March 12th - This Date in Wine History

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David_Hosack_by_Rembrandt_Peale.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. 

  • Dr. David Hosack (above), Professor of Botany and Materia Medica in Columbia College wrote a letter to Dr. James Gregory, Professor of the Practice of Physic in the University of Edinburgh on a Case of Tetanus cured by Wine, March 12, 1799.
  • Isabella Beeton, author of Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management was born in 1836.  Her book included all elements of household management including, the manufacture or wine, beer, cordials and cocktails.
  • Evolutionary Biologist, Francisco J. Ayala was born in 1934. He owns a vineyard in Lodi.
  • Luxembourg's Marque Nationale, the appellation for the nation was instituted in 1935. 
  • California's Pacheco Pass AVA was designated in 1984
  • The French have a saying, « À la Saint-Grégoire, tailler sa vigne, c'est de l'or. » or “At St. Gregory's, to prune his vineyard is for gold.”

 

Central Coast - Wine Region of the Day

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Central Coast

The Central Coast was designated as an AVA in 1985. Situated across 280 miles from San Francisco to Santa Barbara, the Central Coast is home to sub-appellations Arroyo Grande Valley, Arroyo Seco, Ballard Canyon, Ben Lomond Mountain, Carmel Valley, Chalone, Cienega Valley, Edna Valley, Hames Valley, Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara, Lime Kiln Valley, Livermore Valley, Monterey, Mt. Harlan, Pacheco Pass, Paicines, Paso Robles, San Antonio Valley, San Benito, San Bernabe, San Francisco Bay, San Lucas, San Ysidro District, Santa Clara Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Lucia Highlands, Santa Maria Valley, Sta. Rita Hills, Santa Ynez Valley, and York Mountain. The Central Coast is so vast that it features a variety of soil types and microclimates across its sub-appellations. The most common vines planted across the Central Coast are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Sauvignon Blanc.

Santa Clara Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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Santa Clara Valley received its designation as an AVA in 1989. Situated over 332,800 acres, Santa Clara Valley is a larger AVA containing sub-appellations San Ysidro and Pacheco Pass. The soil in the area is made up of gravelly loam, clay, and sandstone. The climate in Santa Clara Valley is moderate to warm with daily temperatures in the high 80s during the peak of growing season. Winds blow in and cool the valley from the San Francisco Bay to the north and the Pacific Ocean via Monterey to the south. The region is known for Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

March 12th - This Date in Wine History

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  • Evolutionary Biologist, Francisco J. Ayala was born in 1934. He owns a vineyard in Lodi.
  • Luxembourg's Marque Nationale, the appellation for the nation was instituted in 1935. 
  • California's Pacheco Pass AVA was designated in 1984.

Pacheco Pass - Wine Region of the Day

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Pacheco Pass received its designation as an AVA in 1984. Pacheco Pass is located on 3,200 acres and is situated on the line between Santa Clara and San Benito Counties. Pacheco Pass is home to the famous roadside attraction Casa De Fruta farmstand, and they are the only producers in the region.  The region grows Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Merlot and Zinfandel.

The pass was named for Francisco Perez Pacheco owner of the nearby Rancho Ausaymas y San Felipe.  Often the pass was referred to as Robber's Pass due to attacks on travelers in the area.  The area is also said to be haunted by ghosts of accident victims (including one searching for his missing head), victims of Indian massacres and the lovelorn.

We think we will stick with the wine.

San Francisco Bay - Wine Region of the Day

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The San Francisco Bay received its AVA designation in 1999. Sitting on over 1,566,713 acres, San Francisco Bay is a large AVA containing the sub-appellations of Livermore Valley, Pacheco Pass, San Ysidro District, and Santa Clara Valley. A small number of wineries are located in and around the San Francisco Bay, including on Treasure Island and the Former Alameda Naval Air Station. Due to its size, there are multiple temperature zones contained within the AVA, ranging from cold, windy, and foggy, to hot and sunny. The region is known for producing Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Syrah, and Zinfandel.