December 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.

• Emperor Nero who rose to power by poisoning Emperor Claudius’ heir Britannicus  through the water used to cool Britannicus’ wine was born in 37AD. 

• David Teniers the Younger, the Flemish painter was born in 1610.  He is know for the paintings, Festival of the Monkeys, and Smoking and Drinking Monkeys.  In each of these paintings, the  monkeys represent fools in high places.

• Johannes Vermeer, painter of "The Wine Glass, A Lady Drinking and a Gentleman" and "The Girl with the Wineglass" was died in 1675.

• In 1803 Lieutenant De Coetlagon was fined one bottle of wine for annoying Lieutenant Dowlin at mess according to the records of the infantry militia battalions of the County of Southampton.

• Pierre Marie Alexis Millardet who saved the vineyards of France from phylloxera died in 1902.

December 13th - 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 future Henri IV was born in Pau, Navarre in 1533.  He is said to have been baptised with a spoon of Jurançon wine and garlic.

• Sir Francis Drake begins his round the world voyage in 1577.  During the trip he stopped in Valaparaiso, Chile where he captured a ship of Chilean wine.

• Giovanni Del-Monico, a Swiss Wine Merchant and his brother Pietro open Delmonico & Brother Café 1827.

• Pierre Marie Alexis Millardet who saved the vineyards of France from phylloxera was born in 1838.

• The Cacc'e mmitte di Lucera DOC was created in 1975.

• The Moscato di Sardegna DOC was created in 1979.

• Portugal's Alto Douro Wine Region was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2001.

September 26th - This Date at 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 Gentleman's and London Magazine: Or Monthly Chronologer of 1754 contains a Description of a Modern Club from Mr. Fitz-Adam, where he complains about the useless ways Gentlemen in London wasted their time with disputing wines and drinking to other’s health, etc.

• Thomas Volney Munson, creator of phylloxera-resistant rootstocks was born in 1843 .

• Arkansas' Arkansas Mountain AVA was designated in 1986.

• Paul Newman of Newman's Own, which includes a Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon died in 2008 in Westport, CT.

• Happy California Wine Month!

July 17th - 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.

• Phylloxera was discovered for the first time in Meursault in 1878.
• The Carso DOC was created in 1985.
• "Wine in the Afternoon" a song written by Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand was released in 2006.
• California's Lodi sub-appellations of Alta Mesa, Borden Ranch, Clements Hills, Cosumnes River, Jahant, Mokelumne River and Sloughhouse were designated in 2006.
• California's Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA was designated in 2006.
• Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills AVA was designated in 2006.

July 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.

• Eugénie de Montijo died in 1920.  She was married to Napoleon III who was both President and Emperor of France (sadly, in that order) and was the last empress of France.  She was the grand-daughter of a Scottish wine merchant.
• Hans Irvine, Australian politician and vigneron who recommended using American rootstock to combat Phylloxera in Australia died in 1922.
• It is the feast day of St. Savin of Vienne.  There is a French saying, “Rosée du jour de Saint-Savin, est, dit-on, rosée de vin” which translates (roughly) to “Dew on Saint Savin’s day is said to be the dew of wine”.
• It is also the feast day of St. Benoît of Nursia, he is the patron of Europe, monks, scouts, architects, equestrians, machine operators, refugees and spelunkers.  Oh, and farmers.  And as we know.. No farmers?  No wine.  At one point in his life, the monks under his charge tried to poison his wine.  When the saint made the sign of the cross over his cup, the cup broke.

July 17th - 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.

• Phylloxera was discovered for the first time in Meursault in 1878.
• The Carso DOC was created in 1985.
• "Wine in the Afternoon" a song written by Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand was released in 2006.
• California's Lodi sub-appellations of Alta Mesa, Borden Ranch, Clements Hills, Cosumnes River, Jahant, Mokelumne River, and Sloughhouse were designated in 2006.
• California's Saddle Rock-Malibu AVA was designated in 2006.
• Oregon's Eola-Amity Hills AVA was designated in 2006.