December 21st - 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.

  • John Otto Donner of Jersey City, NJ is issued a patent for treating wine, beer and liquors with salts of magnesia in 1869.

  • The Lamezia DOC was created 1978

  • The Lizzano DOC  and Rosso di Montepulciano DOC were created in 1988

  • Spain's Arlanza DO was created in 2007

  • Today is the German celebration of Yule.  Enjoy a cup of Glühwein, a type of mulled wine.

  • The ancient Roman’s celebrated Brumalia.  Vine growers would sacrifice a goat to Bacchus.

September 5th- 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.

  • Peter IV of Aragon was born in 1319.  He once had a friendly dispute with his Jewish physician about why Jewish people were not allowed to drink kosher wine touched by a Christian.  The Doctor had water brought to wash the king’s feet which he then drank to prove that impurity was not the reason for the prohibition.
  • Nicholas Trübner, noted German writer and linguist reports on the hotel prices in Stockholm, Sweden in 1889.  For instance, The Grand Hoteloffers rooms between 3-5 crowns (local currency) per night and the table d’hôte will cost 4 crowns, wine not included.
  • Spain's Bullas DO was created in 1994.  The region is located around the town of Bullas and the wines are made mainly of Monastrell.
  • Happy California Wine Month!

June 20th - 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.

  • West Virginia was admitted to the Union in 1863.  It is home to the Kanawha River Valley, Ohio River Valley and Shenandoah Valley.
  • Spain's Pla de Bages DO was created in 1997.  The name of the region comes from the Roman town of Bacassis, though the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages claimed that the town was named for Bacchus.
  • It is the feast day of Pope Saint Silverius.  The French have a saying, “Pluie d'orage à la Saint-Silvère, c'est beaucoup de vin dans le verre,” which means, “Rain storms on St. Silverius Day means plenty of of wine in the glass”.
  • It is the Summer Solstice today.  Austria celebrates with fireworks and lit boats traveling down the Danube through the wine growing region.  There German’s celebrate with bonfire’s and drinking of wine and the Portuguese celebrate with a meal of Caldo verde, grilled sardines, bread and red wine.

February 11th - 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. 

  • Emperor Claudius’ heir Britannicus is thought to have been poisoned by Nero in AD 55 by poisoning the water used to cool Britannicus’ wine.  The water had been previously tasted and found safe.
  • Carl Michael Bellman, a Swedish composer, musician, poet, and songwriter died in 1795.  He is best known for Fredman’s songs and Fredman’s epistles which included themes of pleasure, drunkenness, and sex.
  • Lydia Maria Child was born in 1802 in Massachusetts.  She was an abolitionist, novelist, and activist for women’s and native American rights.  She is famous for writing “Over the River and Through the Wood” and the American Frugal Housewife which included recipes for food and cures that include wine as well as for wines themselves.
  • The term Eiswin was coined on this day in 1830 to describe the wines of the 1829 harvest in Bingen-Dromersheim. 
  • William Thomas Brande died in 1866.  A chemist, he was the first to be able to calculate the alcohol content of  wine, cider and ale.  He also believed that distilled spirits were toxic, while wine and beer, wholesome.
  • Seyssel AOC was named in 1942.

November 9th - 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.

  • Albrecht III, Elector of Brandenburg was born in 1414.  He established the right to levy taxes on wine after he was crowned.
  • Aert van der Neer, a Dutch landscape artist died in 1677.  His work was undervalued that he was forced to open a wine tavern on the Kalverstraat in Amsterdam.  
  • The movie, Wine, Women and Song debuted in 1915.  It starred Gilbert Anderson, otherwise known as Broncho Billy.
  • It is International Tempranillo Day.

December 21st - This Date in Wine History

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Mulled wine by Angela Hester but released into the public domain.

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.

  • Today is the German celebration of Yule.  Enjoy a cup of Glühwein, a type of mulled wine.
  • The Lamezia DOC was created 1978.
  • The Lizzano DOC was created in 1988.
  • The Rosso di Montepulciano DOC was created in 1988.
  • Spain's Arlanza DO was created in 2007.

November 3rd - This Date in Wine History

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St. Martin de Porres

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 1916, the Swedish schooner, the Jonkoping, heading for Finland was sunk by a German submarine. The ship was discovered and 2500 bottles of champagne were recovered and found to be in excellent condition.
  • It is the feast day of Saint Martin de Porres.  He is the patron saint of innkeepers who have poured many a dram of wine and whisky.