February 19th - This Date in Wine History

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.