May 8th - This Date in Wine History

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Székely_Bertalan_Vérszerződés.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.

  • The Battle of Jinyang ended in 453 BC.  The victorious Zhao Xiangzi executed his opponent Zhi Yao and made his skull a wine cup.
  • Bertalan Székely was born in 1838.  A Hungarian painter, he created an image of the Székely Blood Oath where the leaders 7 Hungarian tribes spill some of their blood into a chalice of wine and drink it to establish a bond.
  • Washington Post wine columnist and James Beard Award winner, Karen A. Page was born in 1962.
  • Actor, Stephen Amell was born in 1981.  He is known for portraying the Green Arrow on the TV show Arrow.  He is co-owner of Nocking Point Wine in Walla Walla, Washington.
  • California's Clear Lake AVA was designated in 1984.

Clear Lake - Wine Region of the Day

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Clear Lake

The Clear Lake AVA is located in Lake County, California and located on 5,000 acres. Half of the area contained within the boundaries of the AVA is the actual Clear Lake itself. The lake is the largest natural lake found entirely within the state of California and is considered to be the oldest in North America due to its unique geology.  The presence of the lake has a great influence on the temperature and climate of the region, resulting in less variance between daily and nightly temperatures than in neighboring AVAs. The Clear Lake AVA is quite cool for California, which is suitable for grape varietals that enjoy the cold, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

 The first wine grapes were produced by European immigrants to Lake County.  Prior to Prohibition Lake County produced more wine grapes than Napa but was able to recover after repeal due to a lack of transportation infrastructure. Prior to Prohibition, the wine produced from this area was of high quality, Charles Hammond, of Upper Lake, won prizes for both red and white wines at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.  His vineyard, Ma Tel, however was destroyed by raising water after the construction of the Cache Creek Dam in 1914.

Big Valley District - Lake County - Wine Region of the Day

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Big Valley District - Lake County

Big Valley District - Lake County received its designation as an AVA in 2013. Situated on 11,000 acres, Big Valley Lake County is a sub-appellation of the Lake County AVA. Located to the west of Clear Lake, the terrain of Big Valley is mostly flat and contains alluvial clay soils from the lake and volcanic soils eroded from Mt. Konocti. Due to its proximity to the water table, the soil in Big Valley is poor draining and the vines run the risk of flooding and becoming supersaturated with water. Clear Lake serves as a major influencer in the region, moderating temperatures creating the cooler climate. During the height of the growing season, cool breezes from the lake help to cool the vineyards during the warm afternoon, slowing the ripening process and ensuring grapes achieve good acidity balance. The soil and temperature of Big Valley Lake County make the region perfect for Sauvignon Blanc production.

May 8th - This Date in Wine History

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Clear Lake

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.

  • Actor, Director Stephen Amell was born in 1981.  He is co-owner of Nocking Point Wines in Walla Walla, Washington.
  • California's Clear Lake AVA was designated in 1984
  • Washington Post wine columnist and James Beard Award winner, Karen A. Page was born in 1962

Clear Lake - Wine Region of the Day

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The Clear Lake AVA is located in Lake County, California and located on 5,000 acres. Half of the area contained within the boundaries of the AVA is the actual Clear Lake itself. The lake is the largest natural lake found entirely within the state of California and is considered to be the oldest in North America due to its unique geology.  The presence of the lake has a great influence on the temperature and climate of the region, resulting in less variance between daily and nightly temperatures than in neighboring AVAs. The Clear Lake AVA is quite cool for California, which is suitable for grape varietals that enjoy the cold, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

 The first wine grapes were produced by European immigrants to Lake County.  Prior to Prohibition Lake County produced more wine grapes than Napa but was able to recover after repeal due to a lack of transportation infrastructure. Prior to Prohibition, the wine produced from this area was of high quality, Charles Hammond, of Upper Lake, won prizes for both red and white wines at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.  His vineyard, Ma Tel, however was destroyed by raising water after the construction of the Cache Creek Dam in 1914.

Red Hills Lake County - Wine Region of the Day

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Red Hills Lake County by David Toomey for Qorkz.

The Red Hills Lake County AVA is located on 31,250 acres in Lake County, California. The wine region is southwest of Clear Lake, at the foot of Mount Konocti, which is an active volcano. True to its name, Red Hills consists of rolling hills between elevations of 1,400 feet and 3,000 feet. The Red Hills receive an average of between 25 inches and 40 inches of rainfall each year. The volcanic soils of the region give the vines their signature minerality. In particular, the soils are known to be strewn with volcanic glass called obsidian which was created when Mount Konocti erupted and lava flowed into Clear Lake cooling it instantly.  The region is known for its red wines, specifically Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.