March 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.

• Simon de Brion, later known as Pope Martin IV was born in 1210 (or 1220).  In the Divine Comedy, Dante sees the pope in purgatory for his fondness for Lake Bolsena eels and Vernaccia wine.

• Abraham Mignon, artist of painter of still life and flower images including “Still Life with Fruit and a Goldfinch” died in 1679.

• Horace Walpole in a letter dated 1764 to Charles Churchill the satirist about the events of Lady Cardigan’s ball that evening where he tried to get fellow guests drunk, “but as they are not at all familiar chez moi, they formalize at wine, as much as a middle-aged woman who is just beginning to drink in private”. (He seems nice)

• The movie, Wine, Women and Song debuted in 1933

• Stacy Ann Ferguson Duhamel, the singer known as Fergie, was born in 1975.  She is founder of Ferguson Crest Winery.

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 owned 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.

December 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.

• Lord George Gordon, head of the Protestant Association and and the focal point of the Anti-Catholic Gordon Riots was born in 1751.  In 1787 he converted to Judaism while undergoing a trial for defaming Marie Antoinette. While imprisoned in Newgate prison, he was supplied with kosher meat and wine.

• Days of Wine and Roses starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick was released in 1962.

• It is the feast day of St. James the Just who was known for drinking no wine nor the eating of meat and wore only fine linen.

• The French have a saying, « À la saint Étienne, pas de vent, pour le vin c'est excellent. » or "To St Stephen, no wind, for wine is excellent. “

• « Dans la nuit qui amène saint Étienne, s'il fait du vent, le vin sera très abondant » or "In the night that brings St. Stephen, if it makes the wind, the wine will be very abundant “.

• Happy Boxing Day!

December 20th - 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.

• Pieter de Hooch, a Dutch painter was born in 1629.  He is known for “A Woman Drinking with Two Men” and “A Woman and Two Men in an Arbor”.

• The California Agricultural Experiment Station reports that in 1887, the Mataro (Carignan) grapes from Margherita Vineyard in Fresno had produced wine that was  “decidedly acutefied”.  The wine was racked and pasteurized the next day.

• Wine of Youth, a silent comedy-drama directed by King Vidor and released by MGM was released in 1924 

• The Régnié AOC was created in 1988

• California's Capay Valley AVA was designated in 2002

• Happy Sangria Day!

December 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.

• The King of Scotland, Robert the Bruce provided two casks of wine to Sir Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March in 1310.

• Christina, Queen of Sweden was born in 1626. The celebration of her coronation included fountains filled with wine for three days in the market place.

• New Jersey ratified the U.S. Constitution in 1787.  It is home to the Central Delaware Valley, Outer Coastal Plains and Warren Hills viticultural areas.

• E.W. Hilgard of Mission San Jose found his Cinsault turbid, with a markedly aromatic bouquet, medium body, low astringency, and medium acid: slightly suspicious in quality.  He then racked and pasteurized the wine for safety.

• Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt and founder of Silverado Vineyards was born in 1933.

• It is the feast day of Saint Sebastian who’s skull is used as a wine cup on his feast day. The skull cap relic is located in Germany.

• James Beard award winning author of "What to Drink With What You Eat", Andrew Dornenburg was born in 1958.

• The movie, May  Wine debuted in 1991.

• Zhen Wang Huang, aka Rudy Kurniawan was convicted in 2013.  He is a wine collector who was convicted of wine fraud by buying Burgundy wine from negociants and relabelling them are more valuable wines, such as those the Domaine Romanée-Conti.

November 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.

• Albrecht III, Elector of Brandenburg was born in 1414.  He established the right to levy taxes on wine after he was crowned.

• The Mayflower see Cape Cod, Massachusetts today in 1620. Previously, the Mayflower shipped wines from France to London.

• Aert van der Neer, a Dutch landscape artist died in 1677.  His work was undervalued that he was forced to open a wine tavern on the Kalverstraat in Amsterdam.  

• An 1889 report in Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular describes the Hungarian wines from Lake Platten were red “not very deep in color, but have a fine body and are capable of developing well”.

• The movie, Wine, Women and Song debuted in 1915.  It starred Gilbert Anderson, otherwise known as Broncho Billy.

October 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.

• George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence was born in 1449.  He was accused of plotting his brother Edward IV and was executed in the Tower of London by being drowned in a butt of Malmsey wine.

• Horatio Nelson, Lord Admiral of the British Navy and the Hero of Trafalgar died in 1805. His body was placed in cask of brandy, mixed with camphor and myrrh and later transferred to a lead coffin filled with spirits of wine.

• Hermann Müller, a Swiss botanist and oenologist created the Müller-Thurgau varietal in 1882 was born in 1850.

• Ohio's Grand River Valley AVA was designated in 1983.

• New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania Lake Erie AVA was designated in 1983.

• California's Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Russian River Valley AVA were designated in 1983.

• Verbicaro DOC was created in 1995.

• Wine for the Confused, a movie by John Cleese was released in 2004.

October 2nd - This Date in Wine History

Photo from Ursula Brühl, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI), Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants, Institute for Grapevine Breeding Geilweilerhof - 76833 Siebeldingen, GERMANY

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.

• Richard III of England was born in 1452.  During  his reign he established a law outlawing the shorting customers in the sales of wine or oil.

• Charles Albert, King of Sardinia was born in 1798.  At the time of his reign Sardinia included parts of southern France, Monaco and the northern part of the Italian mainland.  When Austria increased the customs duty on Piedmontese wine, the king threatened to build a railroad from Genoa to Lake Maggiore to capture the German market.

• Actress, Lorraine Bracco was born in 1954.  She is known for Good Fellas and The Sopranos.  She is also owner of Bracco Wines in Tuscany.

