moscatel de Setúbal was created in Portugal in 1933.