February 14th - This Date in Wine History

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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.

  • Happy Valentine’s Day.  St. Valentine has no reference to wine history, but sweethearts often toast their love with wine or Champagne!  Cheers!

  • Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859.  It is home to the Applegate Valley, Chahalem Mountains, Columbia Gorge, Columbia Valley, Dundee Hills, Elkton Oregon, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Red Hills Douglas County Oregon,  Ribbon Ridge, The Rocks of Milton-Freewater, Rogue Valley,  Snake River Valley, Southern Oregon, Umpqua Valley, Walla Walla, Willamette Valley and Yamhill-Carlton

  • Arizona was admitted to the union in 1912.  It is home to the Sonoita and Willcox viticultural areas.

  • Drew Bledsoe was born in 1972.  He is owner of Doubleback Wines in Walla Walla Washington.

  • New Mexico's Mesilla Valley AVA was designated in 1985

  • The Côte Roannaise AOC was named in 1994

  • The Bulgarian’s celebrate Trifon Zarezan (Vineyard Day).  It is an ancient custom that was Christianized but previously offered to Sabazius, Dionysius, Bromius, Bacchus and Lycurgus.  The vines are trimmed, watered with wine and thrown into the River.  Later a meal of chicken (specifically a hen) stuffed with rice or bulgar is served.

  • The French have a saying, « Vigneron à la Saint-Valentin, doit avoir serpette en main. » which translates to "Winemakers on Valentine's Day, must have a serpette in hand.” (a serpette is an agricultural knife) 

July 3rd - This Date in Wine History

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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.

  • Louis XI was born in 1423. He negotiated the Treaty of Picquigny ending the Hundred Years’ War bragging that his father had driven the English out by force of arms while he had driven them out by force of pâté, venison and good French wine.
  • Mr. Blakeman, a visiting preacher to Rotherham was paid a pint of Sack (sherry) in 1688.
  • Werlé & Co. received a patent for their champagne in 1877.  The company was the successor of Veuve Clicquot.
  • Idaho was admitted to the union in 1890.  It is home to the Eagle Foothills, Lewis-Clark Valley and Snake River Valley viticultural areas.
  • MFK Fisher was born in 1908.  She was a pre-eminent food writer and also founder of the Napa Valley Wine Library.
  • New York's Seneca Lake AVA was designated in 2003.

March 9th - This Date in Wine History

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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. 

  • Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy was born in 1213.  He gave up the Barony of Salon for the counties of Chalon and Auxonne to expand the Duchy which improved the wine trade in the region.  
  • Amasa Leland Stanford was born in 1824.  He was a tycoon, industrialist, politician and founder of Stanford University.    He also owned two wineries, the Leland Stanford Winery in Alameda County and the Great Vina Ranch in Tehama County.  
  • The Franco-American Cookery book; or How to live well and wisely by Felix J. Déliée in his menu for Friday, March 9th  includes a recipe for Baked Cod with Smelts that includes cod, chopped only, parsley, salt, pepper half a pint of white wine and water, topped with butter, flour bread crumbs smelt and lemon. The book was published in 1907.
  • Spain’s Cigales DO was created in 1991.
  • The Snake River Valley AVA was designated in 2007. Evil Knievel jumped a canyon over the Snake River in 1974.