March 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.

  • The Frascati DOC was created in 1966.
  • The Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG designation was established in 1966.
  • Spain's Somontano DO was created in 1984.
  • It is National Mulled Wine day! Enjoy a steaming mug!

March 2nd - 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.

  • St. Benedict of Nursia was born in 480.  He is the saint invoked against poison.  His monks tried to poison his wine and then his bread but he was saved by miracles.
  • Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci, the future Pope Leo XIII was born in 1810.  He appeared in ads for Vin Mariani a wine and coca leaf tonic.
  • The Texas High Plains AVA was designated in 2003.

February 25th - 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.

  • Rudolf Steiner, father of biodynamic wine making was born in 1861.
  • The Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley AVA was designated in 2004.

February 23rd - 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.

  • The Cotes-du-Forez AOC was named in 2000.
  • The Vermentino di Sardegna DOC was established in 1988.
  • It is the feast day of Serenus the Gardner… Legend has it that while he directed this thoughts towards prayer, his labor went to tending a fruit garden.  Until he was beheaded for refusing to honor the gods of Rome.

February 22nd - 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.

  • According to a rule passed in 1792 of the St. Dunstan's Club in London (126 Fleet Street), Any member elected to the position within the club was required to buy a bottle of Port for the other members to share.
  • Actor Kyle MacLachlan was born in 1959.  He owns Pursued by Bear Wine in Columbia Valley.
  • Drew Barrymore was born in 1975.  She is a partner in the Carmel Road Winery.

February 21st - 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.

  • Lidia Bastianich was born in 1947.  She is one of the owners of Bastianich Winery in Friuli, Italy with her son, Joe.
  • Spain's Dominio de Valdepusa DO was created in 2003.

February 20th - 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.

  • Pope Leo the XIII was born in 1878. He appeared in advertisements for Vin Mariani, a wine made with Coca leaves.
  • California's Mt. Veeder AVA was designated in 1990.

February 19th - This Date in Wine History

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Donner Pass

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 Donner Party was rescued by a search party from Napa Valley in 1847.
  • Nathaniel de Rothschild, founder of the French wine-making branch of the Rothschild family died in 1870.
  • Spain's Cataluña DO was created in 1991.

February 10th - 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.

  • The St. Scholastica Day riot was sparked by Oxford students complaining about the quality of the wine at Swindlestock Tavern in 1355.
  • Birthday of Aaron Hill, English writer of “The Walking Statue; Or, the Devil in the Wine Cellar” He was born in 1685.

February 9th - This Date in Wine History

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Lady Jane Grey

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.

  • English Protestant martyr, Rowland Taylor died in 1555.  He was a supporter of Lady Jane Grey who was overthrown by Mary.   He tried and found guilty of heresy for objecting to the doctrine of transubstantiation where bread and wine are transformed into the body and blood of Jesus Christ.  He was burned at the stake. 
  • Max Schubert, Australian winemaker responsible for Penfolds Grange Hermitage was born in 1915.
  • Connecticut's Western Connecticut Highlands AVA was designated in 1988.
  • The Australian Geographical Indication "Adelaide Hills" was registered in 1998.
  • New Jersey's Outer Coastal Plain AVA was designated in 2007.

January 24th - This Date in Wine History

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St. Cadoc

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.

  • Spain's Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO was created in 2008.
  • It is the feast day of St. Cadoc.  It is said that at his baptism a holy well that flowed milk and wine appeared.

January 13th - This Date in Wine History

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Old Patent Office

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.

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

January 6th - This Date in Wine History

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La Befana

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.

  • New Mexico, which has been producing wine since 1629, was admitted to the Union in 1912. 
  • The Australian Geographical Indication "Coonawarra" was registered in 2003.  The word Coonawarra comes from the aboriginal word for swan.
  • It is Befana day in Italy.  If you left her a glass of wine and some food last night she might have left you toys, candy and fruit if you were good… or coal, garlic and onions if you were bad.

January 5th - This Date in Wine History

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Flag of Wisconsin

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 French AOC Petit Chablis was established in 1944; 

The Lake Wisconsin AVA was designated in 2004.

January 4th - This Date in Wine History

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Australian Opal

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.

  • Johann Menge, who explored Australia's Barossa Valley and extolled its potential for viticulture was born in 1788.  He is also thought to have discovered the first opal in Australia.
  • California's Arroyo Grande Valley AVA was designated in 1990.

January 2nd - This Date in Wine History

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Flag of Virginia

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.

Virginia's Eastern Shore AVA was designated in 1994.

December 23rd - This Date in Wine History

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Map of Redwood Valley by Gretchen Miller Neuman for Qorkz. 

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.

  • Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular reports that weather on this date in 1889 had been so bad that there were fewer customers to purchase brandy in Charentes.
  • California's Redwood Valley AVA was designated in 1996.
  • Happy Festivus.  Please watch your imbibing of spirits before the airing of grievances or feats of strength.

December 17th - This Date in Wine History

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French Revolutionary Calendar image for the month of Frimaire

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.

  • This day in 1794 would have been the 27th day of the month Frimaire under the French Revolutionary Calendar. The day of the month was respresented by the Cork Oak Tree (Liège) and the month by Frost (Frimaire).
  • 50 Alsatian Grand Crus were established in 1992.

December 12th - This Date in Wine History

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Map of the  Madera viticultural area by Gretchen Miller Neuman for Qorkz.

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 1887. J.T. Doyle of Cupertino revealed that his plot of long-pruned Grossblaue produced a “Thin, dry wine with pronounced astringency.  It was racked and pasteurized for safety”  This wine improved considerably by June of the following year.  Grossblaue is also known as the Slovenian wine grape, Žametovka.
  • California's Madera AVA was designated in 1984.

December 10th - This Date in Wine History

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Australian Flag

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 Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation Act was passed in 1980. 
  • The Australian Geographical Indication "Riverland" was registered in 1998.