March 1st - 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.

• Sviatoslav I of Kiev died in March of 972.  The date is unknown.  This is unusual for this calendar but his story was too good not to tell.  He was killed by Pecheneg Khan Kurya who turned his skull into a drinking cup. Kurya and his wife drank from the skull and prayed for a son as brave as the cup’s owner.  

• Ohio was admitted to the Union in 1803.  It is home to the Grand River Valley, Isle St. George, Lake Erie, Loramie Creek and Ohio River Valley.

• John Adlum who is often considered the father or American viticulture and promoter and possible developer of the Catawba grape died in 1836.  He also the owner of a farm called, The Vineyard in Georgetown.

• Nebraska was admitted to the union in 1867.  It has been home to bonded wineries since 1994.

• The Alsace AOC was established in 1984.

• It is Baba Marta Day in Bulgaria.  She is the wife or sister of January and February (represented as long horned beetles) who is angry with them because they are dunk on wine.  Her anger is represented by the breaking of the weather and return of Spring.

• The French have a saying, « Qui taille sa vigne à la Saint-Aubin, aura de gros raisins. » or “He who prunes his vines on St. Aubin’s day will get big grapes”.

February 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.

• Henry IV was crowned King of France in 1594.  He was baptized with a spoon of Jurançon wine and some garlic.

• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in 1807.  An American poet and educator, he is the author of “Ode to Catawba Wine”.

• King George I of Greece survives an assassination attempt.  He built a summer villa called Mon Repos. George developed Tatoi, building roads and planting grapes for making his own wine, Chateau Décélie

• Today in 2006 The Georgian Government offered Jennifer Lopez $500,000 to advertise Georgian wine. The singer/actress declined the offer.

• It is the feast day of St. Gregory of Narek who’s book of Lamentations contains:

Look at me,

I am

unworthy of good, undeserving of favor,

incapable of love, drawn in by the strands of sin,

wounded in the depth of my inner organs,

a broken palm tree,

spilled wine,

damp wheat,

breached mortgage,

ripped up verdict,

counterfeit seal,

deformed image,

singed garment,

lost goblet,

sunken ship,

crushed pearl,

buried gem,

dried up plant,

broken beam,

rotten wood,

mutilated mandrake,

collapsed roof,

dilapidated altar,

uprooted plant,

oily filth on the street,

milk flowing through ash,

a dead man in the battalion of the brave.

November 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.

• Considerations Upon Christian Truths and Christian Duties  includes an examination of the parable of the Vineyard, Matt. 21:33  The volume was written by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Challenor and published in 1773 in Cork, Ireland.

• Ohio's Loramie Creek AVA was designated in 1982

• The DOC named Lambrusco di Reggiano was revoked. The wine becomes known as Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa. Reggiano becomes known as a description for cheese only.

• It was the feast day of Conrad of Constance.  He is represented as a bishop holding a chalice with a spider over it.  Though all spiders were thought to be poisonous, Conrad drank from the chalice out of faith.

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.

August 23rd - 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 London Public Record office records receipt of delivery of 12 pipes of Canary wine at Potomac Landing in 1633.
• The Muniments of the Royal Burgh of Irvine for 1681 lists payments for 9 mutchkins of claret between Bayliffe John Mountgomrie and Edward and Robert Wallaces.
• The 1894 records of the Ohio Dairy and Food Commissioner describes the case of the State v. Casper J. Vandrau who was charged with with selling grape wine adulterated by benzoic acid.  Vandrau pled guilty.
• It is the feast day of St. Rose of Lima.  She is a patron of gardeners.  No gardens?  No wine.

March 1st - 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. 

• Sviatoslav I of Kiev died in March of 972.  The date is unknown.  This is unusual for this calendar but his story was too good not to tell.  He was killed by Pecheneg Khan Kurya who turned his skull into a drinking cup. Kurya and his wife drank from the skull and prayed for a son as brave as the cup’s owner.  
• Ohio was admitted to the Union in 1803.  It is home to the Grand River Valley, Isle St. George, Lake Erie, Loramie Creek and Ohio River Valley.
• John Adlum who is considered the father of American viticulture and promoter and possible developer of the Catawba grape died in 1836.  He also the owner of a farm called, The Vineyard in Georgetown.
• Nebraska was admitted to the union in 1867.  It has been home to bonded wineries since 1994.
• The Alsace AOC was established in 1984.
• It is Baba Marta Day in Bulgaria.  She is the wife or sister of January and February (represented as long-horned beetles) who is angry with them because they are drunk on wine.  Her anger is represented by the breaking of the weather and return of Spring.
• The French have a saying, « Qui taille sa vigne à la Saint-Aubin, aura de gros raisins. » or “He who prunes his vines on St. Aubin’s day will get big grapes”.

January 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.

• In a letter to the Earl of Grosvenor in 1829, William Cobbett of Cobbett’s Weekly Political Register discusses the cost of living in the United States and how much more reasonable costs for Claret, Port, Madeira, spirits and hard ale ("for nobody will drink small beer in that country").
• The Western Temperance Journal dated 1841 ran a story about a married couple couple that comes to ruin because the man drank a glass of wine with a friend.
• The California State Viticultural Commissioners met in San Francisco in 1887.  They discussed legislation relating to sweet wine.
• Wine maker, Jose Ignacio Domecq dies in 1997.

January 13th - 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.

• Cavalier poet, Edmund Spenser, died in 1599.  He wrote:

Poure out the wine without restraint or stay,
Poure not by cups, but by the belly full,
Poure out to all that wull,
And sprinkle all the postes and wals with wine,

- Epithalamion

• Jan Brueghel the Elder died in 1625.  He is the Dutch painter of One of, “The Senses of Hearing, Touch and Taste” show a huge feast with an assortment of wine cups. 
• Patent #37,424 was issued to A. Myers of Springfield, OH for Improved Sorghum Wine in 1863.
• The Chablis AOC was designated in 1938
• The French have a saying, « À la Saint-Hilaire, le vin gèle dans le verre. » which translates to, “On Saint Hillary’s Day, the wine freezes in the glass. "

December 6th - 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.

• Sabina Bacharsch pled guilty in 1894 of selling adulterated wine containing salicylic acid in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was fined $200.
• The Belgian AOC "Haspengouw wijn" was designated in 2000.
• It is the feast day of Nicholas of Myra, patron of bakers, barrel makers, brewers and coopers.

November 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.

• .Ohio's Loramie Creek AVA was designated in 1982
• The DOC named Lambrusco di Reggiano was revoked in 1996. The wine becomes known as Colli di Scandiano e di Canossa. Reggiano becomes known as a description for cheese only.

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.

September 7th - 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 Ohio River Valley AVA was designated in 1983.
• Spain's Tacoronte-Acentejo DO was established 1992. 
• It is the feast day of St. Gratus of Aosta.  He is the patron saint of vineyards and against storms, insects and lightning.
• Happy California Wine Month!

August 23rd - 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 London Public Record office records receipt of delivery of 12 pipes of Canary wine at Potomac Landing in 1633.
• The 1894 records of the Ohio Dairy and Food Commissioner describes the case of the State v. Casper J. Vandrau who was charged with with selling grape wine adulterated by benzoic acid.  Vandrau pled guilty.
• It is the feast day of St. Rose of Lima.  She is a patron of gardeners.  No gardens?  No wine.

January 13th - This Date in Wine History

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Old Patent Office

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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.

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• Patent #37,424 was issued to A. Myers of Springfield, OH for Improved Sorghum Wine in 1863.
• The Chablis AOC was designated in 1938.