January 7th - This Date in Wine History

/

Pepe Botella

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.

  • 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.
  • The Barolo DOCG designation was established in 1980.

January 1st - Happy New Years

/

Image of Gregory Blaxland.

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.

  • Gregory Blaxland, the first exporter of Australian wine died in 1853.
  • Pope Alexander VI, the former Roderic Borgia was born in 1431.  He was known for frequently poisoning the wine of rivals, using the Cup of Borgia, and then confiscated their wealth.

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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. 

January 25

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” by Marvin Gaye was the number one song in 1969.

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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. 

January 24

Spain's Tierra del Vino de Zamora DO was created in 2008.

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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. 

January 23

The Menetou-Salon AOC was named in 1959.

California's Clarksburg AVA was designated in 1984.

California's Sonoma Mountain AVA was designated in 1985.

Oregon's Rogue Valley AVA was designated in 1991.

Virginia's Monticello AVA was designated in 1984. 

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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.

January 22

California's Atlas Peak AVA was designated in 1992.

Feast day of Saint Vincent of Saragossa, patron saint of vintners. 

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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. 

January 21

Thomas Munson, the American horticulturist who's work with grape rootstock led to phylloxera-resistant stocks died in 1913.

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC 

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

 

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. 

January 20 

Baron Philippe de Rothschild died in 1988.

California's San Francisco Bay AVA was designated in 1999.

Richard Graff, pioneer of California wine making was born in 1937. 

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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.

January 19

Spain's Monterrei was designated in 1996.

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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.

January 18

Hermann Müller, a Swiss botanist and oenologist created the Müller-Thurgau varietal in 1882 died in 1927.

Oregon's McMinnville AVA was designated in 2005. 

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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. 

January 17

Lola Montez, royal courtesan of Ludwig I of Bavaria, who's antics incited the people to rebellion by breaking a champagne glass over the head of a police officer died in 1861. Despite her claims of being a Spanish dancer, she was in fact an Irish peasant. 

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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. 

January 16

French authorities in 1914 abolished wine license taxes for saloon owners. It was seen to encourage the drinking of hard spirits in lieu of the more 'wholesome' wine, beer and ciders. 

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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.

January 15

Wine maker, Jose Ignacio Domecq dies in 1997.

This Date In Wine History

/
GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

GRAPE CULTIVATION, WINEMAKING, AND COMMERCE IN ANCIENT EGYPT C. 1500 BC

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. 

January 14

Saint Nino, Patron Saint of Georgia has her feast day. She arrived in Georgia after fleeing Cappadocia bearing a cross of vinewood and bound with her hair.

The Council of Troye approves the creation of the Knights Templar in 1129. The Knights grew wealthy by purchasing land and vineyards through out the Christian world (including the entire island of Cyprus) by protecting pilgrims to the Holy Land.

Wine 'Extremadura' (without a set region) was created as a DOC in 1933.