July 26th - This Date in Wine History

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Mary Frith

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.

  • Nikephoros I of the Byzantine Empire was killed in 811 at the battle of Pliska.  His skull was turned into a wine cup for his vanquisher. 
  • Mary Frith, also known as Moll Cutpurse died in 1659.  She was once required to do penance for her “evil living” at St. Paul’s Cross and she was observed as being very penitent weeping bitterly.  However, it was also reported that she ‘maudlin drunk’ having drunkmost of a bottle of sack (sherry).
  • Spain's Navarra DO was created in 1975.