March 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.

• Frederick I Barbarossa was elected King of Germany in 1152.  He died during  a swim in the Saleph River during the third Crusade and his soldiers tried to preserve his body in a cask of vinegar.  It didn’t work.

• Charles Dibdin, a British composer, musician, writer and actor was born in 1745.  He is famous for the song and pantomine, The vineyard revels.

• Vermont was admitted to the union in 1791.  It’s first commercial winery opened in 1997. (there are currently 68 wineries in the state) 

• Oh, the humanity!  The Hindenberg had its maiden voyage in 1936.  Before the famous crash that ended zeppelin flights the Zeppelin Company provided food and drinks for the passengers including Zeltinger Rothlay Auslese, Moulin à Vent and Mumm, Cordon Rouge.

• The V. Sattui Winery in Napa Valley was opened to the public in 1976.

November 19th - 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.

• A report from The Present State of Europe, Volume 17 (1706) indicates that the British soldiers are greatly recovered and had received gifts of refreshments from the King of Portugal that included 20 pipes of wine as well as oranges and lemons.

• Vermont established rules regarding wine measures in 1839.

• California's Guenoc Valley AVA was designated in 1981.  British Actress Lilly Langtry and courtesan, once owned a winery in the valley.

• Spain's Vinos de Madrid DO was created in 1990.

• Diane Disney Miller, daughter of Walt Disney, died in 2013.  She along with her husband, owned Silverado Vineyards.

March 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. 

• Frederick I Barbarossa was elected King of Germany in 1152.  He died during a a swim in the Saleph River during the third Crusade and his soldiers tried to preserve his body in a cask of vinegar.  It didn’t work.
• Charles Dibdin, a British composer, musician, writer and actor was born in 1745.  He is famous for the song and pantomime, The vineyard revels.
• Vermont was admitted to the union in 1791.  It’s first commercial winery opened in 1997.
• Oh, the humanity!  The Hindenberg had its maiden voyage in 1936.  Before the famous crash that ended Zeppelin flights, the Zeppelin Company provided food and drinks for the passengers including Zeltinger Rothlay Auslese, Moulin à Vent and Mumm, Cordon Rouge.
• The V. Sattui Winery in Napa Valley was opened to the public in 1976.

Champlain Valley of New York - Wine Region of the Day

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Most regions seeking to be designated an American Viticultural Area submit long applications indicating their unique history, soils and climate.  In the case of the Champlain Valley of New York, the only significant factor is climate.  It is cold.  How cold you may ask?  Canada cold.  Winter Olympic cold.  

The Champlain Valley was formed by the retreat of the glaciers during the last ice age and were once part of what was called the Champlain Sea and then later Glacial Lake Vermont.  Eventually the ice retreated and the majority of the water drained from the region forming Lake Champlain as we know it today.

Abutting the Canadian border and found along Lake Champlain which forms the northern boundary between the States of New York and Vermont, this new appellation is 500 square miles in size and has 15.47 acres under vine (talk about growth potential). The most unique part of the region is that it has a growing season on average two weeks shorter than the surround areas.  Even at the same latitude on the Vermont side of the lake it is warmer.  Why?  Well the prevailing winds blow from west to east crossing over the lake.  Water has a moderating effect on temperature by keeping the ambient temperature warmer.  What is the effect of the shorter growing season? Well, traditional wine grapes (vitis vinifera) can't be reliably cultivated.  Instead the appellations wineries grow North American cold-hardy hybrids such as Frontenac, La Crescent and Marquette.  Not familiar with these grapes?  Give them a try!  You might like them.

Oh, and as an added bonus?  Visitors to the region have an opportunity to looks for the area's most famous resident.  Champy, is the cryptozoological equivalent of the Loch Ness Monster or Okanagan's Ogopogo.