• Commanderia, an ancient wine that has been described since 800BCE was protected by the Cypriot government in 2002. It holds a PDO in Europe, Canada and the United States and is the distinction of being the world's oldest named wine still in production.  The name comes from the Templar Knights.

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.

• One of the first known serial killers, Gilles de Rain was taken into custody in 1440.  Young victims were dressed in expensive clothing, given an extravagant meal and hippocras, a sweetened, spiced wine before being tortured, murdered and dismembered.

• The movie, Wine of Youth was released in 1924.

• Sherry, by The Four Seasons hits number one in the US.

• 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 20th - 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, a silent film starring Clara Bow opened in 1924.
• German winemaker, Egon Müller was born in 1959.
• The Controguerra DOC was created in 1996.
• Spain's Arabako Txakolina-Txakolí de Álava DO was created in 2002.
• The French have a saying, « S'il pleut à la Saint-Bernard, tu peux dire adieu à ton vin.» or "If it's raining in the Saint-Bernard, you can say goodbye to your wine. "

August 16th - 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.

• Agostino Carracci, an Italian painter was born in 1557.  One of his most famous works is of the Last Supper of Christ.
• St. John Bosco was born in 1815.  During his youth he worked at the vineyard of Louis Moglia to earn month for his education.
• Hugo Gernsbacher, Luxembourgish-American inventor, writer, editor and publisher and father of Science Fiction was born in 1884.  He is the son of a winemaker.
• Fess Parker, film and tv actor and winemaker was born in 1924.
• The Bagnoli di Sopra or Bagnoli DOC designation was established in 1995.  It is located in the Veneto region.
• The French have a saying, “À la Saint-Roch, grande chaleur prépare vin de couleur,” or (loosely) “Hot weather on St. Roch’s day, gives wine good color”.

August 11 - 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 Etna DOC in Sicily, the Rosso Piceno DOC in Marche, the Valtellina DOC in Lombardy and the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC  in Marche were created in 1968.
• The Vernaccia di Oristano DOC in Sardinia was established in 1971.  The grape Vernaccia di Oristano is different from the Vernaccia grape found on the Italian mainland.
• "A Walk In The Clouds" the 1995 movie set in 1940s Napa Valley opened.
• It is the feast day of St. Fiacre in Roman Martyrology. He is the patron saint of gardeners.  

May 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.

• 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.
• Raymond Burr of Perry Mason and Ironside, fame was born in 1917.  He established Raymond Burr Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley in 1966.
• The French have a saying« Quand la vigne est en fleur à la Saint-Thiébault, il n'y a ni biens ni maux. » or, “When the vines are in bloom on St. Thiebault’s day, it is neither good nor bad.”

May 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.

• The Henri IV died in 1610.  He is said to have been baptised with a spoon of wine and garlic.
• Octavianus, son of Albert II of Spoleto, a Patrician and prince of Rome who was later known as Pope John XII died in 964.  As Pope he was accused of depravity and worldliness and even of toasting Satan with wine.
• Mondovino, a film exploring the impact of globalization on the various wine-producing regions, debuts in 2004.
• It is the feast day of St. Matthias.  He is patron saint of alcoholics.

May 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.

• 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.

April 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.

• The British government in 1796 passed an import tax of 30 £ per tun on French wine and 20 £ per tun on Spanish or Portuguese wines 
• “The Colonist” of Sydney Australia contains an advertisement for H.E.I. Company offering for sale 100 Pipes of the, “Best Cape Madeira Wine”
• Ron W. Miller, former NFL Player and Disney executive was born in 1933.  He is also owner of Silverado Winery along with his late wife, Diane Disney Miller.
• North Dakota's first bonded winery since prohibition was bonded in 2002. The winery was Pointe of View Winery. North Dakota was the last state to bond a winery.
• The French have a saying, « Avril froid à la saint Anicet, pain et vin donne, mai froid les moissonne.» or “April cold on St. Anicet's day gives wine and bread, May cold reaps them.”
• It is Malbec World Day!  We have a couple to recommend!

April 11th - 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 Canning, British statesman and son of a failed Irish wine merchant was born in 1770. 
• Percy Lavon Julian, an American chemist was born in 1899.  A former colleague from Howard University and released letters that Julian had sent him from Vienna which covered subjects such as wine, pretty Viennese women, music and chemical experiments.
• Ivor Spencer-Thomas inventor of “FizzIt” which turned still wine into sparkling was born in 1907
• Thomas Harris, creator of the character Hannibal Lecter best for know for eating  a census taker’s liver with a big Amarone was born in 1940.

March 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. 

• Simon de Brion, later known as Pope Martin IV was born in 1210 (or 1220).  In the Divine Comedy, Dante sees the pope in purgatory for his fondness for Lake Bolsena eels and Vernaccia wine.
• Abraham Mignon, artist of painter of still life and flower images including “Still Life with Fruit and a Goldfinch” died in 1679.
• Horace Walpole in a letter dated 1764 to Charles Churchill the satirist about the events of Lady Cardigan’s ball that evening where he tried to get fellow guests drunk, “but as they are not at all familiar chez moi, they formalize at wine, as much as a middle-aged woman who is just beginning to drink in private”. (He seems nice)
• The movie, Wine, Women and Song debuted in 1933.
• Stacy Ann Ferguson Duhamel, the singer known as Fergie, was born in 1975.  She is founder of Ferguson Crest Winery.

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. 

• Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki, known as Rashi, was born in 1040 in Troyes, France.  The son of a poor winemaker, legend says that his father was visited by the prophet Elijah after throwing a precious jewel into the sea and was told he would have a son “who would illuminate the world with his Torah knowledge”.
• George Washington was born in 1732.  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.
• According to a rule passed in 1792 of the St. Dunstan's Club in London, 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 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.