July 22nd - This Date in Wine History

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 History of Lloyd’s of London for 1710 shows that wines from the ship, Francis were advertised in the Tatler and were “To be sold by Tho. Tonkin broker, in Seething Lane between Tower-street and Crutched-Fryars.”
• French forces held Fort Carillion burned down upper and lower town before the British could take control of them.  The fort included an upper and lower town that contained hospitals, wine cellars, ovens and bakeries.
• The Duke of Wellington defeated the French at the Battle of Salamanca in 1812 during the Peninsular Wars. After the defeat Wellington’s men acquired King Joseph-Napoleon Bonaparte’s entire supply of brandy, claret, champagne and burgundy. 
• The Lambrusco Reggiano DOC was created in 1971. The wine comes from the Italian province of Emilia-Romagna.
• The French have a saying, « Sainte-Madeleine fait la noisette pleine le blé épié et le raisin coloré. » or “St. Madeleine is full of nuts, spiked wheat and colored grapes.”