January 28th - This Date in Wine History
/The Bal des Ardents from Froissart's Chronicles
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.
- Charles VI of France almost dies during the Bal des Ardents in 1393. During the celebration the King and five other nobles performed a charivari dance dressed as wild animals. They were set ablaze accidentally by the King’s brother, the Duke of Orleans. The only other noble to survive (besides the King) jumped into a vat of wine to save himself.
- English writer and critic, George Saintsbury, author of Notes on a Cellar-Book died in 1933.
- The Rossese di Dolceacqua DOC was created in 1972.
- California's Napa Valley AVA was designated in 1981.