January 7th - 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. 

• Catherine of Aragon died in 1536. After the birth of her first child, Henry, Duke of Cornwall was born guns were fired, bells were rung, fires lit and free wine was given to the public. The baby did not survive.

• Joseph Bonaparte was born in 1768. He was made King of Spain by his brother Napoleon. He was very unpopular in Spain where they called his Pepe Botella despite being a teetotaler.

• Joseph Dennie, American author and journalist died in 1812. He was a Federalist who also published under the names Oliver Oldschool, Academicus and Sociais. He was described as having health trouble throughout his life as well as a predilection for wine.

• The Barolo DOCG designation was established in 1980.

January 7th - 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. 

• Catherine of Aragon died in 1536. After the birth of her first child, Henry, Duke of Cornwall was born guns were fired, bells were rung, fires lit and free wine was given to the public.  The baby did not survive.
• Joseph Bonaparte was born in 1768. He was made King of Spain by his brother Napoleon. He was very unpopular in Spain where they called his Pepe Botella despite being a teetotaler.
• Joseph Dennie, American author and journalist died in 1812.  He was a Federalist who also published under the names Oliver Oldschool, Academicus and Sociais.  He was described as having health trouble throughout his life as well as a predilection for wine.
• The Barolo DOCG designation was established in 1980.

July 15th - 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.

• Lisa del Giocondo died in 1542. She was the daughter of a Chianti vineyard owner and later married Florentine silk merchant.  She was the model for Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous painting, The Mona Lisa.
• James Busby, father of Australian wine industry died in 1871.  He brought the first grape root stock to Australia from France and Spain.
• The Gabiano DOC was created in 1983.  These wines are made primarily (90-95%) of Barbera.
• American wine critic, Jon Broneer died in 2006.

April 29th - 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.

• Blanche of Burgundy, Countess of la Marche and briefly the uncrowned queen of France and Navarre died in 1326.  She and her sisters were accused of scandalous behavior such as drinking wine with knights and eventually of adultery.  For this crime she was imprisoned in the donjon of Chateau Gaillaird for 8 years until she granted her husband an annulment.
• John Adlum who is often considered the father or American viticulture and promoter and possible developer of the Catawba grape was born in 1759.
• William Pitt proposed taxing wine in a letter to the Duke of Rutland in 1786

April 11th - 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.

• George Canning, British statesman and son of a failed Irish wine merchant was born in 1770. 
• Birthday of Thomas Harris, creator of the character Hannibal Lecter best for know for eatinga census taker’s liver with a big Amarone.
• Ivor Spencer-Thomas, the Welsh inventor of “FizzIt” which turned still wine into sparkling was born in 1907.

March 9th - This Date in Wine History

View fullsize

---

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 Franco-American Cookery book; or How to live well and wisely by Felix J. Déliée in his menu for Friday, March 9thincludes a recipe for Baked Cod with Smelts that includes cod, chopped only, parsley, salt, pepper half a pint of white wine and water, topped with butter, flour bread crumbs smelt and lemon.
• Spain’s Cigales DO was created in 1991. This region is found on both sides of the Rio Pisuerga
• The Snake River Valley AVA was designated in 2007.  Evil Knievel jumped a canyon over the Snake River in 1974.

March 5th - 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.

---

• Frederick S. Cozzens publisher of Cozzens' Wine Press was born in 1818.  He is also known as a humorist.
• It is the feast day of Saint Ciarán of Saigir the first saint born in Ireland. Legend has it that he blessed a well that the tasted of wine and honey.
• It is also the feast day of St. Thietmar of Minden (Bavaria).  He requested water from a servant who brought him wine.  After being brought wine several times by the same servant, he eventually followed the servant and watched as the water gathered by the servant transform into wine.