July 16th - This Date in Wine History

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Mission San Diego Alcala

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 London Review in 1864 had an ad from James L. Denman who was offering wines of Greece and Hungary.
  • The Mission of San Diego de Alcalá was founded in 1769 by Junipero Serra.  The Mission included 55,000 acres and provided corn, wheat, barley, kidney beans, chickpeas and other vegetables and vineyards to provide grapes for wine. 
  • The Dolcetto d'Alba DOC was created in 1974.  Alba is a city located in the Piedmont of Italy.

Ramona Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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Ramona Valley

Ramona Valley received its designation as an AVA in 2006. Situated across 89,000 acres, Ramona Valley is centered around the city of Ramona, located 28 miles north of the city of San Diego. The region's soils consist of clay and granite and are very well draining. Hot days and cool nights, influenced by the coastal marine layer and fog, contribute to conditions that produce quality wine grapes in the Ramona Valley. The area is a broad valley that is ringed by hills and mountains that isolate it from the surrounding areas. The valley has an average vineyard elevation of 1400 feet and an average annual rainfall of 16.5 inches. Ramona Valley is known for its production of Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Zinfandel.

San Pasqual Valley - Wine Region of the Day

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San Pasqual Valley by David Toomey for Qorkz.

San Pasqual Valley received its designation as an AVA in 1981. Situated on 9,000 acres, San Pasqual Valley is located in Northern San Diego County. The soils in San Pasqual are granite based and well draining. The climate in the valley is desert like with hot days and long exposure to sunlight. The Pacific Ocean sends cooling winds down the valley in the evening and extends the growing season. The region is known for its production of Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, and Viognier.