December 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.

• In a letter dated 1711 to Esther Johnson, also known as Stella, Jonathan Swift  mentioned having dinner with Ned Southwell where he drank, “very good Irish wine,”

• Texas was admitted to the Union in 1845.  It is home to the Bell Mountain, Escondido Valley, Fredericksburg in the Texas Hill Country, Mesilla Valley, Texas Davis Mountain, Texas High Plains, Texas Hill Country and Texoma.

• Wine Road of the Samurai is a documentary about 34 Samurai (who were also known as The Last Samurais) delegation sent by the Japanese government to France at the end of Edo era. They were sent to help solve diplomatic problems between Japan and Europe in 1863.

• The steamship Minister Maybach left the port of Bremen in 1887 with wine bound for New York according to Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular.

• Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu was created in 1994.

September 27th - 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 anniversary of the death of Walter, abbott of Westminster, who died in 1191. The celebration was required to provide 5 gallons of wine for each friar attending.

• Jean François Champollion deciphers the Rosetta Stone.  It contains records from Ptolemy V including donations of wine to temples and vineyard harvests.

• Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra enjoy the #1 hit Blue Champagne in 1941.

• Valle de Guimar DOC was created 1996.

• Happy California Wine Month!

August 12th - 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.

• Cleopatra died in 30 BC.  She is said to have owned the largest pearls in the world and she bet Marc Antony that she could spend a small fortune on a single  meal.  She won the bet by taking one of the pearls and dissolving it in wine vinegar and drinking the mix.
• The City of Jerez Spain in 1483 issued rules regarding The Raisin and Grape Harvesting Guild, protecting the designation of “Sherry”.
• Christopher Columbus stops in the Canary Islands in 1492 to restock provisions.  Food, water, delicious Canary wine….
• The French départment of Rhône-et-Loire was split into the départments of Rhône and Loire.  
• Eddie Barlow, South African cricketer was born in 1940.  In his retirement he bought a vineyard named Windfall.

August 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.

• Guillaume Du Fay, the Franco- Flemish Renaissance composer was born in 1397.  He is noted as the Canon of Cambrai in documentation when he received 36 lots of wine for the feast of St. John the Evangelist.
• Pierre-François Bouchard died in 1822.  He was known for discovering the Rosetta Stone.  It contains records from Ptolemy V including donations of wine to temples and vineyard harvests.
• The Sannio DOC was named in 1997.  The region, in Campania produces red, white, rose and sparkling wine from Aglianisco, Barbera, Coda di Volpe, Falanghina, Fiano, Greco, Moscato, Piedirosso, Sangiovese, Sciascinoso and Trebbiano.
• Happy International Albariño Days!

May 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 Hashshashin attempt to assassinate Saladin near Aleppo in 1176.  In 1169, Saladin repented wine drinking and frivolity.
• Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was born in 1622.  He was a French soldier, courtier, Governor of New France and Founder of Fort Frontenac.  The hybrid wine grape Frontenac, developed by the University of Minnesota was named in his honor.
• Nathaniell Sparhawke of Cambridge, MA was issued a license to drawe wine and strong water in Cambridge in 1639.
• English writer, wine-merchant and Master of Wine, Pat Simon died in 2008.
• It is the feast day of St. Rita of Cascia.  Her attributes include a forehead wound (partial stigmata), Roses, bees and grapevines.

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.
• Pierre-François Bouchard was born in 1771..  He was known for discovering the Rosetta Stone.  It contains records from Ptolemy V including donations of wine to temples and vineyard harvests.
• William Pitt proposed taxing wine in a letter to the Duke of Rutland in 1786.

December 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.

• In a letter dated 1711 to Esther Johnson, also known as Stella, Jonathan Swift  mentioned having dinner with Ned Southwell where he drank, “very good Irish wine,”
• Wine Road of the Samurai is a documentary about 34 Samurai (who were also known as The Last Samurais) delegation sent by the Japanese government to France at the end of Edo era. They were sent to help solve diplomatic problems between Japan and Europe in 1863.
• The steamship Minister Maybach left the port of Bremen in 1887 with wine bound for New York according to Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular.
• Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu was created in 1994.

December 23rd - 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.

• Jean François Champollion was born in 1790.  He was known for deciphering the Rosetta Stone.  It contains records from Ptolemy V including donations of wine to temples and vineyard harvests.
• Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular reports that weather on this date in 1889 had been so bad that there were fewer customers to purchase brandy in Charentes.
• California's Redwood Valley AVA was designated in 1996.
• Happy Festivus.  Please watch your imbibing of spirits before the airing of grievances or feats of strength.

September 27th - 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 anniversary of the death of Walter, abbott of Westminster, who died in 1191. The celebration was required to provide 5 gallons of wine for each friar attending.
• Jean François Champollion deciphers the Rosetta Stone.  It contains records from Ptolemy V including donations of wine to temples and vineyard harvests.
• Valle de Guimar DOC was created 1996.
• Happy California Wine Month!

August 12th - 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.

• Cleopatra died in 30 BC.  She is said to have owned the largest pearls in the world and she bet Marc Antony that she could spend a small fortune on a singlemeal.  She won the bet by taking one of the pearls and dissolving it in wine vinegar and drinking the mix.
• The City of Jerez Spain in 1483 issued rules regarding The Raisin and Grape Harvesting Guild, protecting the designation of “Sherry".
• Eddie Barlow, South African cricketer was born in 1940.  In his retirement he bought a vineyard named Windfall.

March 21st - 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.

---

• Julio Gallo was born in 1910.
• The AOC Alsace Grand Cru Zotzenberg and Alsace Grand Cru Altenberg de Bergheim were allowed to use Sylvaner grapes  in 2005.
• Wine Road of The Samurai, a documentary about 34 Samurai (who were also known as The Last Samurais) delegation sent by the Japanese government to France at the end of Edo era was released in 2006.