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.

November 4th - 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.

• Joan of Arc liberates St. Pierre-le-Moûtier in 1429.  This was part of the Armagnac-Burgundian Civil War.
• Charles III Philip, Elector Palatine was born today in 1661.  Upon his succession as the Elector, he expelled his brother’s mistress and appointed his court jester as the guardian of the castle’s wine stocks.
• Carolina Otero, known as La Belle Otero was born in 1868.  She was a Spanish dancer, actress and courtesan.  The Chef at the Hotel Carlton in Nice named at dish in her honor. Lobster Casserole Belle Otero is lobster and vegetables in a creamy Champagne Sauce.