July 12th - This Date in Wine History

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Jane_Bickerton.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.

  • Erasmus died in 1536.  He was known to suffer from gallstones and complained that Queens’ College, Cambridge could not supply him with enough decent wine which was used to treat the illness.
  • Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk was born in 1628.  His second wife was Jane Bickerton, daughter of Robert Bickerton, Gentleman of the Wine Cellar for Charles II.
  • Henry David Thoreau was born in 1817. He once wrote, "I would fain keep sober always.... I believe that water is the only drink for a wise man; wine is not so noble a liquor.... Of all ebriosity, who does not prefer to be intoxicated by the air he breathes?” (crazy talk!)
  • The City of Montreal left the Port of Liverpool bound for NYC loaded with wine. It was the ship’s last successful trip to NY.
  • California's Red Hills Lake County AVA was designated in 2004.

Clear Lake - Wine Region of the Day

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Clear Lake

The Clear Lake AVA is located in Lake County, California and located on 5,000 acres. Half of the area contained within the boundaries of the AVA is the actual Clear Lake itself. The lake is the largest natural lake found entirely within the state of California and is considered to be the oldest in North America due to its unique geology.  The presence of the lake has a great influence on the temperature and climate of the region, resulting in less variance between daily and nightly temperatures than in neighboring AVAs. The Clear Lake AVA is quite cool for California, which is suitable for grape varietals that enjoy the cold, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

 The first wine grapes were produced by European immigrants to Lake County.  Prior to Prohibition Lake County produced more wine grapes than Napa but was able to recover after repeal due to a lack of transportation infrastructure. Prior to Prohibition, the wine produced from this area was of high quality, Charles Hammond, of Upper Lake, won prizes for both red and white wines at the Chicago World's Fair of 1893.  His vineyard, Ma Tel, however was destroyed by raising water after the construction of the Cache Creek Dam in 1914.

Red Hills Lake County - Wine Region of the Day

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Red Hills Lake County by David Toomey for Qorkz.

The Red Hills Lake County AVA is located on 31,250 acres in Lake County, California. The wine region is southwest of Clear Lake, at the foot of Mount Konocti, which is an active volcano. True to its name, Red Hills consists of rolling hills between elevations of 1,400 feet and 3,000 feet. The Red Hills receive an average of between 25 inches and 40 inches of rainfall each year. The volcanic soils of the region give the vines their signature minerality. In particular, the soils are known to be strewn with volcanic glass called obsidian which was created when Mount Konocti erupted and lava flowed into Clear Lake cooling it instantly.  The region is known for its red wines, specifically Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel.