October 1st - 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.

• Alexander the Great defeated Darius II in the Battle of Gaugamela in 331.  Within a year he would be dead having drunk wine poisoned with Hellebore after an evening and day of drinking at Palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon (people have conjectured).

• Shah Abbas I of Persia began his reign in 1588.  There are paintings of the Shah being handed wine to drink despite Islams prohibitions against it.

• Today is the feast day of St. Nicetius.  He was Bishop of Trier in Germany and replanted vineyards in the Moselle to restore the wine industry.

• Wine Region of Madeira was created in 1908.

June 10th - 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.

• Alexander the Great died in 323 after having drunk wine poisoned with Hellebore after an evening and day of drinking at Palace of Nebuchadnezzar II in Babylon (people have conjectured).
• Nicole-Barbe Ponsardin and François Clicquot married in 1798.
• The Locorotondo DOC was created in 1969. 
• The Dolcetto d'Asti DOC was created in 1974.
• Gala Dalí dies in 1982. She was the wife of artist, Salavador Dalí who  created a wine book, The Wines of Gala, as well as a cookbook, The Dinners of Gala in her honor.
• The Delia Nivolelli DOC was established in 1998.