March 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.

• The rebellion know as the Sicilian Vespers began in 1282.  The rebellion against the Angevin King Charles I started when French officials joined  locals at Palermo’s Church of the Holy Spirit to celebrate Easter and began to drink. A French soldier dragged a local (married) woman from the crowd and began pestering her.  Her husband then killed the dude and all hell broke out.  The trouble started at vespers or sunset.

• The Florida Territory was created in 1822.  The area includes wine making regions, Fort Caroline and St. Augustine.

• Vincent Van Gogh was born in 1853.  Along with his paintings of Sunflowers, Starry Nights and his bedroom in Arles, he also painted still lifes of the foods and beverages in his kitchen.

• Michigan's Leelanau Peninsula AVA was designated in 1982.

• Tom Angove, inventor of the wine cask (aka bag in a box) died in 2010.

January 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.

• Michigan was admitted to the Union in 1837.  It is home to the Fennville, Lake Michigan Shore, Leelanau Peninsula, Old Mission Peninsula and Tip of the Mitt viticultural areas.
• Paul Newman, founder of Newman's Own which included a Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon was born in 1925.
• It is the feast day of St. Alberic of Cîteaux who founded the Cistercian Order of Monks.  Cistercians are known to support their abbeys through making products for sale.  St. Alberic arranged a donation of a vineyard to support his abbey.  That vineyard is known today as Meursault.
• It is the feast day of Saint Timothy.  He was an evangelist in Turkey and Greece.  He was also known to be sickly and is the patron of gastrointestinal disorders.   In letters, St. Paul urges Timothy to  "use a little wine for your stomach's sake".