April 7th - This Date in Wine History

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Jan_van_Riebeeck.jpg

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.

  • Jan van Riebeeck, who planted in the first grapes in Cape Town was born in 1619.

  • The Cullen-Harrison Act went into effect in 1933.  This law was an amendment the Volstead Act and allowed the sale and taxation of low alcohol beers and wines.  It was signed into law by Franklin Roosevelt.

  • Suzanne Valadon, artist model and painter died in 1938.  She was the subject of the Toulouse Lautrec painting, The Hangover.

  • Director Francis Ford Coppola was born in 1939.  He owns Niebaum Coppola, Rubicon Estate, Inglenook, and the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

  • California's Yorkville Highlands AVA was designated in 1998.

  • Spain's Penedés DO was created in 2002.

January 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.

  • Enoch L. Johnson was born in 1883.  He was an Atlantic City political and crime boss who was quoted as saying, “We have whisky, wine, women, song and slot machines. I won't deny it and I won't apologize for it. If the majority of the people didn't want them they wouldn't be profitable and they would not exist. The fact that they do exist proves to me that the people want them.”  He was fictionalized in Boardwalk Empire as the character, Nucky Thompson.

  • Baron Philippe de Rothschild died in 1988.

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

  • The owner of Trump Winery, Donald J. Trump is inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States in 2017.

January 16th - This Date in Wine History

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Beer is nourishing.jpeg

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.

  • 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.

  • Prohibition began in the United States in 1920.

  • The French have a saying, « Saint Marcellin, bon pour l'eau, bon pour le vin » which translates (roughly) to "Saint Marcellin’s Day, good for water, good for wine"

  • It is the feast day of St. Fursey.  After performing several miracles in France he was offered any site in the King’s dominion for a monastery.  He selected a location along the Marne covered with woods and vineyards.

December 28th - This Date in Wine History

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LoessHills (1).png

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 Cape of Good Hope passed laws respecting the sale of  wines in 1762.

  • Iowa was admitted as a state in 1846.  It is home to the Loess Hills District and Upper Mississippi River Valley viticultural areas.

  • Woodrow Wilson was born in 1856.  He was President at the beginning of Prohibition, which restricted the SALE of alcohol but not the consumption.  At the end of his term as president, Wilson had his wine collection moved to his new residence.

  • California's Shenandoah Valley AVA was designated in 1982.

  • Virginia's Shenandoah Valley AVA was designated in 1982.

January 16th - This Date in Wine History

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Beer is nourishing.jpeg

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.

  • 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
  • Prohibition began in the United States in 1920.
  • The French have a saying, « Saint Marcellin, bon pour l'eau, bon pour le vin » which translates (roughly) to "Saint Marcellin’s Day, good for water, good for wine"
  • It is the feast day of St. Fursey.  After performing several miracles in France he was offered any site in the King’s dominion for a monastery.  He selected a location along the Marne covered with woods and vineyards.

December 28th - This Date in Wine History

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Presidentwoodrowwilson.jpeg.jpg

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 Cape of Good Hope passed laws respecting the sale of wines in 1762.
  • Iowa was admitted as a state in 1846.  It is home to the Loess Hills District and Upper Mississippi River Valley viticultural areas.
  • Woodrow Wilson was born in 1856.  He was President at the beginning of Prohibition, which restricted the SALE of alcohol but not the consumption.  At the end of his term as president, Wilson had his wine collection moved to his new residence.
  • California's Shenandoah Valley AVA was designated in 1982.
  • Virginia's Shenandoah Valley AVA was designated in 1982.

December 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.

  • Prohibition is repealed in 1933.
  • A bottle of 1787 Chateau Lafite Bordeaux that had belonged to Thomas Jefferson sold at Christie’s London for 105,000 British Pounds making it the world’s most expensive wine.
  • The Savennières AOC was designated in 1996.

October 28th - 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.

  • Samuel Pepys reported in his diary that today in 1666 that he went to visit his mistress, Mrs. Martin and brought her and her friends the widow Burroughs and Doll a bottle of wine and “did tumble them all the afternoon as I pleased”.
  • In 1764, the Count de Guerchy tried to poison the Chevalier d'Eon by poisoning his wine with opium. The Chevalier was a French diplomat, spy, soldier and Freemason who lived the first half of her life as a man and the second half as a woman.
  • Woodrow Wilson’s veto of the Volstead Act was overridden in 1919.  Volstead Act prohibited the sale and consumption of Alcoholic beverages (BOOO).

October 27th - This Date in Wine History

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President_Wilson_1919.jpg

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 USS Constitution (Old Ironsides) was christened in 1797 with a bottle of Madeira.
  • Woodrow Wilson vetoed the Volstead Act in 1919.  Volstead Act prohibited the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages (BOOO).
  • California's Mendocino Ridge AVA was designated in 1997.

October 8th - This Date in Wine History

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Cola_Di_Rienzo.jpg

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.

  • Cola di Rienzo's fondness for wine increased his unpopularity and his attempt to August ment the taxes on wine and salt led to a general insurrection in which he was murdered while trying to escape in disguise in 1354.
  • John Hancock died in 1793.  The British seized John Hancock’s sloop the Liberty in 1768 over a dispute on the importation of Madeira. Riots ensued in Boston over the seizure.
  • Congress passed the Volstead Act which prohibited the sale and consumption of Alcoholic beverages (BOOO).

January 16th - This Date in Wine History

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St. Fursey

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.

  • 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.
  • Prohibition began in the United States in 1920.
  • It is the feast day of St. Fursey.  After performing several miracles in France he was offered any site in the King’s dominion for a monastery.  He selected a location along the Marne covered with woods and vineyards.