December 12th - This Date in Wine History

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Map of the  Madera viticultural area by Gretchen Miller Neuman for Qorkz.

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.

  • In 1887. J.T. Doyle of Cupertino revealed that his plot of long-pruned Grossblaue produced a “Thin, dry wine with pronounced astringency.  It was racked and pasteurized for safety”  This wine improved considerably by June of the following year.  Grossblaue is also known as the Slovenian wine grape, Žametovka.
  • California's Madera AVA was designated in 1984.

November 13th - This Date in Wine History

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Fatty Arbuckle

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.

  • Louis VII of France married Adela of Champagne in 1160.
  • Wine, a silent film starring Fatty Arbuckle was released in 1913. 
  • Portugal's Casa do Douro was created in 1932.
  • Washington and Oregon's Columbia Valley AVA was designated in 1984.

Clarksburg - Wine Region of the Day

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CLARKSBURG

Clarksburg wine region by David Toomey for Qorkz.

Clarksburg received its designation as an AVA in 1984. Sitting on 64,640 acres, Clarksburg is located across Sacramento, Solano, and Yolo Counties. The soils of Clarksburg are dense clay and loam. With influences from both the San Francisco Bay to the west, and the Sacramento River, the climate of Clarksburg is cooler and more moderate than most of Sacramento. The region features heavy sun exposure with cooling effects from the river allowing for a longer growing season than most central valley AVAs. The longer growing season allows the fruit to develop a well-balanced acidity and tannin structure. The region is known for Petite Sirah and Chenin Blanc.