April 1st - 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. 

  • Eleanor of Aquitaine died in 1204.  Her dowry included Aquitaine including the vineyards or Bordeaux, which remained hers through her marriages and afterward.  She was succeeded as Duke of the Aquitainians by her son, John.  Later King John of England. (Think Robin Hood… yeah, that John.)
  • Mike Grgich, Croatian American winemaker was born in 1923.
  • The first issue of the Wine Spectator was released in 1976
  • The Alsace Pinot Gris AOC was named in 2007. It was previously called 'Tokay Pinot Gris’ as the grape was thought to have been brought to Alsace by Lazarus von Schwendi after a campaign against the Turks in the 16th Century.